Have you ever heard the saying, ‘I wasn’t born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could’? It’s not uncommon to see those words on a bumper sticker adorning the vehicle of a proud Texan while driving around town. This saying definitely applies to Paul Chabot, the native Californian, who fell in love with McKinney and has now made Texas his home.
After reading about the town of McKinney in a magazine article ranking the best places to live in the U.S., Chabot’s interest was piqued. He looked further into what McKinney had to offer and discovered it’s thriving businesses, safe neighborhoods and quality schools. “It reminded me of what California used to be,” says Chabot. The family-friendly atmosphere appealed so much to him and his wife, Brenda, that they, along with their four children, moved to McKinney in 2016 and became Texans at heart.
Another thing that’s not uncommon to see when driving around town these days is an abundance of campaign signs. Chabot’s are among them, reading “Military Commander Chabot Conservative for State Rep.” Chabot says that “Texas is America’s last best hope to right the ship in America.” He believes, “Whichever way Texas goes, so goes the nation.”
In 2017, one year after his move to Texas, Chabot founded Conservative Move, a real estate brokerage that assists conservative-leaning individuals and businesses in relocating to states that reflect their values and desire for a better quality of life. Texas is the number one state that transplants are relocating to. Chabot believes the reason why is because, “Texas embodies the values the country was founded on.” He added, “Transplants aren’t coming here to change Texas, but to appreciate and be a part of Texas.”
Chabot has an extensive resume of accomplishments in the military, law enforcement and business, fueled by a desire to serve his community and country. At 16, he became a Sheriff Explorer Scout, which led to his 21-year tenure serving as a Reserve Deputy Sheriff in the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. There, he worked in the narcotics and street gang division and as a certified peace officer. He also served as a State Parole Board Commissioner and a Police Officer at the University of Southern California. He’s a proud veteran, having served 15 months of active duty as an intelligence officer with Joint Special Operations Forces during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He’s a Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve and holds a Top Secret Clearance with over 20 years of service. His other experience includes being a white house senior advisor, keynote speaker, adjunct professor, author, and earning his doctorate in executive leadership from George Washington University.
In addition, Chabot founded Coalition for a Drug Free Texas and Coalition for McKinney Drug Free Youth, which stemmed from his own struggle with addiction at the young age of 12. Sustaining 35 years of sobriety is perhaps his proudest achievement.
Not that he has a lot of spare time, but whenever he does, Chabot enjoys fixing things and working with his hands. He’s a self-proclaimed ‘handyman.’ His favorite fixer-upper project is his Chevy Impala, which has over 210,000 miles. Maybe he’ll get one of those aforementioned bumper stickers for it. It sounds like the perfect finishing touch for this proud Texan’s favorite car.