Greg Abbott

Greg Abbott, full name Gregory Wayne Abbott, was born on November 13, 1957, in Wichita Falls, Texas, and grew up in Duncanville.⁠[1][2]

Abbott studied finance at the University of Texas at Austin, graduating in 1981, and earned a law degree from Vanderbilt University in 1984.⁠[1]

In July 1984, shortly after law school, Abbott was struck by a falling tree while jogging, which left him paralyzed below the waist.⁠[1][2]

From 1992 Abbott served as a state district judge in Harris County.⁠[1][2]

In 1996 Governor George W. Bush appointed Abbott to the Supreme Court of Texas; he was later elected to the court twice.⁠[1]

From 2002 to 2015 Abbott served as the 50th attorney general of Texas, the longest-serving in the state’s history.⁠[1][2]

In 2014 Abbott defeated Democratic state senator Wendy Davis to be elected the 48th governor of Texas, taking office in 2015.⁠[1][2]

In 2017 Abbott signed an immigration enforcement law that banned “sanctuary cities” in Texas.⁠[1]

In 2021 he announced a border wall plan and signed a “constitutional carry” gun law, an abortion law and a voting bill. In 2022 he began busing migrants to sanctuary cities, including Washington, D.C.⁠[1]

Abbott was re-elected in 2018. In 2022 he defeated Democrat Beto O’Rourke, a former U.S. representative, by more than 10 percentage points to win a third term.⁠[1][2]

In 2025 Abbott championed a $1 billion private-school voucher program and signed an $8.5 billion public-school funding package. Property tax reform was a key focus of the 89th Legislative Session.⁠[3][4][2]

On March 3, 2026, Abbott won the Republican primary for governor by a wide margin, seeking a record fourth term.⁠[5][4]

At 10:17 p.m. on November 3, 2026, the Associated Press called the Texas governor’s race for Democrat Gina Hinojosa. At the time of the call she had about 57% of the counted vote to Abbott’s 41%.⁠[3][6]

At 10 p.m. Abbott conceded after speaking with Hinojosa by phone. In his remarks he said: “There are still votes to be counted, but mathematically, we are not going to be able to win this election,” and: “I love our state. It has been an honor to serve it.”⁠[4][3]

Abbott is to leave office in January, ending a 12-year governorship.⁠[3]

Abbott’s governorship also included the border security effort Operation Lone Star, tougher bail laws and property tax cuts. He also proposed eliminating school district property taxes for homeowners through a constitutional amendment.⁠[4][3]

Abbott has been married since 1981 to Cecilia Abbott, a former teacher and principal and the first Hispanic first lady of Texas.⁠[2]

Office of the Texas Governor: Official website: https://gov.texas.gov/ (opens in a new window).⁠[2]

Personal website: https://www.gregabbott.com/ (opens in a new window).⁠[7]

X: Public account: https://x.com/GovAbbott (opens in a new window).⁠[2]

YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is Google’s video-sharing and creator platform, founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim and acquired by Google in 2006. Built around video uploading, viewing, and creator earnings, the platform has developed Shorts, YouTube Music, Premium, YouTube TV, and products for children, and is headquartered in San Bruno, California, United States.Open the full entry: Public channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqTttg2CGGqDmMYR1S0q5Hw (opens in a new window).⁠[2]