Five GOP county chairs were facing backlash for sharing racist social media posts. The Texas Tribune identified seven other GOP county chairs across the state who shared similar posts. Texas's top Republican officials, including Gov. Greg Abbott, had condemned four GOP chairs for proliferating conspiracy theories on Facebook. The posts, from chairs of some of the largest counties in Texas, suggested George Floyd's death was staged to erode black support for President Donald Trump.
LBJ's Peniel Joseph said Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick don't set the agenda as much as they reflect the beliefs and feelings of constituents who voted them into office.
"Citizens are looking for their champions and for people articulating what they feel is their world view," he said. "That's what the lieutenant governor and governor represent."