'Republicans run away': Texas governor slammed for traveling as hurricane pounds his state
While Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott was nowhere to be found — because he was off on a nine-day trip across South Korea, Taiwan and Japan.
Abbott's trip, which according to The Daily Beast was intended to “drive forward progress in industries critical to the future of the global economy,” began on Friday, by which time it was apparent the hurricane would hit the eastern part of the state on Monday, causing a hazardous storm surge, blackouts that cut off power to 2 million people, and two reported fatalities in the Houston area.
Commenters on social media were less than impressed with the governor's commitment to his state.
Some compared him to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), who infamously in 2021 jetted off to Cancún in the middle of a catastrophic winter storm that left much of Texas' infrastructure and power grid paralyzed and some families burning their own furniture to avoid freezing to death.
"While Hurricane Beryl closed in on Texas, Greg Abbott was visiting South Korea and Ted Cruz was whale watching in Southern California," wrote the Lose Cruz PAC. "Texans deserve better."
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"My family in Texas are about to be slammed by #HurricaneBeryl," wrote Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA). "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?"
"Guess Cancun with Teddy wasn't an option this hurricane," wrote the account @jkw3tx.
"When it comes to responsibility in Texas republicans run away," wrote the account @PattiR57167178.
"Does he think Ted Cruz hiding in Cancun wasn't far enough away?" wrote the account @76nottory.
"#Texas be of good cheer," wrote the account @HoborMallow. "Abbott is safe on high ground in another country. Also your power grid is in great shape. Be sure your guns are on high ground as well. You got what you voted for."