The state has clinched a school-choice majority in the House of Representatives, something the Republican Abbott was hoping for to enact his school choice plan next year. The Texas Senate gave its blessing in the last session, but it did not get through the House.
Mandy Drogin, campaign director for education at Texas Public Policy Foundation, is thrilled.
"I look forward to supporting the governor and lieutenant governor and legislature in finally empowering parents and passing the nation's largest education savings account in Texas,” she said.
The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board took notice, writing an op-ed this week about the governor's victories.
"It's a hard-fought win for Mr. Abbott, who made Republican opponents of his plan pay a political price. Twenty-one of them joined Democrats last fall to vote down his bill for scholarships 
worth about $10,000, plus billions in public-school funding. The Governor vowed to go after those who ran for re-election.
“During the GOP primaries, Mr. Abbott endorsed 11 pro-school choice challengers. Eight won, and last week all eight were officially elected, along with other school-choice candidates the Governor backed in open races,” Journal editors wrote.
No cash flow problems in Texas
Critics of school choice say it will defund or harm the public school system, but Drogin says that could not be further from the truth.
"In fact, just recently, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) put out some clarifying information showing that we have never provided more funding for public education," says Drogin. "It's important we continue to support great teachers and our kids in the classrooms and make sure that the money is being put in the classrooms, and at the same time, it's important that we trust parents to make the very best decision for their kids and so, this is a rising tide that's going to lift all boats across the state of Texas."
