Governor Greg Abbott didn’t mince words when sharing his thoughts on President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address.
“I give it an ‘F’ for failure,” Abbott declared during an interview at the governor’s mansion on Friday. “The number-one issue in America is securing the border. It’s an issue on which Biden has failed, and he waited 40 minutes to even address it in Thursday’s speech,” the Texas Republican emphasized.
While recent polls indicate growing concerns among the American electorate regarding illegal immigration, Abbott has been vocal about this issue long before it gained widespread attention.
He’s been a persistent critic of the Biden administration for years, and his profile on the national stage has risen amid speculation that he’s positioning himself to be former President Donald Trump’s running mate or potentially his attorney general if Trump wins in November.
“My singular goal is to lead the great state of Texas,” Abbott asserted to NBC News when asked about his ambitions.
When questioned about a potential presidential run in 2028, Abbott opted to focus on his current role: “I am planning on running for re-election as governor in Texas,” he stated firmly. “I take one step at a time.”
Greg Abbott (Credits: FOX News)
Abbott’s next bid for re-election is slated for 2026.
Currently, Abbott is defending House Republicans’ decision, at Trump’s urging, to halt a bipartisan border security bill that President Biden referenced in his Thursday night address at the Capitol.
“If Joe Biden truly believes in compromise, he would collaborate with the House chamber,” Abbott argued.
Before assuming the governorship in 2014, Abbott served as Texas’s longest-tenured attorney general and also held a position as a justice on the Texas Supreme Court. A native of Wichita Falls, Abbott was raised in Duncanville, Texas. Shortly after law school, he was paralyzed by a falling tree while jogging.
Today, Abbott is widely credited with driving a wedge among Democrats over the Biden administration’s immigration policies, which has subsequently pushed some towards more conservative viewpoints. His initiative to transport migrants to major cities across the country gradually prompted Democratic mayors to distance themselves from Biden’s approach to the record influx of migrants.
Despite the White House labeling the busing program a “political stunt,” it has solidified Abbott’s support among the Republican base.
Just this week, Abbott and his attorney general, Ken Paxton, celebrated a significant victory in their home state: Several Republican candidates endorsed by them defeated numerous GOP members of the Texas House, perceived as a clear act of political retaliation.
These legislators had clashed with Abbott over his legislative priority of school vouchers and had attempted to impeach Paxton.
The message was unmistakable: Don’t cross the Texas governor.
At 66 years old, Abbott continues to pursue legal battles over matters such as buoys in the Rio Grande, razor wire in Eagle Pass, and a new law that would fundamentally change the dynamics between local and federal government regarding immigration enforcement. Though the law, originally set to take effect on Sunday, has been temporarily halted by the Supreme Court.
During the legal dispute over the statute, a judge who sided with the American Civil Liberties Union and the Justice Department stated that “surges in immigration do not constitute an ‘invasion.'”
Abbott dismissed this characterization, asserting, “These are not migrants crossing the border. These are people violating federal law by crossing the border.”
