美国国家公共电台 NPR--Texas Gov. Abbott's lead over Democratic challenger O'Rourke is narrowing

Texas Gov. Abbott's lead over Democratic challenger O'Rourke is narrowing

Transcript²

The Texas gubernatorial race is tightening³, despite polls earlier this year that indicated an overwhelming lead by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott over former Rep. Beto O'Rourke.

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

In Texas, an abortion⁴ ban and the school shooting in Uvalde may have shifted the odds⁵ in the governor's race. Earlier this year, polls indicated that Republican Governor Greg Abbott had an overwhelming lead over the Democrat¹ in the race, former Congressman⁶ Beto O'Rourke. But as NPR's Wade⁷ Goodwyn reports, the Democrat's chances may have improved.

WADE GOODWYN, BYLINE⁸: It's 103 in Dallas as Linda Ortman steps out her front door.

(SOUNDBITE OF DOG BARKING)

LINDA ORTMAN: The dog wants to come?

GOODWYN: What used to be considered one of the most right-wing cities in the country has evolved into one that is deeply democratic. The political signs in Ortman's yard are no shock these days.

ORTMAN: We have Beto for Texas and Black Lives Matter, Funky⁹ East Dallas Democrats¹⁰ and two Mothers Against Greg Abbott signs.

GOODWYN: Mothers Against Greg Abbott - MAGA - get it? The signs were invented by an Austin mother. One of her children has a compromised immune system. And in March of last year, when Governor Greg Abbott eliminated the state's COVID mask requirements, Nancy Thompson got very angry. She went into her garage and got a piece of poster board. She was going to drive over to the Capitol building and protest, but she needed to figure out what to write.

NANCY THOMPSON: And I was like, gosh, I'm so mad at Greg Abbott. I'm like a Mothers Against Drunk Driving. I'm like, mothers demand action, but I'm a mother against Greg Abbott. So I wrote down, Mothers Against Greg Abbott.

GOODWYN: Thompson looked at it and laughed - Mothers Against Greg Abbott - MAGA.

THOMPSON: And so I just went down there, and I protested all by myself in front of the Capitol for 2 1/2 hours. I had somebody take my photograph, and I made it public, and it went viral.

GOODWYN: Now, Mothers Against Greg Abbott signs can be found in yards across the state. And with three months to go, the governor's contest has tightened¹¹. Abbott started the year up 17 points, but SMU political science professor Cal Jillson believes now the race is on.

CAL JILLSON: It's six or seven - maybe eight points. But Abbott is not sweating unduly¹² at this point, but he is alert to danger on the horizon. So I think we've got a race for governor in Texas.

GOODWYN: Jillson believes there are several reasons why O'Rourke has a chance. First, the statewide collapse¹³ of the electricity grid¹⁴ in February of 2021 - hundreds died, and millions froze for days. Then, on the last day of their school year, 19 elementary students and two teachers were gunned down in Uvalde, Texas, by a teenager using an AR-15-style rifle. Finally, there's been the near-total ban on abortion that Abbott signed into law last year. In fact, Nancy Thompson's group decided¹⁵ to make a video about it.

(SOUNDBITE OF POLITICAL AD)

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Dr. Robinson) There's no easy way to say this, but your baby has a catastrophic brain abnormality.

GOODWYN: The ad starts with the doctor giving his pregnant patient devastating¹⁶ news. On the wall behind the doctor is a small box with a smiling picture of Texas Governor Greg Abbott on the front.

(SOUNDBITE OF POLITICAL AD)

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Dr. Robinson) I wish I could tell you what to do, but there is only one person who can make this choice.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #2: (As character) How much time do I have?

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Dr. Robinson) And that person is Greg.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #2: (As character) Greg?

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Dr. Robinson) Yeah. Let me just give him a call.

(SOUNDBITE OF CABINET OPENING)

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Dr. Robinson) Hey, Greg.

GOODWYN: Here's Democratic governor candidate Beto O'Rourke.

BETO O'ROURKE: There is now, because of Greg Abbott, a total ban on abortion, with no exception for rape¹⁷ or incest. We are counting first-time voters by the dozen at our events throughout this state - young women overwhelmingly, in fact, who say, you know what? I was never political before.

GOODWYN: But unlike the Kansas primary election, the abortion issue is not on Texas' ballot¹⁸ in November. Without that, will Democratic voters turn out in big numbers? Greg Abbott's campaign doesn't appear worried about beating Beto O'Rourke.

DAVE CARNEY: I mean, the guy is an ineffective, showboating gasbag.

GOODWYN: Dave Carney is a veteran campaign organizer and the general consultant¹⁹ for Texans for Greg Abbott.

CARNEY: We see this as an eight- to 10-point race. The undecided is so small.

GOODWYN: Both campaigns have raised astounding²⁰ amounts of money. Over the last few months, Beto O'Rourke raised $27.7 million. That set a new Texas campaign funding record. But don't cry for Governor Abbott. His campaign has over $45 million in the bank just waiting to be spent. Wade Goodwyn, NPR News, Dallas.

1 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 tightening   

上紧，固定，紧密

参考例句：

• Make sure the washer is firmly seated before tightening the pipe. 旋紧水管之前，检查一下洗衣机是否已牢牢地固定在底座上了。
• It needs tightening up a little. 它还需要再收紧些。

4 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

5 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

6 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

7 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

8 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

9 funky   

adj.畏缩的，怯懦的，霉臭的；adj.新式的，时髦的

参考例句：

• The kitchen smelled really funky.这个厨房有一股霉味。
• It is a funky restaurant with very interesting art on the walls.那是一家墙上挂着很有意思的绘画的新潮餐馆。

10 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 tightened   

收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧

参考例句：

• The rope holding the boat suddenly tightened and broke. 系船的绳子突然绷断了。
• His index finger tightened on the trigger but then relaxed again. 他的食指扣住扳机，然后又松开了。

12 unduly   

adv.过度地，不适当地

参考例句：

• He did not sound unduly worried at the prospect.他的口气听上去对前景并不十分担忧。
• He argued that the law was unduly restrictive.他辩称法律的约束性有些过分了。

13 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

14 grid   

n.高压输电线路网；地图坐标方格；格栅

参考例句：

• In this application,the carrier is used to encapsulate the grid.在这种情况下，要用载体把格栅密封起来。
• Modern gauges consist of metal foil in the form of a grid.现代应变仪则由网格形式的金属片组成。

15 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

16 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

17 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

18 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

19 consultant   

n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生

参考例句：

• He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
• Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。

20 astounding   

adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词)

参考例句：

• There was an astounding 20% increase in sales. 销售量惊人地增加了20%。
• The Chairman's remarks were so astounding that the audience listened to him with bated breath. 主席说的话令人吃惊，所以听众都屏息听他说。 来自《简明英汉词典》