HOUSTON—In a state Republican convention kickoff on June 16 that doubled as a campaign rally, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott listed accomplishments Texas has made under conservative leadership.

While in office, Abbott said Texas has stepped up to build a border wall, fought the Green New Deal, outlawed Critical Race Theory, and defunded cities that defund police.

“I know one thing you all care about … is preventing this radical Leftist ideology from taking root here in the Lone Star State,” he said.

Abbott called Pres. Joe Biden’s handling of the border crisis “shameful” because he won’t let border patrol agent do their jobs.

Texas has stepped in to stem the rising tide of illegal immigration by using razor wire across its border with Mexico and arresting those who trespass into the state.

“It was just a year-and-a-half ago we had the most secure border in more than two decades,” Abbott said, referring to when former Republican president Donald Trump was in office.

Abbott said the only thing worse than having Biden as president would be his challenger Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas) taking over as governor.

Abbott blamed skyrocketing inflation and gas prices on Biden.

If O’Rourke wins, Abbott said Texas would suffer under his opponent’s embrace of the Green New Deal, which calls for switching to renewable energy while slashing fossil fuel use.

O’Rourke would destroy Texas’s oil and gas industry, which would increase gas prices, Abbott added.

“I am running for reelection to ensure we protect those high-paying energy jobs, and Texas remains the No. 1 state in America for producing oil and gas,” he said. “Texas is the economic juggernaut of the United States of America.”

Abbott vowed to bring school choice to Texas so parents could remove their children from institutions that would rather indoctrinate than educate.

He also promised to enhance school security.

He said the state legislature is working to better protect schools from mass shootings like the one in Uvalde, Texas, that left 19 children and two teachers dead.

Texas leads all states in creating more jobs—and Abbott said he would keep it that way as long as he is governor.

He pointed out an ambulance parked outside the hall with O’Rourke’s picture plastered on the side called the “Beto Truth Response Unit.”

Abbott said the vehicle would follow his opponent around the state to make sure people know Beto stands for open borders, the Green New Deal, defunding police, and raising taxes.

“We’re going to beat the hell out of Beto,” Abbott said to loud applause.

This year’s Texas State Republican Convention, where some 10,000 conservative attendees will gather, sets priorities for the next legislative session in 2023.

Besides defining conservative issues, the party chair and vice-chair will be elected at the convention.

This year’s convention, June 16-18 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, marks the first time the event has been held in person in four years.

In 2020, the convention went virtual.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, a Democrat, told city lawyers to terminate the convention contract. He believed the three-day event could not be held safely due to COVID-19.