TSU professor: 'The outcome of this election will depend on which party has the best infrastructure'

Early voting in the 2022 general election concluded on Friday ahead of Tuesday’s big day, with figures from the Secretary of State’s (SOS) Office revealing lower voter turnout among blocks considered key for Democrats in predominantly red Texas, per a report from Houston ABC affiliate KTRK. 

KTRK reported that the number of people in Harris County who cast their ballots from Oct. 24 to Friday dipped from that posted in the lead-up for the 2018 midterms.

Per the station, young voter turnout dipped by 35% in Texas’ largest county while turnout among black voters declined by 25% compared to four years ago.

 "I think the difference in the outcome of this election will depend on which party has the best infrastructure in terms of turning out the vote," Dr. Michael Adams, a political science professor at Texas Southern University (TSU), said, KTRK reported. 

Adams said that it’s all about messaging, according to the station.

The biggest race in the Lone Star State for this election season is the contest between Republican incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott and Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke. 

O’Rourke, who has unsuccessful presidential and senatorial bids under his belt, is attempting to unseat Abbott, who’s eyeing another four years in Texas’ top office. 

Adams told KTRK that O’Rourke’s attempts to pin the instability of the power grid and gun violence on the two-term governor are seemingly falling on deaf ears. 

"They thought they would get a lot [of] traction out of that, but that doesn't seem to be the case," the professor said.

Citing Austin NBC affiliate KXAN, Austin Journal reported that St. Edward’s University (SEU) political science professor Dr. Brian Smith explained O’Rourke, an ex-congressman from El Paso, in 2018 was an “exciting, fresh face” but not so much in his latest political foray, presenting it as a possible reason for a drop in early voting turnout. 

“There aren’t a lot of other exciting races in the state when we look at Texas with all its congressional districts,” Smith told KXAN, the publication reported. 

Other notable state races on the ballot are lieutenant governor and attorney general.