At the Port of Corpus Christi, Trump Touts Venezuelan Oil, Promises Flood Relief and Asks Texans to Send Paxton

President Donald Trump brought his closing pitch for Texas Republicans to the Port of Corpus Christi on Tuesday, one week before the Nov. 3 election.

He was expected to speak at 2 p.m. but took the stage around 2:45 p.m. at the port site on East Port Avenue, KRIS 6 News reported. He left on Air Force One shortly after he finished, with a rally also scheduled in Lubbock.

Venezuelan oil and the Iran war

Trump pointed to the arrival of 1 million barrels of Venezuelan oil to be refined in Texas, calling it a sign of better days for Americans facing high gas prices, the San Antonio Express-News reported.

He said the United States "is making an absolute fortune because of the situation in the Middle East" and repeated his promise that the war with Iran, now eight months old, would "end very soon." He defended his decision this year to remove Venezuela's leader, which opened the way to an oil agreement with that country.

"Jobs are happening in Venezuela that nobody would have thought even possible," Trump said. "Who knows? Maybe someday soon it will become a prosperous 51st state."

Critics have their own numbers. U.S. oil companies, including Chevron and ExxonMobil, have reported big profits as crude prices rose with the war, and a new report by Democrats on the Congressional Joint Economic Committee says Trump's personal oil and gas holdings have roughly doubled, the Express-News reported.

The border, tariffs and flood relief

Trump said voters have a "two-week lifespan of memory" and that he wanted to talk about the border anyway. "My professionals say, 'Sir, you've solved that problem. Nobody wants to talk about the border,'" he said. "I say, 'Please, I want to talk. I did such a good job.'"

He defended his tariffs, which have raised prices on some goods, and said they will someday be appreciated.

He also promised to free up more federal emergency money for damage from last year's deadly Hill Country floods. The Federal Emergency Management Agency recently denied a request for individual assistance. Trump did not say what relief was coming or when, but he said it came at the request of Paxton and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.

Paxton on stage

Paxton, the state's attorney general, faces Democrat James Talarico for U.S. Senate and has trailed in nearly every recent poll, the Express-News reported. He has leaned into his ties to the president. On stage, he went after Talarico for his past support of the transgender community.

"Would you agree that President Trump knows how to pack a crowd?" Paxton asked. "Would you agree that he's the greatest president in your lifetime?"

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, attorney general nominee Mayes Middleton and, briefly, Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined the president. Gov. Greg Abbott was campaigning elsewhere on the coast.

Two House races

Trump again backed U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz and former federal prosecutor Eric Flores, both in tight races. Flores is challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez in the 34th District. "There is only so much the candidate controls," Flores told the Express-News. "The rest of it is in the environment." He pointed to Gonzalez missing 222 of 5,097 roll call votes since 2017.

De La Cruz, who faces Tejano singer Bobby Pulido, called herself a political outsider "with no famous last name" and renewed attacks over a former bandmate of Pulido's who is a registered sex offender. Pulido has said he did not know about the conviction while they worked together.

Neither report included a response from Talarico's campaign to the rally.

Weigh the record

A president's visit draws a crowd and cameras. Christians should listen with care, check claims against the facts and pray for those in authority. Then vote your conscience. Our day-of guide covered the logistics; early voting ends Friday, Oct. 30.