Greg Abbott

Governor of Texas

• Born: November 13, 1956
• Place of Birth: Wichita Falls, Texas

Education: University of Texas, Vanderbilt University School of Law

Significance: Former Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott was elected governor of Texas in 2014 and was sworn into office January 20, 2015. A staunch conservative, Abbott became the first governor in the United States since 1982 to use a wheelchair, and is only the third in US history. Abbott was reelected as governor in 2018 and 2022. During his second and third terms, he was embroiled in disputes with federal officials over border issues and immigration.

Background

Greg Abbott was born in Wichita Falls, Texas, but was raised in Duncanville. After graduating from high school, Abbott moved to Austin to attend the University of Texas, where he received his bachelor’s degree in finance, before pursuing his law degree at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee. He then returned to Houston to pursue a career as an attorney.

In 1984, one year after he passed the Texas bar examination, Abbott was struck across the back by a falling tree and was left paralyzed from the waist down. He later credited the accident with inspiring him to enter public service after he was successful in his lawsuit against Roy Moore, who owned the property where the tree was located.

Political Career

Nearly a decade later, in 1993, Abbott was elected as a trial judge in the 129th District Court in Houston, Texas. In 1995, Governor George W. Bush appointed Abbott to the Texas Supreme Court; he was reappointed to multiple terms as a justice before resigning in 2001.

In 2002, Abbott campaigned for the post of state attorney general. He defeated Kirk Watson, the former mayor of Austin, by over eight hundred thousand votes and won multiple reelection campaigns, developing a reputation as a fierce defender of state rights. Abbott’s tenure as attorney general was the longest in Texas history.

One of his most popular targets for litigation was the federal government. From 2010 to 2013, Abbott sued the federal government twenty-seven times, targeting what he saw as overreaching intrusions from Washington, DC. The majority of his lawsuits targeted the administration of President Barack Obama, whose agencies, Abbott argued, consistently impinged upon the sovereignty of the state of Texas. Abbott was also focused on protecting children and prosecuting those who neglect or abuse them.

Abbott was also the state’s top lawyer when Texas fell under the national microscope with regard to several major legislative initiatives. For example, Abbott defended the state’s efforts to strengthen restrictions on abortions. He also presided over a controversial measure that would have increased regulations on voter registration and another initiative that would have banned same-sex marriages in Texas.

In 2013 Governor Rick Perry announced his retirement. Abbott was immediately considered a front-runner for the post. A common issue decried by Abbott during the gubernatorial campaign was that of the Affordable Care Act (the comprehensive health care law nicknamed "Obamacare"). Abbott also railed against Obama’s executive orders, which he saw as loosening restrictions on immigration. After winning the Republican nomination, Abbott defeated Wendy Davis—a nationally recognized Democratic candidate—in the November general election.

Upon his inauguration, Governor Abbott and his lieutenant governor, Dan Patrick (who drew support from Tea Party Republicans during the campaign), also set out to bolster the Texas economy. For example, Abbott advocated for continued support of one of Texas’s biggest industries—oil. Many industry analysts had taken notice of declining oil prices and their potential impact on the Texas energy industry. Abbott, after taking office in 2015, was charged with addressing this key issue. At the same time, he stated his desire to bolster Texas’s economic infrastructure as well as reform the state’s public education system and strengthen the Texas-Mexico border along the Rio Grande River.

Abbott won reelection to the office of governor in 2018, defeating Democratic challenger Lupe Valdez. Abbott was a staunch supporter of Republican president Donald Trump, who was in office from 2017 to 2021. Both men used anti-immigrant rhetoric while campaigning. In 2022, Abbott was again reelected, this time defeating Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke in a race that garnered national attention.

Throughout his terms as governor of Texas, Abbott has been credited with advancing conservative politics in the state. In the 2020s, he repeatedly deployed troops to the border with Mexico and ordered razor wire, buoys, and other obstructions installed to stop undocumented migrants. Razor wire was at the heart of conflicts in 2023 and 2024 with the federal government, which challenged the state's legal authority to install it on the border.

Impact

Greg Abbott’s experience distinguishes him from other state leaders. He is the first Texas governor to use a wheelchair, and he also owns the distinction of being the longest-seated attorney general in the state’s history. Like his predecessor, Abbott has also established himself as an ardent advocate for states’ rights, willing throughout his career to defy and even sue the federal government for what he saw as a federal intrusion on state policy matters. Abbott has vowed to continue his opposition to the regulations and policies of the federal government while he works to strengthen the state’s education and economic infrastructures for the long term.

Personal Life

Greg Abbott is married to Cecilia Abbott, the latter of whom made history as the first Latina first lady in Texas. The two have an adopted daughter, Audrey.

Bibliography

"About Gov. Abbott." Greg Abbott, gov.texas.gov/governor-abbott. Accessed 5 April 2023.

Fernandez, Manny. "Texas’ New Governor Echoes the Plans of Perry." New York Times. New York Times, 20 Jan. 2015. Web. 6 Feb. 2015.

"Governor Greg Abbott." Texas Tribune. Texas Tribune, 2014. Web. 6 Feb. 2015.

"Texans for Greg Abbot." Texas Tribune. Texas Tribune, 2014. Web. 6 Feb. 2015.

"Greg Abbott Defeats Davis, Elected Texas Governor." Fox News. Fox News, 5 Nov. 2015. Web. 6 Feb. 2015.

Kim, Theodore. "Accident Set Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott on a Path toward Politics." Dallas Morning News. Dallas Morning News, 31 May 2010. Web. 6 Feb. 2015.

Rahman, Billal. "Abbott Orders More Razor Wire for Southern Border, Harris Says GOP 'Fanning Immigration Flames.'" Newsweek, 30 Sept. 2024, www.newsweek.com/greg-abbott-orders-razor-wire-kamala-harris-1961083. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.