Disaster on power grid, Uvalde, abortion rights — and Star-Telegram still backs Abbott?

Texas needs a new governor

The Star-Telegram editorial board’s recommendation to reelect Greg Abbott as Texas’ governor is at best nonsensical and at worst maddening. (Oct. 25, 9A, “We recommend: Greg Abbott for governor over Beto O’Rourke”) To suggest another four years in hopes they will be better than the previous eight is the perfect definition of absurdity.

Texas ranks low among states in school funding, educational achievement, teacher retirement benefits and mental health care on Abbott’s watch. Texas schools are failing “across the board” — your words — yet you want to keep the status quo?

Add to that the debacle of the power grid failure last winter, his reprehensible handling of the Uvalde tragedy and his outright assault on women’s rights.

Your editorial board recommends Democrats in most other top state elections, yet you think another four years of the intentionally divisive Abbott would be good for Texans? I wholeheartedly disagree.

- Jeff Newberry, Fort Worth

Peoples wrong for Tarrant County

I’m incredulous that the editorial board would endorse a candidate for Tarrant County judge such as Deborah Peoples, who embraces such a radical left-wing agenda. You failed to point out that Peoples supports the Black Lives Matter movement locally and nationally. She does not support the Fort Worth Police Department sufficiently, in my opinion. These and other left-wing positions came to light during her failed bid for mayor.

Her statements about Donald Trump’s supporters only further divide our community. She would be the typical tax-and-spend Democrat that Tarrant County doesn’t need.

- Carol Guarnieri, Fort Worth

Keep Dobbs decision in mind

It feels like the outrage energy from the Supreme Court Dobbs decision on abortion has waned. I’m surprised that abortion rights activists didn’t plan a big march right before the midterm elections to stir up the pot. I hope I’m wrong and the anger of forced birthing and women becoming second-class citizens is still simmering and will boil over on Nov. 8.

- Blake K. Wallace, Arlington

Leonard Pitts’ racism obsession

Leonard Pitts Jr. was at it again in “If Republicans couldn’t cheat, they couldn’t win.” (Oct. 23, 5C) He attacks a reader for asking him to support his position about keeping Black people from voting, and when the reader does offer an attempt to support his position, Pitts resorts to name-calling with “Gov. DeFascist’s election cops.” With weak or nonexistent arguments, Pitts again falls back on slavery, Jim Crow and the Klan.

Pitts’ obsession with racism has no place in commentary on the issues of today.

- Gary Lambert, Mansfield

Does Dan Patrick have any shame?

I remember during the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 when Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick notoriously said that seniors would be willing to die to save the economy for their grandchildren. Patrick contracted COVID-19 and received the best of care. I never wish a man ill, but Patrick should have resigned his office if he had any shred of credibility in truly wanting to pass jobs and a strong economy to the next generation.

Patrick knows how to wield political tomahawks and barbs, but that is all he knows. He should be soundly defeated so that someone better suited to make legislative negotiations can take over.

- James A. Marples, Longview