Texas governor race 2026: Greg Abbott vs. Gina Hinojosa

The basics

Texans vote Nov. 3. Abbott won the March 3 Republican primary with 82% of the vote, and Hinojosa won the Democratic nomination with 59% over a field that included former U.S. Rep. Chris Bell. Libertarian Pat Dixon is also on the ballot. Abbott, first elected in 2014, won his past three races by 20, 12 and 11 points, FOX 7 Austin reported.

The candidates

Greg Abbott (R) was Texas attorney general and a Texas Supreme Court justice before becoming governor. Over his tenure he has moved toward more socially conservative positions and aligned closely with President Donald Trump, and he has used campaign money to help defeat Republican legislators who opposed his school voucher plan, The Texas Tribune reported. Trump, the National Border Patrol Council and several police groups have endorsed him.

Gina Hinojosa (D) is in her fifth term in the Texas House, representing Austin. She was president of the Austin school board and worked as a civil rights and union lawyer. Public education is her signature issue. She has been endorsed by the Texas AFL-CIO, Texas AFT and Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico.

Where the race stands

Abbott leads recent independent polls by 2 to 5 points. A CNN poll by SSRS (Oct. 20–27, 923 likely voters, ±4.2) had Abbott 48%, Hinojosa 46%. Texas Southern University (Oct. 21–25, 2,000 likely voters, ±2.2) had Abbott 50%, Hinojosa 47%, and Emerson College (Oct. 17–19, 1,000 likely voters, ±3) had Abbott 49%, Hinojosa 45%. STTPN's average of six recent independent polls is Abbott 49.3%, Hinojosa 46.3%.

Cook and Sabato's Crystal Ball rate the race Lean Republican; Inside Elections rates it Tilt Republican. Abbott has a large money advantage. Through Oct. 24, he had raised about $122 million this cycle and Hinojosa about $39 million, according to Texas Ethics Commission filings compiled by Transparency USA.

The issues

Property taxes

Abbott proposes abolishing school property taxes for homeowners, requiring two-thirds voter approval for property tax increases and lowering the cap on yearly appraisal increases from 10% to 3%. An Abbott ad says Hinojosa voted 40 times to raise property taxes. The Houston Chronicle published a fact check of the claim, and Hinojosa's campaign called it one of "Abbott's property tax lies." Hinojosa proposes a one time $1,500 payment to every Texan from the state's savings.

Schools

Abbott championed the private school voucher program, funded with $1 billion over two years. Hinojosa opposes vouchers and wants to end standardized testing, stop state takeovers of local districts and replace the education commissioner with an educator. Frustration over takeovers and vouchers could sway voters, the Tribune reported.

Data centers, the grid and surveillance

Abbott has paused new data center connections to the state grid pending an audit and now supports ending their tax breaks. Hinojosa backs a moratorium on new data centers until lawmakers pass community protections. Abbott paused state funding for Flock license plate cameras. Hinojosa calls them "warrantless surveillance."

Controversies

Abbott has declined four invitations from Texas news outlets to debate Hinojosa. If no debate is held, it would be the first Texas governor's race since 2010 without one, the Tribune reported.

On the first day of early voting, Hinojosa sued to see emails between Abbott's office and Elon Musk that Abbott had withheld as "intimate and embarrassing." A state district judge ruled in her favor on Oct. 26. Abbott appealed and accused her of "abusing her official capacity as an outgoing lawmaker for political purposes," KUT reported. The Tribune has also reported that Abbott raised about $9 million from donors tied to data centers while calling for new regulations.