(Radio Iowa) – Texas Governor Greg Abbott says the Iowa National Guard and state law enforcement officers Iowa’s governor deployed to the southern border earlier this year denied illegal entry to countless migrants.  “Thank you to Governor Reynolds. Thank you to your state legislature. Thank you to the taxpayers of the incredible state of Iowa for sending your National Guard and law enforcement officers to our border to help us secure our border and protect our sovereignty,” Abbott said.

Abbott was the keynote speaker Saturday in Des Moines at Governor Kim Reynolds’ annual campaign fundraiser.  “I invited Governor Abbott tonight so he can give us a real, raw account of the mess Kamala Harris has made at the southern border,” Reynolds said, “and share how he’s been fighting back.” Abbott says there’s been total chaos at the Texas border during the Biden-Harris Administration and he’s been forced to call upon other states for help.

“I cannot count the number of illegal immigrants who tried to get into the United States, but were denied by the help of the Iowa National Guard,” Abbott said, to cheers. Reynolds has deployed Iowa State Troopers, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation agents and the Iowa National Guard to Texas on three occasions, starting in 2021.

Governor Kim Reynolds at her annual campaign fundraiser on Oct. 5, 2024 (Radio Iowa photo)

Reynolds, the first speaker at her fundraiser, drew cheers from the crowd when she mentioned the tax cuts and teacher pay raises she’s approved. She also recognized Iowa native Caitlin Clark, who was named the W-N-B-A’s Rookie of the Year late last week. “How great is it that kids around the country and around the world are learning from this example of Iowa character. And let’s be honest, it’s not just something that kids can learn. It’s something that all of us can learn from her example,” Reynolds said. “This is a political event, but the funny thing is I don’t even know Caitlin’s politics and frankly I don’t care. It doesn’t matter. She’s doing amazing things and we are lucky to call her one of our own, so let’s give her a big round of applause that shows just how much we appreciate her and all that she represents.”

Last month, Clark said this is the second election she’s been able to vote in and she encouraged people to register to vote. Reynolds and other top Iowa G-O-P leaders used this weekend’s event to repeat their calls for Iowa Republicans to vote early. Iowans may start voting at county auditors’ offices on October 16th.