Tea Party favorite Ken Paxton, a state senator and the Republican nominee for Texas Attorney General, addressed a crowd at the Texas GOP Convention on Friday. He sent a stern message to attendees: Texas is “under assault.” But, he added, the state has an opportunity to secure its destiny as a haven of freedom and liberty.
Paxton said that Texas’ model of low taxes and reliable regulation is threatened by liberal ideals.
“Texas is under assault,” he said. “We’re under assault economically…We’re [also] under assault politically. If [the left] can move this state into the Democrat column they will control the White House, they will control the Senate, and they will control the House.”
The Attorney General candidate argued that Texas will continue to prosper, so long as the left is not successful in gaining control of the state.
“In the midst of dire circumstances Texas has an opportunity,” Paxton said. “An opportunity to secure our destiny just as our founding fathers did. History is on our side, history tells us that our ideas work, it tells us over and over that Obama’s socialism will fail. But make no mistake, no other state is positioned to challenge Obama’s vision than the state of Texas. It is up to me, it is up to each of you–by the strength of our convictions and the actions–that we preserve liberty…I believe that God will bless Texas and as a result bless this entire nation.”
Paxton said that at an early age he was inspired by his father, and Air Force pilot, to get involved in politics.
“That service and sacrifice I saw [in my father] over two decades, it instilled in me a desire,” he said.
The state senator will face Democrat Sam Houston, a lawyer, in November.
After securing the GOP nomination last month, Paxton said in a statement, “I feel very strong about the upcoming November election and look forward to following one of the state’s great attorneys general, Greg Abbott.”
Paxton was previously endorsed by Texas Senator Ted Cruz who said, “Ken Paxton is a tireless conservative warrior. Ken Paxton stands and fights, whether it’s against Obamacare, whether it’s fighting for Voter I.D., or whether it’s fighting to defend our religious liberty. And I’m proud to say Ken Paxton is my friend in fighting hard for the State of Texas.”
Follow Kristin Tate on Twitter @KristinBTate.