By Zach Despart
The Texas Democratic Party’s nominees for the state’s two top offices chastised Republican leaders for what they say was a tepid response to President Donald Trump’s inaccurate comments about Hurricane Harvey rescuers.
During a visit to Pinkerton’s Barbecue on Friday afternoon, gubernatorial candidate Lupe Valdez said Gov. Greg Abbott failed to forcefully refute the president, who said on Wednesday that some Texans “went out in their boats to watch the hurricane” and that it “didn’t work out too well.”
Abbott told the Chronicle that he had “no information one way or another about that,” comments Valdez said were intended to avoid confronting the president.
Valdez said many Texans acted heroically during Harvey, leaving their families to help rescue their neighbors whose homes flooded. Her running mate, lieutenant governor hopeful Mike Collier, a Houstonian, echoed her comments.
Collier said Trump’s comments were “one of the more offensive things I’ve ever heard.” He said that Texas’ elected Republican leaders have refrained from criticizing Trump’s comments because they want to protect the president.
Valdez and Collier meandered through the popular restaurant, including the sweltering pit room out back, to thank Pinkerton’s employees for working through Harvey. The restaurant stayed dry and cooked meals for first responders during the storm, when many eateries were forced to close.
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