I just remember Stella Tenant and me dancing in Donatella Versace's bathtub until like four in the morning. It was one of those 'pinch me' moments.

I stand before you as the governor of Texas but also stand before you the son of two tenant farmers. Ray Perry who came home after 35 bombing missions over Europe to work his little corner of land out there and Amelia who made sure that my sister Milla and I had everything that we needed included hand sewing my clothes until I went off to college.

The most terrible job in warfare is to be a second lieutenant leading a platoon when you are on the battlefield.