Former President Donald Trump said Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) is “absolutely” on his list of contenders for vice president during his visit to the U.S.-Mexico border on Thursday.
In a sit-down interview with Fox News’s Sean Hannity on Thursday evening, Trump said he is considering the governor as a possible vice presidential pick, adding that “he is a spectacular man” who has “done a great job.”
Trump has been teasing several prominent GOP leaders as contenders for vice president, including Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
Abbott told reporters on Friday he was honored to be considered but wanted to keep his focus on the state’s immigration crisis.
“Obviously, it’s very nice of him to say, but I think you all know that my focus is entirely on the state of Texas,” he said at a press conference. “As you know, I’m working right now on the midterm election process. I’ve already talked about that. I’ve announced that I’m running for reelection two years from now, and so my commitment is to Texas, and I’m staying in Texas.”
Trump endorsed Abbott in 2022 in a competitive race for his reelection. The governor returned the favor last year when he endorsed the former president during his visit to the southern border, which he called a “tremendous honor.”
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Trump made his way to Eagle Pass, Texas, on Thursday to spotlight the country’s border crisis under President Joe Biden. During his visit, Trump also joked that in light of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) stepping down from his position, he might choose Abbott as his replacement, the Texas Tribune reported.
As the country continues to experience an unprecedented surge of immigration, Abbott has garnered Trump and Republican leaders’ praise for combatting the crisis despite the Biden administration forcing the governor to keep the border open. Abbott has spent millions of dollars transporting illegal immigrants to Democratic “sanctuary cities,” as well as sending the Texas National Guard to protect the area.
