Greg Abbott Traipses Off to Asia as Hurricane Beryl Pummels Texas
It seems the Texas governor is taking inspiration from Ted Cruz’s infamous Cancun trip, dipping just as a natural disaster hits his state.
![Greg Abbott rolls his wheelchair forward on the sidewalk and makes a thumbs up sign. A black fence is behind him.](http://images.newrepublic.com/2bd577030ec63d0b76b485e763e4bcb9fbd978b2.jpeg?auto=format&fit=crop&crop=faces&q=65&w=768&h=undefined&ar=3%3A2&ixlib=react-9.0.2&w=768)
While Tropical Storm Beryl made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane on Monday on the Texas coast, knocking out power to at least two million homes and killing at least two people, Governor Greg Abbott was enjoying a trip to East Asia.
Abbott left for South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan on Friday as the storm was forecast to hit Texas on Monday. He went ahead with his nine-day trip anyway to “drive forward progress in industries critical to the future of the global economy,” according to a press release from his office.
Many in Texas and on social media didn’t see it that way, as Abbott’s trip seems quite similar to Senator Ted Cruz’s infamous 2021 trip to Cancun when the state was hit with a winter disaster. The Lose Cruz PAC pointed out that Cruz was also whale-watching in Southern California over the weekend.
![Twitter screenshot Lose Cruz @LoseCruzPAC: While Hurricane Beryl closed in on Texas, Greg Abbott was visiting South Korea and Ted Cruz was whale watching in Southern California. Texans deserve better.](http://images.newrepublic.com/954d4f7a1d6deeb767fe03cf18b2f82f84c3a556.png?w=1182)
Cruz himself did post a video on Monday near a flooded highway in Houston.
Houston and the entire Gulf Coast will come through the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl. Right now, keep your family safe—avoid high water. #HoustonStrong pic.twitter.com/HdiGDX14mn
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) July 8, 2024
One Texan pointed out the arrogance from Texas Republicans.
![Twitter screenshot Matt Angle @LSPmatt: Don't think @GregAbbott_TX schmoozing in east Asia while a hurricane hits Texas leaving 2M w/o power is him being stupid. It's stunning arrogance - like going to a fundraiser the evening of the Uvalde massacre. Abbott doesn't care & is daring voters to do something about it.](http://images.newrepublic.com/35798cf46de450f6f1563e4054909ae3d8a192f6.png?w=1186)
Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell pointed out Cruz’s history, and wondered about Abbott and those like him facing any accountability in the Lone Star state.
![Twitter screenshot Rep. Eric Swalwell @RepSwalwell: My family in Texas are about to be slammed by #HurricaneBeryl. And shocker!..Governor @GregAbbott_TX is out of the country. Sound familiar, @tedcruz ? My God. Who the hell are these leaders? And why aren’t they held to account?](http://images.newrepublic.com/2b0efe29725e8b4daf12ece11c7e17025a01b5e5.png?w=1180)
Abbott seemed to foresee a backlash on Sunday, posting a statement that he was “in daily contact with Texas Division of Emergency Management & local officials to ensure preparation for Hurricane Beryl.”
“Your safety is our top concern.”