Voices of Texas: George P. Bush Talks Texas, Trump, Family

July 26, 2020

Voices of Texas is a series of exclusive conversations with the people who make the Lone Star State what it is, discussing the important topics of today and looking toward the future.

AUSTIN, Texas — From his name alone, it seems George P. Bush was destined to go into politics. Currently, he serves as Texas Land Commissioner, and he said he’s determined to pave his own path in public service.

A native Texan, Bush graduated from Rice University, then became a school teacher before going to law school at The University of Texas. In 2014, he was elected as Texas Land Commissioner, and he’s taken the lead on historic projects like the remodeling of the Alamo and helping Texans rebuild after Hurricane Harvey.

With issues like COVID-19, Black Lives Matter, and police reform taking center stage, Bush said it’s time for Texans to come together to help one another.

Spectrum News recently sat down with Bush to hear his vision of the future.

What does being a Texan mean to you?

“Well, I think the Texas spirit is all about being tough. It’s about being independent. It’s about being strong, and it’s about being proud. And so when I think about the current environment, the new normal that we live in, I see the Texas spirit every single day at the Land Office… I’m just proud to be a Texan. I’m proud of the spirit and the ingenuity and the innovation that’s taking place in our state.”

What sets Texas apart from the other states in the country?

“We have a unique history in the fact that we established our own Republic. We, of course, have our six flags and have a storied history, whether it’s the Spanish crown, the Mexican Republic, or even the Texas revolution that resulted in the Texas Republic. And that’s one of the coolest aspects of being land commissioner is that I serve as the custodian of many of these historic items, and I serve as the day-to-day manager of the Alamo, the most visited site in the state of Texas. So it’s really an everyday experience for us to not only live this history, but to teach it. Now as the father of two who are seven and five years old, I consider it a personal mission of mine to continue to teach Texas children, whether we’re doing it remotely or in person, now with the new realities of COVID-19, to speak to this history and make sure other generations understand it.”

What do you think Americans get wrong in their assumptions or understanding of Texas and Texans?

“Well, I think that sometimes they don’t understand our independent viewpoint and how we view the world. We’re very much individualistic in that we roll up our sleeves, and we just get things done. And you know what I thought was remarkable after Hurricane Harvey was the rest of the country just admired our spirit. They admired the Cajun Navy; they admired people helping each other out whether you were white or Black or brown it didn’t matter. We helped out our fellow man and responded to this crisis. As somebody who helped the governor, helped our communities recover and still do, I just thought it was remarkable that that spirit was unique and the rest of the country saw it as uniquely Texan. They misinterpret that as braggadocio or swagger, as my uncle would say. Sometimes it’s just, you know, in Texas we’re just walking, and that’s swagger, so that’s who we are. Sometimes it’s misinterpreted, but you know I think it’s, again, one of the reasons why we’re considered to be such a great state.”