Texas voters will choose their next governor on Nov. 3, with Republican incumbent Greg Abbott seeking another four years in office against Democratic challenger Gina Hinojosa and Libertarian candidate Pat Dixon.
The race comes as Texas faces major debates over property taxes, public education, government spending, immigration enforcement and the rapid growth of artificial intelligence and data centers.
Abbott enters the final stretch of the campaign with a significant fundraising advantage and more than a decade of experience in the governor's office. Hinojosa, a longtime state lawmaker and former school board president, is making public education and affordability central to her campaign. Dixon is offering voters a smaller-government alternative to both major parties.
While the candidates disagree on many of the state's biggest issues, they are competing for one of the most influential political offices in the country.
What Does the Texas Governor Actually Do?
The Texas governor serves as the state's chief executive, responsible for implementing state laws, responding to emergencies and recommending a state budget to lawmakers every two years.
The governor can veto legislation, issue executive orders, declare disasters and call special legislative sessions. Unlike regular legislative sessions, special sessions allow the governor to determine which issues lawmakers can consider.
The office also carries considerable influence through appointments.
The governor selects leaders of major agencies, including the Texas Education Agency and Department of Public Safety, along with members of the Public Utility Commission and university governing boards.
Those appointments can shape everything from electricity regulation and public school policies to higher education and law enforcement.
Texas has the world's eighth-largest economy, making decisions in Austin consequential well beyond the state's borders.
Greg Abbott: Republican Incumbent Seeking a Fourth Term
Gov. Greg Abbott is running for a fourth term after first winning the governor's office in 2014.
Before becoming governor, Abbott served as Texas attorney general, a Texas Supreme Court justice and a state district judge in Harris County.
During his tenure, Abbott has become one of the country's most prominent Republican governors and a close political ally of President Donald Trump.
His administration has pursued conservative priorities involving immigration enforcement, education, public safety and taxation.
One of Abbott's signature accomplishments was securing legislative approval for a private school voucher program, with lawmakers allocating $1 billion over two years.
The program became a major political battle, including within the Republican Party. Abbott used his campaign resources to support candidates challenging Republican lawmakers who opposed his education agenda.
Abbott's Top Policy Priorities
Property taxes remain a central focus of Abbott's reelection campaign.
He has proposed eliminating school property taxes for homeowners, lowering the annual property appraisal cap from 10% to 3% and requiring two-thirds voter approval for property tax increases.
The proposal raises significant questions about how Texas would replace the revenue currently used to fund public schools.
On immigration, Abbott continues to support aggressive border enforcement through Operation Lone Star, an approximately $11 billion initiative involving border barriers, drug interdiction and immigration-related arrests.
Abbott has also called for tougher bail restrictions for certain violent offenses and additional changes to public education, including limiting classroom screen time and restricting the use of H-1B visa workers in public schools.
His administration has recently taken a more cautious approach toward data centers, calling for an audit of new projects and supporting tighter development restrictions.
Abbott also ordered a pause in state funding for Flock surveillance cameras following scrutiny of the state's expanding surveillance network.
Abbott's Campaign Fundraising
Abbott holds a substantial financial advantage over his opponents.
According to campaign figures through Sept. 24, Abbott raised approximately **$48.6 million** between Jan. 1 and Sept. 24 and reported $18.2 million in cash on hand.
His major contributors include Amarillo businessman Alex Fairly, who donated $2.5 million, and Midland oil executive Javaid Anwar, who contributed $2.3 million.
Other contributors include Airbnb cofounder Joe Gebbia, billionaire Jeff Yass, Elon Musk and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
That financial backing gives Abbott considerable resources for advertising, voter outreach and campaign operations heading into Election Day.
Gina Hinojosa: Democrat Making Education and Affordability Central to Her Campaign
State Rep. Gina Hinojosa is seeking to become the first Democrat elected Texas governor since Ann Richards won in 1990.
Hinojosa is serving her fifth term in the Texas House and previously served as president and an at-large member of the Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees.
Her professional background includes civil rights and labor law, with experience representing workers and underserved communities.
Hinojosa serves as vice chair of the Texas Legislative Progressive Caucus and has consistently been ranked among the Legislature's most liberal members.
Her campaign focuses heavily on public education, government accountability, health care costs and financial relief for Texas families.
Hinojosa's Top Policy Priorities
One of Hinojosa's most prominent proposals is a one-time $1,500 payment to Texans using money from the state's savings account.
She has presented the proposal as a way to provide financial relief as households struggle with rising expenses.
Education is another major dividing line between Hinojosa and Abbott.
Hinojosa opposes private school vouchers and supports increasing teacher pay, investing in school safety and ending standardized testing requirements.
She also wants to stop state takeovers of public school districts and replace Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath with someone who has professional experience as an educator.
