Greg Abbott
2015 - Present
2027
9
Greg Abbott (Republican Party) is the Governor of Texas. He assumed office on January 20, 2015. His current term ends on January 19, 2027.
Abbott (Republican Party) ran for re-election for Governor of Texas. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Abbott was born in Wichita Falls, Texas, in 1957. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor's degree in finance and later earned a law degree from Vanderbilt University. Shortly after graduating law school, Abbott was paralyzed from the waist down when a tree fell on him while jogging.[1]
Abbott worked in private practice as an attorney from 1984 to 1992. He then served as a judge on the 129th District Court in Houston from 1993 to 1995. In 1996, Governor George W. Bush (R) appointed Abbott to the Texas Supreme Court, where he served until 2001. Abbott first held elected office when he won election as the attorney general of Texas in 2002 by a margin of 15.6 percentage points. He won re-election in 2006 by 22.6 percentage points and in 2010 by 30.4.
As attorney general, Abbot argued on behalf of Texas before the Supreme Court of the United States in defense of a Ten Commandments statue on the grounds of the state's capitol.[2] He also filed more than 30 lawsuits against the federal government during Barack Obama's (D) presidency, including challenges to an executive order related to deferred action, the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, and EPA regulations.[3]
Abbott was elected governor in 2014 after defeating Wendy Davis (D) 59.3%-38.9%. He was re-elected in 2018 after defeating Lupe Valdez (D) 55.8%-42.5%. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Abbott used executive orders to prohibit local governments and state agencies from mandating vaccines or face masks.[4] Central issues in his campaign for re-election in 2022 were his administration's response to a power grid crisis following a February 2021 winter storm and the May 2022 Uvalde school shooting.[5] Abbott defeated Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke 54.8%-43.9% to win a third consecutive term as governor in 2022.
As governor, Abbott signed a six week abortion ban into law that allows for exceptions in the case of medical emergencies, as well as a package of new firearm laws including legislation that allows the legal carry of handguns without a license, and a bill that prevents state officials from assisting federal officials from enforcing federal firearm laws.[6][7] He also signed a bill with $1.54 billion for construction of barriers along the southern border.[8] In 2021, he launched Operation Lone Star, deploying the Texas National Guard and the Texas Department of Public Safety to the border.[9]
In October and November 2023, Abbott sent lawmakers into emergency sessions to pass measures related to school choice. [10] After legislators did not pass a bill during either session, Abbott endorsed candidates in the 2024 Republican primary challenging Republican incumbents that had not supported school voucher legislation. Six of the eight Abbott-supported challengers defeated incumbents who had previously opposed vouchers.[11]
Biography
Abbott was born in Wichita Falls, Texas, on November 13, 1957.[12] He graduated with a B.B.A. in finance from the University of Texas at Austin and a J.D. from the Vanderbilt University. Abbott was paralyzed in 1984 and uses a wheelchair.[13]
Abbott worked in private practice as an attorney at Butler and Binion LLP from 1984 to 1992. He served as a district court judge in Houston from 1993 to 1995 and justice on the Supreme Court of Texas from 1996 to 2001. He then held elected office, first as the attorney general of Texas from 2002 to 2015, an then as the governor of Texas, beginning in 2015.[14]
Elections
2022
See also: Texas gubernatorial election, 2022
General election
General election for Governor of Texas
The following candidates ran in the general election for Governor of Texas on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Greg Abbott (R) | 54.8 | 4,437,099 | |
| Beto O'Rourke (D) | 43.9 | 3,553,656 | ||
| Mark Tippetts (L) | 1.0 | 81,932 | ||
| Delilah Barrios (G) | 0.4 | 28,584 | ||
| Jacqueline Abernathy (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 1,243 | ||
| Mark Goloby (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 394 | ||
| Total votes: 8,102,908 | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Reginald Jennings II (Independent)
- Jorge Franco (Independent)
- Jeremy Rios (Independent)
- Ricardo Turullols-Bonilla (Independent)
- Justin Cunneen (Independent)
- Sean Sharp (Independent)
- Demetra Wysinger (Independent)
- Chioma Okoro (Independent)
- Star Locke (Independent)
- Raul Cortina (Independent)
- Patrick Wynne (Reform Party)
- Jal Dennis (Independent)
- Deirdre Dickson-Gilbert (Independent)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of Texas
Beto O'Rourke defeated Joy Diaz, Michael Cooper, Rich Wakeland, and Inocencio Barrientez in the Democratic primary for Governor of Texas on March 1, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Beto O'Rourke | 91.4 | 983,182 | |
| Joy Diaz | 3.1 | 33,622 | ||
| Michael Cooper | 3.0 | 32,673 | ||
| Rich Wakeland | 1.2 | 13,237 | ||
 | Inocencio Barrientez | 1.2 | 12,887 | |
| Total votes: 1,075,601 | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of Texas
The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Governor of Texas on March 1, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Greg Abbott | 66.5 | 1,299,059 | |
| Allen B. West | 12.3 | 239,557 | ||
| Donald Huffines | 12.0 | 234,138 | ||
| Chad Prather | 3.8 | 74,173 | ||
| Rick Perry | 3.1 | 61,424 | |
| Kandy Kaye Horn | 1.2 | 23,605 | ||
| Paul Belew | 0.6 | 11,387 | |
| Daniel Harrison | 0.6 | 10,829 | ||
| Total votes: 1,954,172 | ||||
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Green convention
Green convention for Governor of Texas
Delilah Barrios advanced from the Green convention for Governor of Texas on April 9, 2022.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | Delilah Barrios (G) | |
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Libertarian convention
Libertarian convention for Governor of Texas
Mark Tippetts defeated Fidel Castillo in the Libertarian convention for Governor of Texas on April 10, 2022.
