By DEBI OKEKE/Staff Writer
Gov. Greg Abbott held a re-election campaign event at ETX Brewing Company in downtown Tyler on Nov. 12. Abbott announced his bid for a fourth term. If he is re-elected he will make history as the longest‑serving governor in Texas history.
“This is the place where I first ran for public office,” Abbott said, recounting his first election win in 1993 to become a state trial judge. “We won Harris County then, and we are going to win Harris County again this election.”
The governor spoke to a packed crowd, highlighting his plans to cut property taxes for homeowners and put more money back in the hands of businesses. Joining him were Texas Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) and Daniel Alders the Republican state representative for Texas House District 6, and four other state representatives. All lawmakers praised Abbott’s leadership and echoed his calls for continued tax relief.
Abbott made Tyler one of the first stops in his campaign, rallying supporters ahead of the election a year from now. While the inside was focused on tax cuts and business incentives, his visit drew criticism from activists and protestors gathered otuside the venue.
PROTESTS
On the sidewalks of Broadway Avenue in downtown Tyler, anti-ICE demonstrators made their voices heard. Over 100 people came out to oppose the Smith County Sheriff’s Office and their involvement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The past couple of weeks have seen an increase in ICE agents and vehicles spotted around Tyler stemming from Smith County’s participation in the federal 287(g) immigration enforcement program.
This program trains local police and sheriffs to act as ICE agents, allowing them to question, detain and initiate the deportation process for those suspected of being undocumented, all while being reimbursed for working with the agency. They join nearly 900 police departments in 40 states currently involved in the program as public pressure against it grows nationwide.
“This is inhumane,” Leilani Hurtado, one of the protesters, said. “It is funding them, and it is paying them to oppress.”
Abbott signed Senate Bill 8 (SB 8) in July of 2025, additionally requiring Texas sheriffs to cooperate with immigration enforcement efforts.
Those in the community who are not happy about these developments and came out in droves to voice their concerns. Hector Garza, chairman of the Smith County Democratic Party, was one of the prominent speakers at the protest.
“Everybody behind me is [here] because you messed with their families,” he declared over the crowd’s chants.
Supporters around him held handmade signs and cheered, emphasizing the community’s frustration with what many described as a lack of transparency and compassion from state and police officials. Garza went on to call for greater accountability and urged young residents not to stand down to stay dedicated in these uncertain times.
Other speakers echoed similar concerns, highlighting worries about the safety of their loved ones and the suddenness with which the new arrivals were brought into the area.
“They’re just targeting our color and people don’t see that they’re tearing up our families,” remarked one protestor.
Despite the heightened police enforcement, the crowd remained energized, lining the sidewalks for hours as they demanded answers and action from local and state leaders.
Asael Sida, a UT Tyler student who attended the protest, said, “Greg Abbott has no heart for the people of Texas and is acting under the puppet control of the Trump administration.”
As the protest continued, cars passing by honked in support, some flying flags out their windows, showing solidarity with the demonstrators and amplifying their message.
POLICY
Inside the building, the atmosphere contrasted sharply with the tension outside. Men and women in soft-colored suits shuffled around, getting things set up for the press conference as the room hummed with small talk from attendees and supporters waiting for the governor’s arrival.
After brief opening remarks on the state of Texas’s economy and other local concerns, Abbott moved into the core of his message.
He outlined five steps to overhaul the property tax system:
- Require Common Sense Local Spending
- Require Two-Thirds Voter Approval for Texas Increases
- Empower Voters to Roll Back Taxes.
- Create Appraisal Predictability, Cap Appraisal Growth
- Eliminate School Property Taxes for Homeowners.
Property taxes are what estate owners pay on their land and buildings and serve as a primary source of funding for local public schools and road maintenance. It is an “ad valorem” tax, which means that the amount paid depends on the monetary value of the property.
Abbott explains that property tax increases are the responsibility of local governments and not the states because they are the ones who set and collect them. He argues that if local authorities stopped increasing spending budgets, which is how much money they put into services like roads, schools and parks, they would not need to increase property taxes for homeowners and businesses.
Texas already has spending limits and Abbott wants local governments to have the same restrictions.
He also argues that property tax increases should not happen without the consent of those actually paying the taxes.
Currently, local governments can raise property taxes without directly asking residents. Abbott proposes that any property tax increase must be approved by a two-thirds majority of voters, giving residents a direct say in these decisions as well as having the tools to reduce them after they have been set.
“You should have a say in everything that’s going to affect your ability to stay in your own home,” he commented.
These suggested policies align with a number of the 17 propositions set forward and voted on in Texas this month. Specifically, propositions 2, 6, 8 and 9 reinforce prohibitions on certain types of capital, profits, inheritance, stocks, trusts, and business property.
Propositions 11 and 13 increase the homestead property tax exemption for all homeowners. This exemption reduces the taxable value of your primary home, which in turn lowers the amount of property taxes you owe. Proposition 11 raises the additional exemption for seniors and people with disabilities to $60,000, while Proposition 13 raises the general exemption for all homeowners to $140,000. This means that for a senior or disabled homeowner, up to $200,000 of their home’s value could be exempt.
A controversial one is Proposition 17, which gives property tax cuts for the added value of border security infrastructure built on private land. Previously, the state of Texas would make a one-time payment for property owners who voluntarily signed an easement, an agreement stating that the city or state could use their property for public use.
However, this proposition wants to encourage and incentivize Texans to want border security efforts to happen on their land, in a time of heightened distrust surrounding immigration enforcement.
Critics of these propositions say that they are taking away funding from public services to keep in the pockets of wealthy homeowners and businesses. Public education is especially vulnerable, as between 55% to 60% of property taxes go to funding public schools in Texas.
When asked how the state would make up the difference to fund public schools, the governor responded, “That should be up to the voters or up to a meeting or discussion among legislators. There’s a lot of possible solutions to come up with the resources needed.”
On Nov. 4, Texans voted to approve all 17 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution.
GROWING OPPOSITION
Across the South, Democratic leaders and community advocates are pushing back on Abbott, challenging both his political approach and the long-term impact of his time in office. Several new Democratic candidates have emerged to challenge Abbott’s reign in Texas, including Former U.S. Rep. Chris Bell, Andrew White, son of former Gov. Mark White, Bobby Cole and State Rep, Gina Hinojosa, the only female candidate at the moment.
“Our fight right now is against the billionaires and corporations who are driving up prices, closing our neighborhood schools and cheating Texans out of basic health care,” Hinojosa said in a video launching her campaign for governor.
After three consecutive landslide wins for Abbott, most democrats don’t see themselves ever getting a chance to stay at the governor’s mansion.
Recent historic wins, like Zohran Mamdani becoming the youngest and first Muslim mayor of New York City at the age of 34, and Georgia Democrats flipping two seats on the state’s public service commission, the first time since 2006, gave liberal officials and voters hope for the best, even in a state as red as Texas.
The protest was one of several demonstrations planned in Tyler over the coming weeks. The next major one is set for Saturday, Nov. 22, at Bergfeld Park, organized by the Smith County Young Democrats, who are urging everyone to show up and bring voices of dissent.
“As someone who is directly affected by this program, standing up and being a voice for my community has been my biggest priority,” protestor Emily Betancourt stated. “These demonstrations have shown us that the people of Smith County are not backing down for our immigrant communities.”
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In an audio slideshow, ORION BAKER shares what it was like to cover Greg Abbott’s campaign stop.
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