Early voting in Texas began on Monday which means the beginning of the end of this campaign season.
The candidates for Texas governor didn't waste any time and moved across the state in the last effort to garner votes.
Incumbent Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) cast his ballot Monday morning before heading out to "Get Out The Vote" events. NBC 5 political reporter Julie Fine spoke with him at his first event outside of Austin. He then traveled to San Antonio and the Rio Grande Valley.
“Things are very exciting. Listen, we expect a very high turnout," Abbott said. "We see great support for the policies that we are campaigning on."
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He told supporters he's the candidate to secure the border, that he is strong on law enforcement, and points to the Texas economy and jobs.
“The winner or loser of this race is not going to be me. It is going to be you, because you and your values, they are on the line,” said Abbott.
The Abbott campaign has a goal of support from 1 million Hispanic voters.
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“It is going well. We had a lot of Hispanics at the event here today. We see growing Hispanic support definitely along the border,” said Abbott.
Meanwhile, Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke told reporters and supporters while out on the campaign trail that it's time for someone else to run the state.
“People want change after eight years of Greg Abbott and failure on inflation, and property taxes, and people leaving our schools, and the most extreme abortion ban in America, and nothing done to reduce gun violence in our schools, and folks are voting for change. They want to turn the page and they’re showing up in record numbers to vote," said O'Rourke outside Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas.
The El Paso native stopped by six polling places in Dallas-Fort Worth on Monday and will continue to do so on Tuesday.
"We’re so excited for everyone who is making the most out of these days of early voting today. Today's the first day. Big turnout. Let's keep going," said O'Rourke.
He's looking to unseat Abbott, who has been ahead in the polls. But O'Rourke believes his campaign will pull through.
"We need to get back to the center in Texas, doing the things that most of us can agree on, that means world-class schools, great jobs, the ability to see a doctor because we expand Medicaid and protecting a woman’s right to make her own decision about her own body," said O'Rourke.
Early voting runs through Nov. 4 and Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8.