Candidate | ||
| Fidel Castillo (L) | |
| ✔ | Mark Tippetts (L) | |
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Andrew Jewell (L)
- Daniel Behrman (L)
Campaign finance
2018
- See also: Texas gubernatorial election, 2018
General election
General election for Governor of Texas
Incumbent Greg Abbott defeated Lupe Valdez and Mark Tippetts in the general election for Governor of Texas on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Greg Abbott (R) | 55.8 | 4,656,196 | |
| Lupe Valdez (D) | 42.5 | 3,546,615 | ||
| Mark Tippetts (L) | 1.7 | 140,632 | ||
| Total votes: 8,343,443 | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Janis Richards (G)
Democratic primary runoff election
Democratic primary runoff for Governor of Texas
Lupe Valdez defeated Andrew White in the Democratic primary runoff for Governor of Texas on May 22, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Lupe Valdez | 53.0 | 224,091 | |
| Andrew White | 47.0 | 198,407 | ||
| Total votes: 422,498 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of Texas
The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for Governor of Texas on March 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Lupe Valdez | 42.9 | 435,484 | |
| ✔ | Andrew White | 27.4 | 278,333 | |
| Cedric Davis | 8.3 | 83,817 | ||
| Grady Yarbrough | 5.4 | 54,372 | ||
| Jeffrey Payne | 4.8 | 48,269 | |
| Adrian Ocegueda | 4.4 | 44,681 | ||
| Thomas Wakely | 3.4 | 34,737 | ||
| James Clark | 2.2 | 21,871 | |
| Joe Mumbach | 1.4 | 13,878 | |
| Total votes: 1,015,442 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of Texas
Incumbent Greg Abbott defeated Barbara Krueger and Larry SECEDE Kilgore in the Republican primary for Governor of Texas on March 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Greg Abbott | 90.4 | 1,389,562 | |
| Barbara Krueger | 8.3 | 127,134 | |
| Larry SECEDE Kilgore | 1.3 | 20,384 | ||
| Total votes: 1,537,080 | ||||
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2014
- See also: Texas gubernatorial election, 2014
Primary election
| Texas Gubernatorial Republican Primary, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
 Greg Abbott |
91.5% | 1,224,014 | ||
| Lisa Fritsch | 4.4% | 59,221 | ||
| Miriam Martinez | 2.7% | 35,585 | ||
| SECEDE Kilgore | 1.4% | 19,055 | ||
| Total Votes | 1,337,875 | |||
| Election results via Texas Secretary of State. | ||||
General election
| Governor of Texas, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Greg Abbott |
59.3% | 2,796,547 | |
| Democratic | Wendy Davis | 38.9% | 1,835,596 | |
| Libertarian | Kathie Glass | 1.4% | 66,543 | |
| Green | Brandon Parmer | 0.4% | 18,520 | |
| Write-in | Sarah Pavitt | 0% | 1,062 | |
| Total Votes | 4,718,268 | |||
| Election results via Texas Secretary of State | ||||
2010
- See also: Texas Attorney General election, 2010
Abbott was elected attorney general of Texas in 2010. He ran unopposed in the Republican primary.
| Texas Attorney General, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Greg Abbott Incumbent |
64.1% | 3,151,064 | |
| Democratic | Barbara Ann Radnofsky | 33.7% | 1,655,859 | |
| Libertarian | Jon Roland | 2.3% | 112,118 | |
| Total Votes | 4,919,041 | |||
| Election results via Texas Secretary of State | ||||
2006
On November 7, 2006, Greg Abbott won re-election to the office of Texas Attorney General. He defeated David Van Os (D) and Jon Roland (L) in the general election.
