Texas gubernatorial debate: Beto O'Rourke, Greg Abbott spar on guns, abortion and immigration
CBSN
Guns. Abortion. . Texas' closely-watched gubernatorial race hit the final stretch Friday night at the first — and likely only — debate between incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, and Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke, as the candidates sparred on some of the biggest issues facing votes in the state.
While recent polls have shown O'Rourke trailing Abbott by around 7 points, this still could be the closest Texas governor's race in years. Abbott won in 2014 by over 20 points, and in 2018 by over 15 points.
Abbott and O'Rourke have not squared off in person since the day after the Uvalde school shooting, when O'Rourke confronted Abbott during a press conference. O'Rourke has continued to hammer Abbott for his response to the shooting, even holding a press conference ahead of the debate with the families of shooting victims.
President Biden on Monday signed into law a defense bill that authorizes significant pay raises for junior enlisted service members, aims to counter China's growing power and boosts overall military spending to $895 billion despite his objections to language stripping coverage of transgender medical treatments for children in military families.
It's Christmas Eve, and Santa Claus is suiting up for his annual voyage from the North Pole to households around the world. In keeping with decades of tradition, the North American Aerospace Command, or NORAD, will once again track Santa's journey to deliver gifts to children before Christmas 2024, using an official map that's updated consistently to show where he is right now.
An anti-money laundering law called the Corporate Transparency Act, or CTA, appears to have been given new life after an appeals court on Monday determined its rules can be enforced as the case proceeds. The law requires small business owners to register with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCEN, by Jan. 1, or potentially pay fines of up to $10,000.