Anna Kelly to Newsmax: Trump Bringing SOTU Momentum to Texas

White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly told Newsmax that President Donald Trump will focus heavily on his economic message and energy accomplishments when he visits Texas on Friday ahead of the state's March 3 primaries — a trip that comes just days after his State of the Union address and amid high-stakes Republican contests.

Trump's visit to Corpus Christi is scheduled for the final day of early voting and just days before the Texas primary where multiple key GOP races are unfolding. The trip is expected to highlight his administration's economic and energy policies in a state that is deeply tied to energy production.

During an interview Friday morning with "Wake Up America," Kelly declined to say whether Trump would endorse in the marquee U.S. Senate Republican primary featuring Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas; Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton; and Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, noting limits imposed by the Hatch Act.

The Hatch Act is a federal law that restricts executive branch employees from engaging in certain political activities while acting in their official capacity in an effort to ensure government functions remain nonpartisan. It generally prohibits using official authority or resources to influence elections and limits partisan political activity while on duty or in a federal workplace.

"I'm a bit limited in what I can say from this position with the Hatch Act," Kelly said when asked whether Trump would pick among the three candidates.

"But I'll say that the president, of course, is invested in having great Republicans all across this country implementing his agenda," she added.

None of the three Senate candidates has yet secured Trump's endorsement, and all have been campaigning to highlight their ties with him in a bitterly contested race.

Kelly added that Trump will emphasize his administration's economic policies, which she said benefited Texans and all Americans, including tax cuts, lowering drug costs, and negotiating fair trade deals.

"Texans know better than anybody the importance of 'drill, baby, drill,'" she said, pointing to the state's role as a massive energy producer. "The president is incredibly proud of his agenda to unleash American energy, and it's paying off."

Kelly asserted that energy production has surged under Trump's leadership, noting that the oil industry is booming and natural gas production has reached record highs.

She said Trump will "tout all of his economic accomplishments with a special focus on our energy industry" as he speaks to Texas voters.

Trump's economic pitch follows his State of the Union address earlier this week during which he highlighted his first year back in office, touting his record on the economy, immigration, and other issues.

Kelly also outlined priorities the president urged Congress to act on, including codifying policies to keep drug costs low, promoting housing affordability, and enforcing requirements that illegal aliens not receive driver's licenses unless they speak English, a measure she tied to "Delilah's law" and public safety concerns.

On immigration and border security, issues that resonate strongly in Texas, Kelly said Trump's message will underscore a contrast with Democrats.

"President Trump stands on the side of American citizens. He stands on the side of common sense," she said, asserting that Democrats had refused to prioritize U.S. citizens during the State of the Union.

"Of course, he will continue to enact this overwhelmingly popular agenda of tax cuts, of unleashing American energy, of deregulation," said Kelly. "All of these things that are proving to be a successful economic formula for Americans in Texas and across the country."

The Texas primaries also feature other competitive GOP and Democrat contests beyond the Senate race, with local and congressional seats on the ballot as well. Texans go to the polls March 3 to select nominees for a wide slate of offices that could shape the November general election.

Trump has visited Texas many times as president, and the state remains a critical political battleground for Republican energy and economic messaging.

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