EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Gov. Greg Abbott opened a campaign rally in El Paso on Thursday with an update on flash flooding, saying more than 50 homes had been damaged or washed away and that he had issued a state disaster declaration for El Paso County.

Abbott said flooding was expected to continue in El Paso and other parts of West Texas over the next day or two. He urged residents not to walk or drive through floodwater and said the state would help the county respond. He also asked the crowd to observe a moment of silence for people who had lost their homes.

After the flooding remarks, Abbott turned to his campaign for a fourth term, repeatedly urging supporters to reelect him and portraying Democratic challenger Gina Hinojosa as too liberal for Texas.

Abbott said Texas had added 2.6 million jobs during his time as governor, and that wages and incomes were at record highs while poverty and crime were down. He did not provide supporting data during the rally.

He credited his administration with securing the Texas border and criticized Hinojosa for describing former President Joe Biden’s border policies as humane. Abbott cited the murder of a 12-year-old Houston girl by two people he described as having entered the country illegally, and called the Biden administration’s policies reckless and dangerous.

Abbott said he had signed a law banning sanctuary cities in Texas and accused Hinojosa of supporting them.

The governor also pointed to laws he said target human trafficking and restrict China, Russia and Iran from buying land in Texas.

Abbott promoted a property tax plan that he said would require voter approval before property taxes could take effect, limit annual appraisal increases to 3% and eliminate school district property taxes on homesteads, with the state taking on more of the cost of public education.

He said the average Texan would save more than $3,000 a year under his proposed changes. He also said his broader affordability agenda would reduce costs by more than $4,000 per year, including through lower homeowners and auto insurance rates and a health insurance policy he said would save families $1,000 annually.

WATCH FULL RALLY:

Greg Abbott campaign in El Paso on Oct. 29, 2026

Abbott cited the increase in the state’s homestead exemption for school district property taxes, from $15,000 when he took office to $140,000. He said the exemption for seniors is $200,000.

He accused Hinojosa of supporting an income tax, an inheritance tax and higher property taxes. Abbott said he would oppose a state income tax and noted that he had signed a law banning an inheritance tax.

On education and social issues, Abbott said he had signed a law barring transgender girls from competing in girls’ sports. He also accused Hinojosa of supporting policies that would allow public schools to facilitate students’ gender transitions without their parents’ knowledge and penalize parents over how they refer to their children. Abbott said he had signed a parental rights law.

Abbott also said he had used a Texas law to designate the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations as foreign terrorist organizations.

Abbott told supporters to vote and said he had signed a law requiring voters in Texas elections to be U.S. citizens. He urged attendees to download the Abbott Impact app, connect their phone contacts and access voter information to see who had voted, which he said could help supporters encourage others to cast ballots.

Sign up to receive the top interesting stories from in and around our community once daily in your inbox.