A line of people stretched out the door of Hastings Monday morning as people waited to meet Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. He's on a state-wide tour to promote his book, “Broken But Unbowed: The Fight To Fix A Broken America.”
Donna Draper was one of the first people in line to meet Gov. Abbott and have her book signed.
“I think he’s a very good man, he’s a very conservative, moral, Christian man and I just wanted the opportunity to shake his hand and affirm that I appreciate him,” Draper said.
Most of the people in line shared Drapers’ reasons for coming out to meet the governor. They support his values and back his efforts to fight the federal government over issues of power and accountability.
In his book, Abbott describes the accident that left him paralyzed at the age of 26 and how he found motivation to move forward through physical and emotional trauma. He then compares his broken body to a broken country and offers his advice for ways that the United States can heal from what he describes as a unbalanced system of government.
New voter Christian Kappel, 19, actually isn’t a big fan of the governor’s book but he came out to the signing anyway. He felt it was important to meet the governor of his home state.
“I don’t really agree with most of his policies but he’s a nice guy,” Kappel said. “I like to know who’s running the state.”
Abbott supporter Margie Royall was familiar with the governor's past and how became a paraplegic in his twenties. Her life has also been shaped in a big way by physical disabilities. She held up a framed photograph of her son, David Royall, who like Abbott, has also had to learn to navigate in a wheel chair.
“He is 13 years old, which is amazing because he wasn’t supposed to live to four,” Royall said.
Her son has a combination of syndromes that have left him fragile and also without the ability to walk. For Royall, the fact that Abbott lives with a physical disability means that he might be able to relate to challenges she faces concerning healthcare for her son. Abbott’s story itself gives her some hope.
Abbott said he wants his book to serve as a source for inspiration.
“I’ve had so many people come up and tell how they are inspired by the book, that it motivates them to be even better," Abbott said.
