A native of Holly Pond, Ala., Abbott attended public schools there and, after graduating from high school, took his first newspaper job at age 18 in nearby Cullman, Ala., where he worked as a reporter for the Cullman Times while attending college at night.

At age 19, Abbott was a reporter for the Talladega Daily Home newspaper. He returned to the Cullman Times, became news editor, and with a 24-part series on city hall politics, he won the Alabama Press Association's "Best News Story in Alabama" award, small newspaper division, in 1983.

In 1984, Abbott took a job as a wire service reporter with United Press International in Montgomery, Ala., covering state government and politics. He later became the bureau manager in Montgomery.

In 1987, Alabama Gov. Guy Hunt (R) named Abbott as press secretary, a post in which he served for six years, directing public relations, serving as an official spokesman, writing speeches, and producing the governor's weekly radio addresses.

From 1993-1996, Mr. Abbott managed major statewide political campaigns in both Alabama and Mississippi, including a successful U.S. Senate campaign for Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.).

In December 1996, Abbott began his work in Houston as press secretary for then-superintendent Paige at the Houston Independent School District, which, with its 210,000 students, is the nation's seventh largest school district. He served as chief spokesman and directed all media relations efforts for the district.