Trump, who has endorsed Abbott for reelection, wrote in an open letter to the governor on Tuesday that “Texans demand a real audit to completely address their concerns.”
“Despite my big win in Texas, I hear Texans want an election audit!” Trump wrote. “You know your fellow Texans have big questions about the November 2020 Election.”
The former president, who is reportedly considering another run for the White House in 2024, specifically backed House Bill (HB) 16 by Rep. Steve Toth (R-The Woodlands) which has been filed for the current special session. Trump also endorsed Senate Bill (SB) 97 by Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), which the Texas Senate passed during the last session but was not considered by the House.
“Thankful to have President Trump’s support for HB 16 calling for an audit of the 2020 election,” Toth wrote on social media Tuesday morning.
Trump referenced a “watered-down amendment” that Texas lawmakers passed during the second called session, which likely refers to a provision in the Election Integrity Protection Act of 2021 that requires randomized audits of elections in some counties.
“Texas needs you to act now. Your Third Special Session is the perfect, and maybe last, opportunity to pass this audit bill,” Trump wrote, calling last year’s presidential election a “scam.”
Don Huffines, one of Abbott’s Republican primary challengers, tweeted after Trump published the letter, “Thank you Mr. President for joining me in calling on [Abbott] to support a forensic audit of the 2020 election. Together, we can force Greg Abbott to do things he doesn’t want to do.”
Trump’s campaign was unable to prove his claims of election fraud in the federal district court system and the electoral college certified President Biden’s victory in January.
A copy of former President Trump’s letter to Governor Abbott can be found below.
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Hayden Sparks
Hayden Sparks is a senior reporter for The Texan and a lifelong resident of the Lone Star State. He has coached competitive speech and debate and has been involved in politics since a young age. One of Hayden's favorite quotes is by Sam Houston: "Texas has yet to learn submission to any oppression, come from what source it may."
