Damp, dreary weather did not keep his supporters home. One retiree on a fixed income said Abbott wants to lower the homestead price on property taxes, "so that means a lot to me." Another said he has fought for border security and taxes. Abbott told the crowd, "We are not going to allow them to California, Texas. We're going to keep Texas, Texas."
After the event, Abbott fielded questions about his promise to eliminate school property taxes on homeowners' primary residences, and how the state would fund public schools without shifting costs to Texans. "We have more than enough money every single year to fully pay for that," he said. He promised a property tax relief fund, no new tax, and a property tax bill cut in half.
He also took questions on data centers. He once called Texas the "epicenter" of AI development and helped announce Google's major investment, but now he calls for limits. "I put a halt on any new data centers," he said.
The Texas Tribune found he has received about $9 million from data center-related donors since July 2025.