In Texas red heart, an Uvalde blue vein

Texas Governor
Greg Abbott went head-to-head with his Democratic rival Beto O’Rourke in a Friday night debate ahead of the gubernatorial elections. Friday’s debate was the only one scheduled before the polls. 

While Abbott is leading by at least seven
points, his re-election to the Governor’s chair is not going to be as easy as
it seemed last year. Among the several issues Texans faced during Abbot’s term
in office, the one that has stuck out the most is the Uvalde massacre, and
hence gun control, a subject Abbott has refused to touch.

In a recent
press conference, Abbott’s opponent O’Rourke said the Texas governor has failed
to take any meaningful action on gun control. The Democrat’s message echoed
with many a parent who had lost their child in the Uvalde massacre, the
deadliest school shooting in United States’ history.

“I am
speaking directly to moms when I say our babies’ lives are on the ballot,” said
Kimberly Rubio who lost her 10-year-old daughter Alexandria ‘Lexi’ Rubio in the
massacre. “It happened to me, it can happen to you. And this pain, it’ll bring
you to your knees.”

Rubio is
dead against what she sees as the Texas governor’s ways to expand gun rights at
a time when mass shootings have gone up.

On Friday
morning, local media outlets reported that at least 35 people, all family
members of Uvalde victims, took a five-hour-long bus journey to watch the
debate with a Beto O’Rourke watch party. The debate did not have a live audience.

These
families have been vocal in their support for gun control measures and see the
Democrat as a candidate who can bring in some degree for curbs on weapons.

On Friday’s debate, Beto O’Rourke said he would bring in age requirements to the procurement of assault-style weapons. Abbot, on the other hand, maintained that school shootings were a mental health issue and did not agree that gun legislation was the way to counter the problem. 

The Uvalde
massacre refers to a deadly school shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde,
Texas. An 18-year-old man named Salvador Ramos opened fire at children and
teachers, killing 19 kids and two teachers. Ramos was gunned down later.