Democrat Gina Hinojosa is challenging Gov. Greg Abbott with a campaign centered on household costs, public education and concerns about expanding data centers, seeking to win over voters beyond her party’s base.
The Austin state representative and former Austin school board president has been emphasizing economic issues over divisive cultural debates. Her campaign is also courting independent voters and Republicans who have grown dissatisfied with rising costs, the Abbott school voucher program and rising home insurance costs.
Hinojosa proposes sending every Texas household a one-time $1,500 payment from the state’s rainy day fund. Her campaign estimates the proposal would cost $17 billion. But the governor doesn’t have the authority to issue those checks along. It would require legislative approval.
Abbott, seeking a fourth term, has made property-tax relief central to his campaign, including a proposal to eliminate school property taxes for homeowners and increasing the sales tax to pay for it.
Hinojosa also wants a moratorium on new data centers until lawmakers establish stronger regulations to protect communities and end their tax breaks. She argues Texans should not shoulder the costs of their electricity and water demands.
Abbott, who had been an enthusiastic supporter of data centers, is now calling for eliminating data-center incentives. In September he directed state regulators to halt permits pending audits of their resource demands.
Hinojosa is running on the pledge to end private-school vouchers, raise teacher pay, replace Education Commissioner Mike Morath with an educator and stop state takeovers of school districts.
Abbott is one of the strongest champions for vouchers. He is calling for increasing funding for the program in the next legislative session. He also proposes tighter controls on school administrative spending.
Abbott’s campaign retains a substantial financial advantage over Hinojosa . Reports covering July 1 through Sept. 24 showed he raised more than $20 million, compared with Hinojosa’s roughly $13 million, and held $18 million to her $4 million.
Democrats have not won statewide office in Texas since 1994, a drought now approaching 32 years. However, recent polling shows the race for governor virtually tied.
Texas Public Radio invited Abbott onto The Source to take listener questions and explain his vision for the state. The Abbott campaign declined our invitation. Although the invitation remains open if he changes his mind.
Guest:
Gina Hinajosa is the Democratic nominee for Texas governor.
"The Source" is a live call-in program airing Mondays through Thursdays from 12-1 p.m.
Leave a message before the program at (210) 615-8982. During the live show, call 833-877-8255, email thesource@tpr.org.
This interview will be recorded live Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 12:30 p.m.
