Background:
Taking a page from Ted Cruz, who flew to Cancun for a family vacation in Mexico just as his state was hit with massive power and heat outages from a winter storm in 2021, Governor Abbott left Texas for a trip to Asia on Friday July 5th, just three days before Category 1 Hurricane Beryl made landfall on the Texas coast. However, as the true leader and strategic thinker that Governor Abbott is, on the day he left for his trip, Texas issued disaster declarations for 40 counties across the state and left Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in charge of the impending natural disaster.
Alternative Fact
“Our hearts grieve for all Texans impacted by Hurricane Beryl, including our fellow Texans who tragically lost their lives or were injured,” said Governor Abbott. “I remain in regular contact with Acting Governor Dan Patrick and Chief Nim Kidd regarding the state’s ongoing response to Hurricane Beryl and recovery efforts in impacted parts of Texas. We also will continue to stay in contact with electrical providers about the necessity to quickly restore power. The safety of Texans remains our No. 1 priority, and I urge everyone across the state to continue to heed the guidance of local officials as severe weather threats persist in the coming days. We will remain engaged around the clock until every Texan recovers.”
Fact
“If his first priority was being Governor of Texas, he would be here during a Category One hurricane in the largest city in the state, but his ambition seems to be national and global. He wants to be on the world stage right now.”
Scott Braddock, the editor of the Quorum Report, a Texas political newsletter
“The Governor’s traveling schedule is determined far, far in advance, and, ultimately, these are decisions that need to be made within his administration at a given point in time. The State has had a lot of issues over the last number of years dealing with natural disasters, and I think the voters are concerned. So, when an elected official and the leader of the state is out of the state when an impending tropical storm is bearing down on one of the largest cities, it’s reasonable for voters to ask where he is.”
Joshua Blank, Research Director at the Texas Politics Project