Texas Republican blames GOP leaders for Democratic sweep

While President Donald Trump and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz have weighed in on Democrats' sweep of statewide offices, one Republican incumbent is pointing to why it happened.

A social media post shows Texas Comptroller Don Huffines on election night pointing to Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick as to why Republicans lost.

"It's gonna almost be impossible to win this state back," Huffines said. "I blame this on Greg Abbott. I blame this on Dan Patrick. I blame it on all of our leadership."

Gaining cheers from the crowd, Huffines questioned Abbott's and Patrick's decision to run for a fourth term, saying Republicans had failed to deliver on promises and left them with little to campaign on.

"People are tired of Republicans being in office," Huffines said, pointing to the screen behind him showing the results of the elections in Texas that night.

Huffines, a former state senator whom Abbott appointed comptroller in July, also lost on Nov. to Democratic state Sen. Sarah Eckhardt. He said Republicans never cared about the party's platforms.

"They never cared about you — I served with them," Huffines said. "They laugh and make fun of you and the grassroots. They never cared about our party platform."

Trump also weighed in on Abbott's election night loss to Democrat Gina Hinojosa on social media, calling him a RINO — a Republican In Name Only.

"He went back to his original formula, and it wasn’t pretty!" Trump wrote.

Cruz, speaking on his podcast on Nov. 4, also weighed in after the election, calling the Republicans' losses in Texas and around the nation a "Watergate-level repudiation" and pointing to tariffs and the Iran war as part of the reason why the party lost.

"But hear me now: we will bring Texas back. I am filled with hope and optimism," he said.

Mateo Rosiles is the Texas Connect reporter for USA TODAY and its regional papers in Texas, based in Austin. Got a news tip for him? Email him at [email protected].