Texas Governor Election 2026
Greg Abbott (R) is running. Rating: Lean R.
Status: upcoming. Election day is November 3, 2026.
Candidates
| Candidate | Party | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gina Hinojosa | Democratic | State representative |
| Greg Abbott (incumbent) | Republican | Governor since 2015 |
Polls
| Date | Pollster | Gina Hinojosa | Greg Abbott |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 18, 2026 | CBS News | 48% | 52% |
| October 14, 2026 | Univ. of Texas | 49% | 48% |
| October 14, 2026 | Marist | 45% | 49% |
| October 13, 2026 | ReconMR/Siena | 47% | 48% |
| October 8, 2026 | UMass Lowell | 44% | 48% |
| October 6, 2026 | YouGov | 48% | 47% |
| October 3, 2026 | NYT/Siena | 49% | 46% |
| October 2, 2026 | Fox News | 47% | 52% |
| September 27, 2026 | Big Data Poll (R) | 44% | 49% |
| September 25, 2026 | Texas Public Opinion Research | 46% | 50% |
Average of the 9 most recent polls: Gina Hinojosa 46.8%, Greg Abbott 48.8%. Polls are snapshots, not predictions.
Where the candidates stand
Gina Hinojosa (D)
- Pledges to end private-school vouchers. (2026-10-07) source
- Wants a legal path for long-rooted, law-abiding immigrants rather than mass detention. (2025-10-16) source
- Wants a moratorium on new data centers until stronger rules are in place and their tax breaks end. (2026-10-07) source
- Would redirect border overtime spending to local community policing. (2025-10-16) source
Greg Abbott (R)
- Pushed Texas's private-school voucher program through and wants more funding for it. (2026-10-07) source
- Proposes eliminating school property taxes for homeowners, paid for with a higher sales tax. (2026-10-07) source
- Now calls for ending data-center incentives and in September directed regulators to pause permits pending audits. (2026-10-07) source
- Runs Operation Lone Star, the state's border enforcement program. (2025-10-16) source
Sources
- 2026 United States gubernatorial elections (Wikipedia)
- 2026 Gubernatorial Race Overview (Brownstein, Sept. 23, 2026)
- Latest governor polls (RealClearPolling)
- 2026 election polls (Political.org)
- Cook Political Report governor ratings
- The Green Papers: 2026 candidates by state
- Amid Ad Uproar, Ohio Governor’s Race Moves From Toss Up to Lean Democrat (Cook Political Report, Oct. 23, 2026)
- Midterm Elections in Ohio, October 2026 (Marist Poll)
- Midterm Elections in Michigan, October 2026 (Marist Poll)
Ratings, candidates and polls last updated October 24, 2026. Ratings are expert forecasts, not results.