Texas governor 2026

Compare candidates running in this Texas federal race. Review their positions, voting records, campaign promises, and donor information.

Jenn Mack Raphoon

Party: Independent

Gina Hinojosa

Party: Democratic

Greg Abbott

Party: Republican

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governor

Texas governor

Election: Nov 3, 2026Updated: Apr 10, 2026
safe r— Cook Political Report

Texas is the nation's second-most populous state and largest state led by Republicans. A Democratic victory would signal a major political realignment, but Abbott's fundraising advantage ($105+ million vs. Hinojosa's ~$370K as of January 2026), decisive wins in past gubernatorial races, and statewide Republican dominance make him a heavy favorite. The race reflects Texas's slow rightward drift despite demographic changes.

Jenn Mack RaphoonI
Gina HinojosaO
Greg AbbottR

Summary

Jenn Mack Raphoon is an Independent candidate for Texas Governor, running on a platform of restoring power to the people, ending career-politician dominance, and addressing threats to Texas sovereignty. A former project manager, Raphoon entered the race to return governance to everyday Texans and protect cultural values. She is not aligned with either major party.

Gina Hinojosa is a Democratic State Representative from Austin's House District 49 (since 2017) and civil rights/labor attorney. She won the Democratic gubernatorial primary on March 3, 2026, with 59.9% of the vote. Hinojosa is the daughter of former Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa and is positioned as a progressive defender of public education and healthcare access.

Greg Abbott has served as the 48th Governor of Texas since 2015. Previously, he was Texas Attorney General (2002-2015) and a Texas Supreme Court Justice (1996-2001). At age 26, he was paralyzed below the waist in a 1984 accident and has used a wheelchair since. He is the first Texas governor and third in U.S. history to use a wheelchair.

View Jenn Mack Raphoon's Full Profile →View Gina Hinojosa's Full Profile →View Greg Abbott's Full Profile →

Campaign Promises

other
  • Restore the Republic in Texas and return power to the people
  • Address power grid and water shortage crises
  • Defend Texas sovereignty and oppose federal overreach
public-safety
  • Secure Texas against external and internal threats
education
  • Fully fund public education with $40 billion investment and teacher pay raises
  • Oppose school vouchers and protect neighborhood public schools
  • Reduce standardized testing and increase teacher pay
healthcare
  • Expand healthcare access and reduce costs
other
  • Fight corruption and hold billionaires/corporate interests accountable
economy
  • Deliver largest property tax cut in Texas history ($18+ billion)
education
  • Expand school choice through Education Savings Accounts (vouchers)
  • Expand parental rights in education
public-safety
  • Secure the Texas-Mexico border through Operation Lone Star
other
  • Reduce federal overreach and defend Texas sovereignty

Key Issue Positions

Texas Sovereignty & Constitutional Government
Restore lawful government; defend rights; return power to people; oppose federal overreach
Signed Texas First Pledge committing to Texas interests over federal/party mandates
Border Security & Cartel Threats
Address 'hybrid unconventional cartel-terrorist warfare' and 'islamification of state'
Platform emphasizes border security but uses strong ideological framing
Infrastructure & Energy Crisis
Address ERCOT grid vulnerability and water shortages from data center expansion
Issued April 2026 warning of possible rolling blackouts and water crisis; calls for community preparation
Anti-Establishment
End career-politician dominance; return governance to ordinary citizens
Frames both major parties as corrupted by special interests; offers alternative to GOP/Democratic duopoly
Faith & Family Values
Faith-based governance; protect Christian values; preserve culture
Called for statewide prayer and fasting before Easter; invokes God and Christian nationalism framing
Public Education & Teacher Support
Defend neighborhood public schools; oppose vouchers; increase teacher pay and reduce testing
Made public education her legislative 'calling card' over nearly a decade in House; sponsored education funding bills
Healthcare Access
Expand healthcare coverage; lower costs; oppose GOP-led restrictions
Secured federal indigent healthcare funding; supports universal healthcare principles though not explicit single-payer advocacy
Economic Fairness & Working Families
Fight billionaires/corporations driving up prices; affordable housing; wage justice
Campaign criticizes Abbott's relationship with wealthy donors; positions herself with working families
Border & Immigration
Not prominent in campaign messaging; minimized on website
Notably absent from front-page campaign priorities; suggests Democratic pivot away from immigration focus post-2024 losses
Social Issues
Campaign website avoids LGBTQ+ and transgender issues despite prior legislative support
Strategic repositioning toward 'back-to-basics' education and centrist messaging post-2024
Border Security
Aggressive state-level enforcement; Operation Lone Star; border wall construction
Claims significant success in reducing illegal crossings but faces legal challenges and criticism over effectiveness and migrant deaths
School Choice & Education
Supports private school vouchers; parental control over curriculum; opposes 'critical race theory' and DEI
School choice program finally passed in 2025 after years of legislative battles; signed multiple parent-empowerment bills
Property Taxes
Delivered $18B in tax cuts via homestead exemption expansion and rate reductions
2023 legislative victory; funds school losses via state budget but per-pupil funding remains below national average
Public Safety & Law Enforcement
Supports law enforcement funding; opposes 'defund police' movements; tough-on-crime stance
Signed laws to defund cities that defund police; funded border security with billions
Abortion & Social Conservative Issues
Maintains Texas's near-total abortion ban; opposes gender-affirming care for transgender youth
Directed investigation of gender-affirming care as child abuse; enforced state DEI bans in universities

Top Donors

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Contradictions

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What Opponents Say

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Endorsements

No endorsements listed.

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