得克萨斯州拉伯克讯 —— 周二晚，共和党人肯·帕克斯顿和民主党人詹姆斯·塔拉里科在深红的拉伯克分别举行集会，两场集会、两群人群、两种截然不同的得州愿景在此交汇。
LUBBOCK, Texas — Two rallies, two crowds and two very different visions for Texas converged in deep-red Lubbock on Tuesday night as Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico made their cases to voters.
特朗普支持者早在周一晚就已在拉伯克市政中心扎营，称这场活动是“毕生难得一见的体验”。大约四英里外，约4000名塔拉里科的支持者涌向菲耶斯塔中心周边社区。
Trump supporters camped out at Lubbock’s Civic Center as early as Monday night, calling the event a "once-in-a-lifetime experience." About four miles away, roughly 4,000 Talarico supporters descended on the neighborhood around the Fiesta Center.
这两场集会展示了拉伯克的政治面貌。这座城市长期以来一直是共和党的铁票仓，如今却在一场参议院竞选中成为战场，民调显示塔拉里科以微弱优势领先帕克斯顿。
The rallies put Lubbock’s political identity on display. Long a ruby-red Republican stronghold, the city is now a battleground in a Senate race polls show Talarico narrowly leading Paxton.
在帕克斯顿的集会现场外，支持者依然坚信孤星州将继续保持红色。从布朗斯维尔赶来的珍妮驳斥了这场竞选胶着的说法。
Outside Paxton’s rally, supporters remained confident the Lone Star State would stay red. Jenny, who traveled from Brownsville, dismissed the idea that the race was close.
“民主党还能拿出什么？他们只有塔拉里科对阵帕克斯顿，”她对福克斯新闻数字版表示。“他们唯一能做的就是试图让人们以为竞选很胶着，让人觉得投票毫无意义。”
"What else do the Democrats have? They have Talarico going against Paxton," she told Fox News Digital. "All they’ve got is the ability to try and make people think that it’s close and there is no point in voting."
“不，一点都不胶着，”珍妮补充道。“帕克斯顿会让他惨败。”拉伯克居民埃里克也预测共和党将获胜，称民主党政策与他的观点不符。
"No, it’s not close," Jenny added. "Paxton is going to wipe the floor with him." Eric, a Lubbock resident, also predicted a Republican win, saying Democratic policies do not align with his views.
“你跟大多数民主党人交谈，当你开始跟他们讲常识时，他们中的很多人分不清那是红色政策还是蓝色政策，而其中很多人其实也站在红色一边，”他说。“绝对会继续保红。”来自米尔顿的内森表示，他想要维护他眼中得州的传统价值观，包括持枪权和反对堕胎。
"Most of the Democrats that you talk to, when you start talking common sense to them, a lot of them, they don’t know if it’s a red or a blue policy, and a lot of them line up with red as well," he said. "It’s gonna stay red, absolutely." Nathan, from Milton, said he wants to preserve what he sees as Texas’ traditional values, including gun rights and opposition to abortion.
“我想确保我们保留得克萨斯州所有的传统价值观，”他说。“我想确保我们保留枪支，保障安全，让堕胎远离得克萨斯州，并竭尽所能让得克萨斯州保持得克萨斯州的本色。”在同城另一处，塔拉里科的支持者表示，特朗普与帕克斯顿同台亮相，显示共和党担心在一个稳固的红州失去阵地。
"I want to make sure we are keeping all the normal values that we have in Texas," he said. "I want to make sure that we are keeping our guns, we are keeping our safety, keeping abortion as far away from Texas and do everything we can to keep Texas, Texas." Across town, Talarico supporters said Trump’s appearance alongside Paxton showed Republicans were worried about losing ground in a reliably red state.
“特朗普在拉伯克？特朗普在得克萨斯州拉伯克？他害怕了，他害怕了，”一名支持者对福克斯新闻数字版表示。来自弗里奥纳的娜塔莉也将同一天举行集会视为紧张的表现。
"Trump’s in Lubbock? Trump’s in Lubbock, Texas? He’s scared, he is scared," one supporter told Fox News Digital. Natalie, from Friona, also viewed the same-day rallies as a sign of nervousness.
“我认为他们不得不紧张，我认为这是做秀，偏偏选在他来这里的同一天，”她说。“我真希望如此，看看这一切，我认为确实如此。”拉伯克居民埃利亚斯表示，帕克斯顿依赖特朗普，反映出这位共和党候选人软弱。他指出了帕克斯顿过去的争议和遭得克萨斯州众议院弹劾的经历。
"I think they have to be nervous, and I think it’s performative, like to come the exact same day as he is here," she said. "I really hope so, and looking at all of this, I think it is." Elias, a Lubbock resident, said Paxton’s reliance on Trump reflected poorly on the Republican candidate. He pointed to Paxton’s past controversies and impeachment by the Texas House.
“我认为这表明帕克斯顿是个软弱的领导人，”埃利亚斯说。“他本有机会尽管过去丑陋却能救赎自己，但他不是个男子汉，无法为自己挺身而出。他需要特朗普爸爸来撑腰。”其他塔拉里科支持者表示，他们相信得克萨斯州可能变蓝。来自拉伯克的杰西卡和来自休斯顿的谢尔比提到，对得州近年来的治理方式感到不满。
"I think it shows that Paxton is a weak leader," Elias said. "He had a chance to kind of redeem himself despite his ugly past, but he’s not a man, he can’t stand up for himself. He needs daddy Trump to come and support him." Other Talarico supporters said they believed Texas could turn blue. Jessica, from Lubbock, and Shelby, from Houston, cited dissatisfaction with how the state has been run in recent years.
“我认为他们怕翻盘，我相信会翻盘，因为他们过去几年治理这个县的方式，”她们说。
"I think they’re scared that it is going to flip, and I believe it will because of how they have run this county the last few years," they said.
来自拉伯克的克里斯汀和约翰也预测会有变化。“他们很紧张，今年我们将改变一切，”克里斯汀说。
Christine and John, both from Lubbock, also predicted change. "They are nervous, and this is the year we are going to change it all," Christine said.
拉伯克居民帕洛马直白地表达了乐观：“今年我们将翻蓝。我们肯定会让这个州变蓝。”
Paloma, a Lubbock resident, put their optimism plainly: "This is the year that we flip blue. We are definitely going to flip the state."