Texas Gov. Greg Abbott withdrew his endorsement of a Houston-area legislative candidate after dashcam footage surfaced showing the Republican using a racial slur while trying to talk his way out of a drunk driving arrest earlier this year.
According to the Houston Chronicle, David Flores, running to represent Pasadena in the Texas House, was pulled over by Deer Park police for speeding in the early morning hours of February 14 and found to have a blood alcohol content of 0.11 percent. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor DWI in June and received probation.
The footage, released Wednesday by Democratic strategy group Lone Star Project, shows Flores name-dropping his political connections in an apparent attempt to avoid arrest, telling officers he'd just secured Abbott's endorsement and calling state Rep. Briscoe Cain a "good buddy," even though Abbott hadn't formally announced his backing until May.
"The governor just freaking endorsed me," Flores can be heard saying.
Flores is then heard muttering expletives under his breath, including a racial slur directed at Black people, despite neither arresting officer appearing to be Black.
Abbott's campaign moved quickly once the video surfaced. Spokesman Eduardo Leal confirmed the governor was pulling his endorsement entirely.
"There is no place for this kind of behavior or language," Leal said. "Our brave law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe, and Governor Abbott will always stand with the men and women of law enforcement."
Cain said he hadn't seen the video and declined to comment. Flores didn't immediately respond through a campaign spokesperson.
It's not the first time Flores has had legal trouble. He racked up five misdemeanor convictions between 2001 and 2004 for offenses including theft, assault and evading arrest, issues he spoke openly about during an earlier run for Pasadena mayor in 2018. He hadn't faced any Harris County charges again until this year's arrest.
The scandal threatens one of the GOP's best shots at flipping a Democratic-held Texas House seat this November, part of Abbott's broader push to turn Harris County solidly Republican through heavy investment up and down the ballot. Flores is challenging Rep. Mary Ann Perez, who has held the seat for nearly a decade despite the district backing Trump in 2024.
Perez argued the episode speaks to larger questions about her opponent's character.
"Public service should never be viewed as a shield from accountability, before or after someone is elected," Perez said. "Those who seek the public's trust must accept responsibility for their actions and hold themselves to the same standards they expect of everyone else."
