For years, Texas leaders have promoted the state as a model of economic freedom, low regulation, and conservative governance. Governor Greg Abbott has repeatedly argued that Texas represents the “future of America.” But beyond the branding and political messaging, many of the state’s measurable outcomes tell a more complicated story.
Texas remains economically large and culturally influential, but on several core indicators — infrastructure reliability, maternal health, healthcare access, and disaster preparedness — the state has struggled under Abbott’s leadership.
The Power Grid Crisis Became a National Embarrassment
The clearest example came during Winter Storm Uri in 2021, when the Texas power grid collapsed during extreme cold.
Millions of Texans lost electricity and heat for days. Pipes burst. Water systems failed. Families burned furniture for warmth. The storm ultimately caused at least 246 deaths according to state figures, though some researchers estimate the true toll was far higher.
The failure exposed long-standing weaknesses in Texas’ independent electric grid system, overseen by ERCOT and regulated by state-appointed officials. Multiple ERCOT board members resigned afterward.
Critics argued the disaster was not merely a weather event but a policy failure years in the making. Texas had repeatedly resisted stronger winterization requirements and broader federal grid integration. Even after reforms, energy experts continued warning that the grid remained vulnerable during severe winter events.
Research also showed the outages disproportionately harmed lower-income and minority communities.
Abbott initially blamed renewable energy during the crisis, despite investigations later showing failures across natural gas, coal, nuclear, and wind systems.
Texas Has Some of the Worst Healthcare Access in America
Texas consistently ranks among the worst states for healthcare coverage.
The state has led the nation in uninsured residents for years, largely because Texas leaders refused to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Millions of federal dollars were left on the table while roughly 5 million Texans remained uninsured.
The consequences are measurable:
Rural hospitals have struggled or closed.
Preventive care access remains limited.
Emergency rooms absorb routine healthcare demand.
Medical debt remains widespread.
This matters especially in a state with one of the fastest-growing populations in the country.
Abbott’s supporters argue that Medicaid expansion would increase government dependence and long-term spending. Critics counter that refusing expansion has cost Texas both lives and economic stability.
Maternal Health Outcomes Have Worsened
Texas already had one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the developed world before the state enacted some of the nation’s strictest abortion laws.
Since the abortion ban took effect in 2021, researchers and investigative journalists have documented alarming increases in severe pregnancy complications.
A 2025 ProPublica analysis found that sepsis rates among women hospitalized during second-trimester pregnancy loss increased by more than 50% after Texas’ near-total abortion ban took effect.
Researchers have also warned that abortion bans are likely to increase maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity, particularly in states like Texas that already had poor maternal health outcomes.
At the same time, Texas lawmakers restricted how maternal mortality review committees could investigate deaths tied to abortion policy.
The issue has become a national flashpoint because Texas is effectively serving as a large-scale policy experiment with real public health consequences.
Property Taxes Stayed High Despite Political Promises
Republican leaders in Texas frequently campaign on “low taxes,” but many homeowners have experienced sharp increases in property taxes over the past decade.
Texas has no state income tax, but local property taxes are among the highest in the nation. Rapid population growth and soaring home values have pushed many families’ housing costs upward even when mortgage rates remained stable.
Abbott and state lawmakers passed several property tax relief packages, but critics argue the relief has not kept pace with rising valuations and local tax burdens.
For many middle-class Texans, especially in metro areas like Houston, Austin, and Dallas, the practical cost of living has risen significantly despite the state’s low-tax reputation.
Infrastructure and Disaster Preparedness Continue to Struggle
Texas has increasingly faced overlapping climate and infrastructure challenges:
winter freezes,
hurricanes,
heat waves,
drought,
water shortages,
and grid strain from population growth.
The state’s rapid growth has often outpaced infrastructure planning.
During Hurricane Beryl in 2024, millions lost power again in the Houston region, reviving criticism about energy resilience and emergency management.
Experts have repeatedly warned that Texas’ approach often prioritizes deregulation and short-term market efficiency over long-term resilience.
Texas Still Grows — But Growth Alone Is Not Proof of Good Governance
Supporters of Abbott point to job growth, corporate relocations, and population increases as evidence that Texas policies work.
And to be fair, Texas has attracted major companies and added jobs faster than many states.
But economic growth alone does not automatically mean government systems are functioning well for ordinary residents.
A state can simultaneously:
attract corporations,
experience population growth,
and still fail residents on healthcare, infrastructure, disaster readiness, and public wellbeing.
That tension increasingly defines modern Texas.
The Bigger Question
The real debate is no longer whether Texas is economically successful.
It is whether state leadership has translated that success into reliable systems that protect and serve the people already living there.
Under Greg Abbott, Texas has often prioritized ideological battles and national political branding while struggling with basic governance challenges that directly affect daily life:
keeping the lights on,
ensuring healthcare access,
protecting pregnant women during medical emergencies,
and preparing infrastructure for predictable disasters.
For many Texans, those are not abstract political issues anymore. They are personal ones.
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