Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas said that she was not deriding Gov. Greg Abbott’s use of a wheelchair when she called him “Governor Hot Wheels” in a speech, but that she was referring instead to his policy of sending migrants who cross the border into Texas to blue cities across the country.
“I wasn’t thinking about the governor’s condition—I was thinking about the planes, trains, and automobiles he used to transfer migrants into communities led by Black mayors, deliberately stoking tension and fear among the most vulnerable,” she wrote in a post on X on Tuesday.
“Literally, the next line I said was that he was a ‘Hot A** Mess,’ referencing his terrible policies,” she added. “At no point did I mention or allude to his condition.”
Crockett, a Democrat known for her candid criticism of President Donald Trump and his allies, came under fire for her comments about Abbott — who began using a wheelchair after a major accident in 1984 — in a speech at a Human Rights Campaign event over the weekend.
“Y’all know we have Governor Hot Wheels down there, come on now,” she said, referring to her home state. “And the only thing hot about him is that he is a hot a– mess, honey.”
Her remarks instantly set off criticism from Republicans. Fellow Rep. Randy Weber of Texas said he would introduce a resolution to censure Crockett. Abbott himself dismissed Crockett’s comment, saying Democrats “have nothing to sell but hate.”
Disability rights advocates also expressed dismay at Crockett’s remark, with some saying that it further stigmatized people with disabilities, Politico reported. Crockett’s chief of staff, Kimberly McClain, told Politico that the congresswoman “in no way, meant any harm toward the Governor OR meant to take lightly any medical conditions that he may have” and that Crockett would “continue to advocate for the needs of our disabled neighbors.”
In her posts on X on Tuesday, Crockett called the backlash “yet another distraction,” adding that “maybe my political foes should focus on doing the work of the people who elected us to improve their lives.” She also dismissed Republican criticism of her comments in light of their support for Trump, “a man known for racially insensitive nicknames and mocking those with disabilities.”
The partisan outrage at Crockett stands in contrast to Republicans’ unwavering support for Trump, which has led at times to a blatant disregard for his behavior. Trump mocked a reporter with disabilities onstage in 2015 and has called his political rivals “mentally disabled.” Earlier this year, Trump falsely suggested the deadly plane crash near Washington, D.C., was due to the Federal Aviation Administration employing people with disabilities as air traffic controllers.
