AUSTIN, Texas — Gov. Greg Abbott says his sights are set on reelection, not the vice presidency.
During a visit to the Texas-Mexico border on Thursday, former President Donald Trump said Abbott has done a great job and that the Texas governor is "absolutely" on his shortlist of potential vice presidential candidates for his 2024 run.
"Certainly, he would be somebody that I would very much consider," Trump told Fox News in a joint interview with Abbott on Thursday.
But on Friday, during an event celebrating Texas' 12th straight Governor's Cup win, Abbott said he's flattered, but he has no intentions to head to Washington.
"Obviously, that's very nice of him to say, but I think you all know that my focus is entirely on the state of Texas," Abbott said. "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."
Abbott is currently serving his third term as Texas governor. He was first elected back in 2014 after serving as the state's attorney general for 12 years – longer than anybody else in Texas history.
If Abbott is reelected in 2026 and serves out an entire fourth term, he would become the state's longest serving Governor at 16 years.
