Texas Gov. Greg Abbott calls for investigation of Harris County over election irregularities

Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday called for an investigation into Harris County's handling of its elections during the November 2022 midterms.

"I'm calling on the Secretary of State, the Attorney General's Office, and the Texas Rangers to initiate investigations into allegations of improprieties in the way that the 2022 elections were conducted in Harris County," he said in a press release.

The county in question includes the city of Houston, a major metropolitan area represented in Washington by several different congressional districts that include part of the county's boundaries. Abbott pointed to "missing keys, insufficient paper ballots in Republican precincts, staffing problems," and other issues that plagued voters throughout the electoral process.

"The allegations of election improprieties in our state's largest county may result from anything ranging from malfeasance to blatant criminal conduct. Voters in Harris County deserve to know what happened. Integrity in the election process is essential. To achieve that standard, a thorough investigation is warranted," he continued.

The Associated Press projects Abbott to handily win reelection to the state's top job over Democrat Beto O'Rourke by double digits.