2026 Texas gubernatorial election
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The 2026 Texas gubernatorial election is scheduled to take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the governor of Texas. Incumbent Republican Governor Greg Abbott is running for re-election to a fourth term.[1] If Abbott were to be re-elected and serve a fourth full term, he would become the state's longest-serving governor with 16 years on January 21, 2031, surpassing the 14 year tenure of his predecessor, Rick Perry. He would also tie with Jerry Brown of California and Bill Janklow of South Dakota as the fourth longest-serving governor in United States history at 5,845 days served.
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November 3, 2026
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Primary elections were held on March 3, 2026. Abbott secured his party's nomination with 82% of the vote without major opposition. Democratic state representative Gina Hinojosa secured her party's nomination with 59% of the vote in a nine-way primary.
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Greg Abbott, incumbent governor (2015–present)[2]
Eliminated in primary
- R.F. "Bob" Achgill, literary researcher and candidate for Bryan City Council in 2024[2]
- Evelyn Brooks, member of the Texas State Board of Education from the 14th district (2023–present)[2]
- Pete "Doc" Chambers, former Lieutenant Colonel in U.S. Army Special Forces[3]
- Charles Andrew Crouch, author[2]
- Arturo Espinosa, candidate in 2025 San Antonio mayoral election[2][4]
- Mark V. Goloby, businessman and conservative activist[5]
- Kenneth Hyde, contractor[2]
- Stephen Samuelson, veteran[2][6]
- Ronnie Tullos, project manager[2]
- Nathaniel Welch, businessman[2][6]
Endorsements
Greg Abbott
- Executive branch officials
- Donald Trump, president of the United States (2017–2021, 2025–present)[7]
- Individuals
- Riley Gaines, conservative activist[8]
- Labor unions
- Associated Builders and Contractors of Texas[9]
- Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas[10]
- Houston Police Officers Union[11]
- Dallas Police Association[12]
- Fort Worth Police Officers Association[12]
- National Border Patrol Council[13]
- International Brotherhood of Teamsters Texas[14]
- Teamsters Joint Council 58 and Jount Council 80[15]
- UA Plumbers Local 68[14]
- UA Pipefitters Local 211[14]
- International Longshoremen South Atlantic & Gulf Coast District Association[14]
- Organizations
- National Federation of Independent Business Texas[16]
- NRA Political Victory Fund[17][18]
- Texas Alliance for Life[19]
- Turning Point Action[20]
- Young Conservatives of Texas[21]
- Newspapers
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Greg Abbott |
Evelyn Brooks |
Pete Chambers |
Arturo Espinosa |
Mark V. Goloby |
Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YouGov[24] | February 26 – March 2, 2026 | 1,668 (LV) | ± 2.8% | 72% | 2% | 11% | 0% | 0% | 2%[b] | 13% |
| University of Texas/ Texas Politics Project[25] |
February 2–16, 2026 | 360 (LV) | ± 5.2% | 91% | 1% | 5% | 1% | 1% | 2%[c] | – |
Results
Abbott
- 70–80%
- 80–90%
- 90-100%
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Greg Abbott (incumbent) | 1,764,924 | 81.8 | |
| Republican | Pete "Doc" Chambers | 240,640 | 11.2 | |
| Republican | Evelyn Brooks | 44,142 | 2.0 | |
| Republican | Arturo Espinosa | 23,444 | 1.1 | |
| Republican | Charles Andrew Crouch | 15,405 | 0.7 | |
| Republican | Kenneth Hyde | 14,941 | 0.7 | |
| Republican | Nathaniel Welch | 12,057 | 0.6 | |
| Republican | Mark V. Goloby | 10,991 | 0.5 | |
| Republican | Stephen Samuelson | 10,864 | 0.5 | |
| Republican | Ronnie Tullos | 10,352 | 0.5 | |
| Republican | R.F. "Bob" Achgill | 9,119 | 0.4 | |
| Total votes | 2,156,879 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Gina Hinojosa, state representative from the 49th district (2017–present)[26]
Eliminated in primary
- Patricia Abrego[2]
- Chris Bell, former U.S. representative for Texas's 25th congressional district (2003–2005), nominee for governor in 2006, candidate for mayor of Houston in 2001 and 2015, and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2020[27]