| Texas Attorney General, 2006 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Greg Abbott Incumbent |
59.5% | 2,556,063 | |
| Democratic | David Van Os | 37.2% | 1,599,069 | |
| Libertarian | Jon Roland | 3.3% | 139,668 | |
| Total Votes | 4,294,800 | |||
| Election results via Texas Secretary of State. | ||||
2002
Abbott was elected attorney general of Texas in 2002. He ran unopposed in the Republican primary.
| Texas Attorney General, 2002 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Greg Abbott Incumbent |
56.7% | 2,542,184 | |
| Democratic | Kirk Watson | 41.1% | 1,841,359 | |
| Libertarian | Jon Roland | 1.3% | 56,880 | |
| Green | David Keith Cobb | 0.9% | 41,560 | |
| Total Votes | 4,481,983 | |||
| Election results via Texas Secretary of State | ||||
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Greg Abbott did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Notable endorsements
This section displays endorsements this individual made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Noteworthy events
Reported as possible 2024 Republican vice presidential nominee
- See also: Vice presidential candidates, 2024
Media reports discussed Abbott as a possible 2024 Republican vice presidential candidate.[15] Former President Donald Trump (R) selected U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) as his running mate on July 15, 2024, the first day of the 2024 Republican National Convention.
In 2020, President Joe Biden (D) announced Vice President Kamala Harris (D) as his running mate six days before the start of the Democratic National Convention (DNC). In 2016, both Hillary Clinton (D) and Trump announced their running mates three days before the DNC and RNC, respectively.
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| Coronavirus pandemic |
| Select a topic from the dropdown below to learn more.
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On August 17, 2021, Abbott announced he tested positive for COVID-19. Abbott said he did not have any symptoms. He got a COVID-19 vaccine on live television on December 22, 2020.[16]
Republican state legislative primaries (2018)
Abbott sought to unseat three incumbent Republican legislators who opposed his policies in the March 6, 2018, primaries.
Republican state Reps. Sarah Davis, Wayne Faircloth, and Lyle Larson supported changing state ethics laws, including a Larson-backed proposal to make campaign donors who gave more than $2,500 to the governor ineligible for gubernatorial appointments.[17][18] The three were also allies of retiring House Speaker Joe Straus (R), who came into conflict with Abbott over property tax legislation, a measure to regulate bathroom usage, and an education reform bill in the 2017 special legislative session.
Abbott ran a TV ad in Larson’s district that called the incumbent “Liberal Lyle.” Abbott also spent $161,000 on advertising in Davis' district, including an ad opposing her.
"If the three House primary challengers Gov. Greg Abbott has endorsed lose their races on March 6, it won't be for a lack of trying on the governor's part," Patrick Svitek of The Texas Tribune wrote.[19]
Abbott went 1-2 on election night, with Davis and Larson winning their primaries and Faircloth losing to challenger Mayes Middleton.[20]
Domestic partner benefits opinion (2013)
On April 29, 2013, Abbott issued a legal opinion stating that domestic partner benefits offered by the city of Austin, Travis County, and area school districts were illegal under the Texas Constitution. Texas voters approved the constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages or similar legal statuses in 2005. Abbott's opinion said, “By creating domestic partnerships and offering health benefits based on them, the political subdivisions have created and recognized something not established by Texas law.”[21]
The U.S. Supreme Court's 2015 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges struck down same-sex marriage bans.
Affordable Care Act lawsuit (2010)
Abbott was one of 13 state attorneys general who initiated a 2010 lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The suit argued that the individual mandate fell outside of the federal government’s authority and that the requirement for state Medicaid expansion of coverage violated state sovereignty. The case was ultimately heard before the Supreme Court, which ruled to uphold the individual mandate as falling within Congress’ authority to levy taxes and struck down the Medicaid expansion as being unduly coercive in light of the withholding of funding that would result from noncompliance.[22]
EPA lawsuit (2010)
Abbott filed suit in federal court on February 16, 2010, to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating greenhouse gases. The decision by the EPA to moderate the release of greenhouse gases was based on a review that said carbon dioxide was a danger to public health and contributed to climate change. Abbott, in conjunction with Texas Gov. Rick Perry, objected to the move, arguing that it would place a financial burden on state businesses and homeowners and jeopardize jobs.[23] The D.C. Circuit Court ruled in favor of the EPA in 2012.[24]
Ten Commandments monument case (2005)
In 2002, Thomas Van Orden, a resident of Austin, sued the state of Texas for having a monument of the Ten Commandments located on the grounds of the state capitol building. He said it was a violation of "the First Amendment's establishment clause, which prohibits the government from passing laws 'respecting an establishment of religion.'"