On health care, Hinojosa supports stronger oversight of private equity involvement in medical services, arguing that reforms could help reduce costs and improve patient care.
Her position on data centers includes a moratorium on new development until lawmakers establish stronger community protections. She also supports eliminating data center tax breaks.
Hinojosa has criticized the use of Flock surveillance cameras, raising concerns about privacy and government monitoring.
On THC regulation, she favors allowing Texas voters to weigh in through a statewide vote.
Hinojosa's Campaign Fundraising
Hinojosa reported raising approximately **$20.4 million** between Jan. 1 and Sept. 24, with $4 million remaining in cash on hand.
Her contributors include labor organizations, Democratic political groups and individual donors.
The American Federation of Teachers contributed $250,000, while Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Houston businesswoman Susan Sarofim each contributed $200,000.
Other financial supporters include California Democratic donor Karla Jurvetson and political organizations associated with prominent Democrats.
Although Hinojosa trails Abbott financially, her fundraising provides resources for a statewide campaign in the closing weeks.
Pat Dixon: Libertarian Candidate Promoting Smaller Government
Libertarian candidate Pat Dixon is offering Texans an alternative to the Republican and Democratic nominees.
Dixon owns and operates Dixon Process Automation Services Inc. in Lago Vista and previously served two terms on the Lago Vista City Council.
He has also held several leadership positions within the Libertarian Party, including 10 years as chairman of the Libertarian Party of Texas and two terms on the Libertarian National Committee.
His campaign emphasizes reducing government intervention, protecting individual liberties and limiting taxpayer-funded economic development incentives.
Dixon's Top Policy Priorities
Dixon opposes using taxpayer money to attract private businesses, including providing financial incentives for data center construction.
He supports reducing government spending, eliminating certain business tax breaks and lowering the state sales tax.
Dixon has also proposed reducing some state regulatory responsibilities, including certain inspection programs operated by the Texas Department of Agriculture.
On surveillance, Dixon supports allowing cameras on private property and roads to help investigate serious crimes but believes searches of statewide camera networks should require probable cause.
His approach to marijuana and THC differs from Abbott's more restrictive policies.
Dixon believes adults should generally be free to make their own decisions regarding cannabis products, provided their actions do not harm others. He supports penalties for impaired driving and conduct that endangers public safety.
On education, Dixon supports a statewide scholarship model that would allow funding to follow students to the schools their families choose.
He also opposes politically motivated standardized testing requirements.
Dixon's Campaign Fundraising
Dixon is running with a much smaller campaign budget than either major-party candidate.
Between Jan. 1 and Sept. 24, he raised $15,138 and reported $2,369 in cash on hand.
His contributors include the Libertarian Booster PAC, businessman Chris Rufer and several individual supporters.
The fundraising gap illustrates the financial challenges third-party candidates face when competing in statewide Texas elections.
Write-In Candidates Also Seeking the Governor's Office
Four additional candidates have declared write-in campaigns for Texas governor:
- Edward Earl Giles
- Jenn Mack
- Jinghpaw Majoishingra
- Mike Miller
Voters interested in supporting a write-in candidate should review the Texas Secretary of State's election guidance to understand the rules governing eligible write-in votes.
Where the Candidates Stand on Major Texas Issues
The governor's race offers voters sharply different approaches to several major policy questions.
Public education: Abbott supports private school vouchers and additional classroom restrictions. Hinojosa opposes vouchers and wants greater investment in traditional public schools. Dixon favors a scholarship system allowing education funding to follow individual students.
Property taxes and government spending: Abbott wants substantial property tax reductions, including eliminating school property taxes for homeowners. Hinojosa is emphasizing direct financial relief and public service investments. Dixon supports lowering taxes by reducing government spending and business incentives.
Data centers: Abbott supports additional oversight and restrictions on development. Hinojosa wants a moratorium until stronger protections are enacted. Dixon opposes taxpayer subsidies for data center projects.
Surveillance and privacy: All three candidates have raised concerns about government surveillance, although their proposed responses differ.
THC and cannabis: Abbott favors tighter regulation, Hinojosa supports a public vote on the issue, and Dixon favors broader personal freedom for adults.
These differences highlight the competing visions of state government voters will consider in November.
What Happens Next in the Texas Governor's Race?
With Election Day approaching, the candidates are making their final arguments about Texas' future.
Abbott is campaigning on his record as governor and his plans to continue pursuing conservative priorities. Hinojosa is asking voters to change direction, particularly on education, affordability and government accountability. Dixon is appealing to Texans who want less government involvement in economic and personal decisions.
The next governor will help determine how Texas handles public school funding, property taxes, infrastructure demands, energy policy and the state's relationship with Washington.
Texas voters will make that choice on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026.
