Gregory Wayne Abbott (born November 13, 1957) is an American attorney and Republican politician serving as the 48th governor of Texas since January 20, 2015.[1] Prior to his governorship, Abbott held office as the 50th attorney general of Texas from 2002 to 2015—the longest-serving in that role—and as an associate justice of the Texas Supreme Court from 1995 to 2001, appointed by then-Governor George W. Bush.[1] He earned a B.B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin and a J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Law, after which he practiced civil litigation before entering public service.[2] In 1984, while jogging, Abbott was rendered paraplegic below the waist after an oak tree fell on him, requiring him to use a wheelchair for mobility.[2] He was elected governor in the 2014 Texas gubernatorial election and assumed office on January 20, 2015, succeeding Rick Perry, whose term as governor ended that day. Abbott had previously served as Texas Attorney General from 2002 to 2015. He has since been reelected in 2018 and 2022.[1][3] As governor, Abbott has advanced conservative priorities, including litigation against federal policies perceived as infringing on state sovereignty—such as suits against the Affordable Care Act and the Obama administration—while overseeing Texas's economic expansion and response to challenges like natural disasters and border security.[1][3]
Early life and education
Family background and upbringing
Gregory Wayne Abbott was born on November 13, 1957, in Wichita Falls, Texas, to Calvin Roger Abbott, an insurance agent and stockbroker who graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, and Doris Lechristia Jacks Abbott, a homemaker.[4][5] He had an older brother named Gary.[6] The family, of English descent and middle-class standing, held conservative views, supporting Barry Goldwater's 1964 presidential campaign, and regularly attended First Christian Church, reflecting their grandfather's background as a country preacher.