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that the "monument served a valid secular purpose and would not appear to a reasonable observer to represent a government endorsement of religion." Van Orden appealed the decision to the Supreme Court of the United States. Abbott, then the attorney general of Texas, argued before the court that the grounds surrounding the capitol building contained 17 monuments and 21 historical markers commemorating the "people, ideals, and events that compose Texan identity," and that the Commandments were just one of them.
In a 5-4 decision delivered on June 27, 2005, the Supreme Court "deemed the Texas monument part of the nation's tradition of recognizing the Ten Commandments' historical meaning" and, therefore, constitutional. The Ten Commandments being of a religious nature "does not run afoul of the establishment clause," according to the decision.[25]
Ballot measure activity
The following table details Greg Abbott's ballot measure stances available on Ballotpedia:
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Abbott and his wife, Cecilia, have one daughter.[33]
See also
2022 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Governor of Texas |
Officeholder Governor of Texas |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Office of the Texas Governor Greg Abbott, "Texas Governor Greg Abbott," accessed August 19, 2024
- ↑ Oyez, "Van Orden v. Perry," accessed August 22, 2024
- ↑ The Texas Tribune, "Texas vs. the Feds — A Look at the Lawsuits," January 17, 2017
- ↑ New York Times, "Gov. Greg Abbott bars mandates for vaccinations and masks in Texas," July 31, 2021
- ↑ The Texas Tribune, "Greg Abbott reelected Texas governor, defeating Beto O’Rourke," November 8, 2022
- ↑ The Texas Tribune, "Gov. Greg Abbott signs into law one of nation’s strictest abortion measures, banning procedure as early as six weeks into a pregnancy," May 19, 2021
- ↑ Office of the Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Governor Abbott Signs Second Amendment Legislation Into Law," June 17, 2021
- ↑ The Texas Tribune, Gov. Greg Abbott signs bill making illegal immigration a state crime," May 24, 2022
- ↑ Office of the Texas Governor Greg Abbott," "Operation Lone Star," accessed August 23, 2024
- ↑ Pro Publica, "Texas Is the Largest GOP Stronghold Without Pro-School Voucher Legislation. Gov. Abbott Is on a Crusade to Change That," June 21, 2024
- ↑ [Houston Public Media, "2025 Texas Legislature will have pro-school voucher majority, Abbott says after runoff elections," May 29, 2024]
- ↑ National Governors Association, "Gov. Greg Abbott," accessed May 18, 2021
- ↑ Greg Abbott, "Why Is Governor Greg Abbott In A Wheelchair?" accessed February 6, 2019
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Greg Abbott," accessed May 18, 2021
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "Donald Trump says Greg Abbott is 'absolutely' on vice president short list," February 29, 2024
- ↑ DFW CBS Local, "Texas Governor Greg Abbott Tests Positive For COVID-19 Despite Receiving Vaccination," August 17, 2021
- ↑ Texas Observer, "Greg Abbott’s Weird Primary Gamble," March 1, 2018
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "Lawmakers take aim at Abbott on ethics reform, but he fires back," August 2, 2017
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "Abbott plunges deeper into House primary challenges," February 20, 2018
- ↑ The Texas Tribune, "It was a bad election night for Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas' best-funded Tea Party group," March 7, 2018
- ↑ Austin American-Statesman, "Domestic partner benefits violate same-sex ban, attorney general rules," April 29, 2013
- ↑ SCOTUSblog, "Florida v. Department of Health and Human Services," accessed August 11, 2020
- ↑ Beaumont Enterprise, "Texas sues to stop EPA from regulating greenhouse gases," February 7, 2010
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "Texas vs. the Feds — A Look at the Lawsuits," January 17, 2017
- ↑ Oyez, "Van Orden v. Perry," June 27, 2005
- ↑ Twitter, "Greg Abbott," July 13, 2023
- ↑ KPVI, "Abbott urges Texans to support constitutional amendments," accessed May 5, 2022
- ↑ KPVI, "Abbott urges Texans to support constitutional amendments," accessed May 5, 2022
- ↑ KVUE, "Gov. Abbott endorses Austin Prop A," October 25, 2021
- ↑ Twitter, "Greg Abbott," October 25, 2019
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 31.3 Statesman, "Abbott: Vote to save your time and money," accessed May 18, 2021
- ↑ The Texas Tribune, "Davis, Abbott Express Support for Proposition 6," October 24, 2013
- ↑ Governor Abbott, "Greg Abbott," accessed July 12, 2018
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Rick Perry (R) |
Governor of Texas 2015-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
Attorney General of Texas 2002-2015 |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
Texas Supreme Court Place 5 1996-2004 |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
Texas 129th District Court 1993-1996 |
Succeeded by - |
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State of Texas Austin (capital) |
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