AUSTIN (KXAN) — Rep. Joaquín Castro will provide a Democratic response Thursday after Gov. Greg Abbott answers Texans’ questions during a statewide Town Hall.
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. is hosting the Town Hall in Tyler. Afterward, Castro will speak, and will join other panelists for a special live-streamed State of Texas post-show.
LEARN MORE: Gov. Abbott Town Hall and how to watch
The Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa characterized Castro as a “leader, a fighter, and an inspiration to many” in a release.
“Congressman Castro is fearless in holding Donald Trump and the Republican establishment accountable,” Hinojosa said. “From ending gun violence to challenging Trump’s racists and disgusting policy of family separation, from protecting our democracy from foreign interference to fighting for healthcare, education, and an economy that works for everyone, Castro leads on the issues that matter to Texans.”
Gov. Abbott is expected to address topics ranging from state taxes to immigration to a response after the El Paso shooting. On Wednesday, Abbott announced he would form a Domestic Terrorism Task Force to combat “hateful acts of extremism.”
In the days after the shooting, Castro called Abbott out on Facebook, saying “he has stoked racial and ethnic resentment for political purposes.” Castro referenced the Governor’s support for the controversial immigration enforcement legislation Senate Bill 4 and Abbott’s previous tweet saying he was “Embarrassed” Texas gun sales were behind California’s.
Castro previously served in the Texas House, but now serves in the U.S. House representing Texas District 20, which is the San Antonio area. He is on the Select Committee on Intelligence and is the Vice Chair for the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
