Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick were formally sworn in to their respective third terms in an inauguration ceremony at the Texas Capitol on Tuesday.
While candidates for governor and lieutenant governor in Texas may belong to the same political party, they run separate campaigns.
Abbott, a Republican, won his second reelection bid for the Lone Star State’s highest office by besting Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke while Patrick, also a Republican, won his rematch with Mike Collier to retain the lieutenant governorship.
In his third inaugural address, Abbott touted Texas as a model of unbridled freedom and economic prosperity, reflecting the declarations he made throughout his previous eight years in office.
“Our state song, ‘Texas our Texas,’ is a hymn,” the governor said, according to his office’s Twitter account. “It's a hymn that glorifies the exceptionalism of our state. We work every day to live up to that exceptionalism.”
According to Abbott, Texas’ robust economic health positions the state as “America’s undisputed economic leader,” and is proven in the “pathways” provided to “all Texans.”
“Our $2 trillion economy is now the ninth largest economy in the world,” he said, per his office.
The governor added that Texas remains top in economic development and job growth.
“Texas is providing opportunity that people cannot get anywhere else in the United States,” Abbott said.
Austin NBC affiliate KXAN reported that Patrick took his oath of office at the Texas Capitol a half-hour after Abbott was sworn in.
The station reported that the inauguration was celebrated with religious services throughout Austin and a culinary festival featuring many restaurants from across the state on the Capitol grounds.
According to Austin ABC affiliate KVUE, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Temporary Flight Restriction was imposed over a half-mile radius of the Texas Capitol during the ceremony.