AUSTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott and Beto O’Rourke jumped to big early leads and were expected to win their respective parties’ nominations for Texas governor without a runoff Tuesday.
In early returns, Abbott amassed a sizable lead over seven Republican challengers, including North Texans Allen West and Don Huffines. Huffines conceded early in the evening, boasting he had “driven the narrative” and forced the incumbent to deliver for conservatives.
O’Rourke, the former El Paso congressman and presidential candidate, vaulted to a commanding lead at the head of a five-candidate Democratic field.
