Texas: Abbott backs Trump on National Guard deployment. Gov. Greg Abbott (R) announced yesterday that he welcomes President Trump’s action to send National Guard troops to guard the border with Mexico, reported the Dallas Morning News. The White House memo said that a “drastic surge of illegal activity on the southern border” prompted the President’s move ……. Mississippi: Taggart not running for Senate. Former Republican official Andy Taggart, who had publicly contemplated entering the GOP primary for the US Senate, announced yesterday that he will not run. Supporters of incumbent-by-appointment Cindy Hyde-Smith had feared Taggart would take votes away from her, thus helping hard-right contender state Sen. Chris McDaniel (R) ……. Florida: DeSantis says Trump assistance coming soon. “I think the president’s going to come down for me very soon, which will be very good,” US Senate candidate Ron DeSantis (R) told the Polo Republican Club “to cheers,” reported Politico …….