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The LeadAt the Texas Republican Party convention in Houston, political fervor overshadows the excitement of the upcoming World Cup. Despite the city's role as a host venue, delegates remain focused on midterm elections and conservative policies, with soccer largely viewed as an irrelevance.Political Priorities Take Center StageGovernor Greg Abbott addressed the 5,000 delegates with a 25-minute speech emphasizing the need to defeat "radical Democrats" in November's midterms and maintain Texas as "the most conservative in the US." The convention hall featured an unusual guest—a live elephant named Paige, symbolizing the GOP's 150-year association with the animal. While delegates engaged in refining the party's proposed platform for the next election cycle, discussions about abortion policy became particularly heated, with one delegate suggesting men recuse themselves from votes regarding amendments.Economic Concerns and World Cup IndifferenceAmong the delegates, there was notable indifference to the World Cup. Michael from Abilene expressed concern about public finances, stating: "I think there's a whole lot of money in soccer and they should pay their own way. We, the taxpayer, shouldn't be shouldering the burden." Others like Jo from Dallas explicitly stated: "You won't find soccer fans here, we're here for business." While some delegates like Ray from Corpus Christi expressed enthusiasm for the global event, citing its ability to "bring people together from all over the world," ticket prices of $1,100 deterred many from attending matches.Conservative Values and Global PerceptionsThe convention highlighted the deep ideological divide within Texas politics. Delegates wore badges with slogans like "Defend Texas, Defeat Sharia" and "Make abolishing abortion our number one legislative priority." Children as young as nine were seen distributing fliers promoting anti-abortion policies. The gathering reflected a conservative southern American ideology that is "disarmingly filter-free, deeply ideological, confounding and in parts deeply disturbing." Despite hosting an international event, many delegates expressed views that would be considered isolationist on the global stage, with one claiming: "After 9/11 we had to pay a lot more attention to our surroundings."The Future of Texas Politics and Global EngagementAs the convention concluded, delegates remained focused on the upcoming midterm elections, with many expressing concern about losing control of Congress. Steve admitted: "I'm scared about the midterms. If we lose the House and Senate, our president's not going to be effective any more." While soccer enthusiasts like Jacovia, one of the few Black delegates present, expressed hope that the World Cup could help maintain "a good relationship with other countries," the broader sentiment at the Texas GOP convention suggests that political priorities will continue to overshadow global sporting events. The growth of soccer interest in Texas, Steve noted, is happening "at an elephant's pace."