Texas Gov. Republican Primary Results: AP Calls Race For Abbott

AUSTIN, TX — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott held off several challengers to claim the Republican nomination in his bid for re-election as the Associated Press called the Republican primary in the incumbent's favor Tuesday. NBC News and FOX News also called the race in favor of Abbott.

AP also called the Democratic primary in favor of former Rep. Beto O'Rourke, setting up a long-awaited showdown between the two in the 2022 Texas gubernatorial election.

Abbott held off challenges to his governor's seat from former U.S. representative from Florida Allen West, Don Huffines, Paul Belew, Danny Harrison, Kandy Kaye Horn and Chad Prather. Also in the race was Rick Perry, who is not the former governor of the same name.

In early voting results, Abbott held near 70 percent of the vote, far ahead of his closest challenger, West, who was hovering around 12 percent. In the Democratic primary, O'Rourke held over 90 percent of the early votes.

Official election results could be delayed as Harris County election officials told Texas Secretary of State John B. Scott that they will not be able to report results from all early and Election Day ballots within the required 24-hour period after polls closed at 7 p.m. Tuesday, according to a news release.

Election officials told the Secretary of State Office the delay in results from Harris County is because of damaged ballots that must be reproduced before they are counted and reported, Scott said in the statement.

Here are the results with 233 of 254 counties reporting as of 10:45 p.m.:

Texas Governor Republican Primary Vote Totals

Greg Abbott: 900,210 (67.75%)

Paul Belew: 7,110 (0.54%)

Danny Harrison: 6,891 (0.52%)

Kandy Kaye Horn: 15,403 (1.16%)

Don Huffines: 149,960 (11.29%)

Rick Perry: 42,875 (3.23%)

Chad Prather: 49,522 (3.73%)

Allen B. West: 156,666 (11.79%)

Abbott assumed the governorship in January 2015 following his victory over Wendy Davis in the 2014 gubernatorial election and won re-election in 2018 over Democratic challenger Lupe Valdez.

Abbott has his sights set on a third term and has former President Donald Trump's endorsement and $56 million in campaign funds at his disposal. Trump's endorsement comes as Abbott has put his stamp on several divisive new laws that have moved Texas further right.

In May 2021, Abbott signed Senate Bill 8, also known as the heartbeat bill. The law bans abortions once cardiac activity is detected, which can occur as early as six weeks into pregnancy, and leaves enforcement to individual actors who can sue anyone who performs, aids or abets an abortion that violates the law for up to $10,000.

Abbott also signed a law allowing permitless carrying of guns in Texas and has repeatedly criticized President Joe Biden over his handling of what Republicans are calling a border crisis on the Texas-Mexico border.

Abbott has faced criticism from some in the GOP, including his challengers, over his handling COVID-19 as he implemented mask mandates and closures for certain businesses early in the pandemic. Since 2021, Abbott has been staunchly against mask and vaccine mandates and has issued several executive orders banning similar mandates at the local level in government buildings and public schools.

The most notable of Abbott's challengers is West, who was the chair of the Texas Republican Party from July 2020 until July 2021, when he launched his gubernatorial campaign. West served as the U.S. representative for Florida's 22nd District for one term from 2011 to 2013.

West, who was involved in a physical altercation over not wearing a mask in Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in November, was a member of the Tea Party Caucus while in office.

Huffines, also a Tea Party Republican, served in the Texas Senate in District 16 from 2015 to 2019, losing his bid for re-election in 2018.

Prather is a political commentator and YouTube personality who hosts The Chad Prather Show on BlazeTV.

Belew is an attorney, while Harrison is a business owner in the landscaping industry, according to their listings on the Texas elections website.

Perry is listed as a computer engineer and was previously a Republican Party precinct chair in Parker County.

Horn describes herself as a Christian businesswoman on her campaign website.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.