EDITORIAL: Chemistry Between Abbott and RGV Grows
It’s altogether natural and perhaps fitting that society has a tendency to measure carefully each word and deed of new leaders once they assume the mantle of leadership.
That’s why we are so encouraged by the recent visit of Gov. Greg Abbott to Edinburg last week to join in a significant announcement regarding a $2.8 million grant that the United Health Foundation gave to the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Medical School to help provide health care for area colonias.
While everyone gathered at the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance was there to witness this historic grant announcement, there was an insightful moment when Abbott, our state’s top elected official, spoke.
“As I was coming in,” Abbott told the crowd of dignitaries, “I had this recollection of a series of Texas history-making moments.” He went on to recall visiting the Valley — at the very venue he was now speaking — to participate in an historic gubernatorial debate that The Monitor had the honor of being a participant. He recalled that he chose to visit the Valley after being elected governor in November. And now, in his first trip outside of Austin after being sworn in as governor last week, he was back in the Valley. Beyond his own recollections, we recall that the Valley was his destination just a day after officially announcing his candidacy for governor.
At Abbott’s level of politics, few things are happenstance. Whatever opinion we may have about the staging of candidates, we must realize that venue is a significant consideration.
So residents of the Valley, whatever their political preference, should acknowledge that our new governor has already invested a lot of political symbolism, if not hard campaign work, to develop political capital in our region. And we should be both appreciative and proud of the growing chemistry between Abbott and the Rio Grande Valley.
He made a commitment, as he so eloquently said last week, “that I would shorten the distance between the Rio Grande Valley and the leadership in Austin.”
But the courtship is based on another factor, “more important to you, is because of the important role that the Rio Grande Valley is playing in the future of the state of Texas.”
While many in the Valley have been demanding this type of political attention for years, we nonetheless should feel honored by it while recognizing that is carries with it a responsibility.
Our state’s new chief executive is inviting the RGV to take a seat at the table of statewide influence and leadership not only because he is honoring a commitment he made to us, but because he recognizes the contribution this region can have to both the state and to his tenure in office.
We must acknowledge that Abbott continues to honor his commitment to the Valley while being mindful that we have a role to play in this relationship — and he should be thanked.
We must recognize that if we are to accept his invitation at this table of influence, we should come with our own sense of commitment. It’s a commitment borne of a moral obligation to be active citizens of the state and borne of the knowledge that our region does indeed have something special to offer.