Governor Abbott visits El Paso for campaign event
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- “I appreciate their support because it reaffirms our collective commitment to keeping Texans safe,” Gov. Greg Abbott said.
Abbott was back on the campaign trail, making his second stop in El Paso in recent months. This time, he was joined by several members of local, state and federal law enforcement.
El Paso County Sheriff Clint McDonnell voiced his support for the governor. “I support Governor Abbott, and we will continue to support him as long as he wants to lead this great state,” McDonnell said.
The National Border Patrol Council also endorsed Abbott, saying he “saved Texas” and earned its support. The El Paso Municipal Police Officers Association echoed that endorsement, saying it looks forward to Abbott’s continued leadership.
Some local law enforcement leaders said they hope the state will provide more funding for departments, particularly for recruitment efforts.
“El Paso has grown tremendously,” said John Armendariz, president of the El Paso Municipal Police Officers Association. “When I started 23 years ago, we had just over 1,000 officers. Nearly 24 years later, we barely have 1,100.”
Abbott spoke for about 15 minutes and touched on several issues, including education, property tax reform and immigration.
“We have to fully fund our education system and stop rising property taxes on people’s homes,” Abbott said. “Public safety remains a priority, and we must stay committed to securing the border.”
The event is happening at the El Paso Municipal Police Officers' Association Memorial Hall located at 3601 Rutherglen Street in East El Paso.
The governor will be joined at the event by the El Paso Municipal Police Officers’ Association, National Border Patrol Council, and Texas Game Warden Peace Officer's Association.
The event is happening at 1 p.m.
ABC-7 has covered Governor Abbott's previous visits to the Borderland. Most recently he spoke at a Get Out the Vote event in October 2025 on the westside.