- Bobby Cole, rancher[28]
- Carlton Hart, event manager[2][6]
- Jose Navarro Balbuena, tax strategist[2]
- Faizan Syed, manager[2]
- Zach Vance, veteran[2][6]
- Angela Villescaz, education and gun safety advocate[2][6]
Withdrawn
- Ben Flores, Bay City councilor (running for Land Commissioner, endorsed Hinojosa)[29]
- Nick Pappas, marine veteran (running for Denton County Judge)[30][31]
- Andrew White, son of former governor Mark White, and candidate for governor in 2018 (endorsed Hinojosa)[32]
Declined
- Jasmine Crockett, U.S. representative from Texas's 30th congressional district (2023–present) (ran for U.S. Senate, endorsed Hinojosa)[33][34]
- Veronica Escobar, U.S. representative from Texas's 16th congressional district (2019–present) (running for re-election, endorsed Hinojosa)[35][34]
- Clay Jenkins, Dallas County Judge[d] (2011–present)[36]
- Beto O'Rourke, former U.S. representative from Texas's 16th congressional district (2013–2019), nominee for governor in 2022, nominee for U.S. Senate in 2018, and candidate for president in 2020[37]
- Ron Nirenberg, former mayor of San Antonio (2017–2025) (running for Bexar County Judge)[38]
Endorsements
Gina Hinojosa
- U.S. senators
- Ruben Gallego, Arizona (2025–present)[39]
- Chris Murphy, Connecticut (2013–present)[40]
- U.S. representatives
- Greg Casar, TX-35 (2023–present)[34]
- Jasmine Crockett, TX-30 (2023–present)[34]
- Lloyd Doggett, TX-37 (1995–present)[34]
- Veronica Escobar, TX-16 (2019–present)[34]
- Sylvia Garcia, TX-29 (2019–present)[34]
- Vicente Gonzalez, TX-34 (2017–present)[34]
- Julie Johnson, TX-32 (2025–present)[34]
- Colin Allred, former TX-32 (2019–2025)[34]
- Statewide officials
- Jim Hightower, former Texas Agriculture Commissioner (1983-1991)[41]
- Garry Mauro, former Land Commissioner of Texas (1983-1999) and 1998 gubernatorial nominee [41]
- State legislators
- Wendy Davis, former state senator from the 10th district (2009-2015) and 2014 gubernatorial nominee[41]
- James Talarico, state representative from the 50th district (2018–present) and nominee for the U.S. Senate[42]
- Individuals
- Andrew White, son of former governor Mark White and former 2026 gubernatorial candidate[32]
- Labor unions
- Organizations
- Newspapers
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Chris Bell |
Bobby Cole |
Gina Hinojosa |
Angela Villescaz |
Andrew White |
Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YouGov[24] | February 26 – March 2, 2026 | 2,342 (LV) | ± 2.7% | 4% | 5% | 55% | 2% | – | 9%[e] | 25% |
| Blueprint Polling (D)[54] | February 23–24, 2026 | 472 (LV) | ± 4.5% | 4% | 3% | 61% | 2% | 1% | 9%[f] | 20% |
| UT Tyler[55] | February 13–22, 2026 | – (LV) | – | 25% | – | 60% | – | – | 14%[g] | 1% |
| – (RV) | 25% | – | 58% | – | – | 15%[h] | 2% | |||
| University of Texas/ Texas Politics Project[25] |
February 2–16, 2026 | 369 (LV) | ± 5.9% | 4% | 9% | 76% | 3% | – | 8%[i] | – |
| University of Houston/YouGov[56] | January 20–31, 2026 | 550 (LV) | ± 4.2% | 7% | 6% | 37% | 4% | – | 14%[j] | 32% |
| Slingshot Strategies (D)[57][A] | January 14–21, 2026 | 1,290 (LV) | ± 3.7% | 4% | 3% | 29% | – | – | 6%[k] | 58% |
| White withdraws from the race | ||||||||||
| Texas Southern University[58] | December 9–11, 2025 | 1,600 (LV) | ± 2.5% | 5% | 3% | 41% | 1% | 6% | 2%[l] | 42% |
Results
Hinojosa—90–100%
Hinojosa—80–90%
Hinojosa—70–80%
Hinojosa—60–70%
Hinojosa—50–60%
Hinojosa—40–50%
Hinojosa—30–40%
Hinojosa—20–30%
Abrego—60–70%
Tie—50%
Tie—20–30%
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Gina Hinojosa | 1,289,576 | 58.5 | |
| Democratic | Chris Bell | 216,787 | 9.8 | |
| Democratic | Angela "Tia Angie" Villescaz | 150,752 | 6.8 | |
| Democratic | Patricia Abrego | 128,632 | 5.8 | |
| Democratic | Andrew White (withdrawn) | 117,392 | 5.3 | |
| Democratic | Bobby Cole | 112,675 | 5.1 | |
| Democratic | Jose Navarro Balbuena | 65,826 | 3.0 | |
| Democratic | Carlton W. Hart | 63,278 | 2.9 | |
| Democratic | Zach Vance | 58,753 | 2.7 | |
| Total votes | 2,203,671 | 100.0 | ||
Third-party and independent candidates
Candidates
Declared
- Pat Dixon (Libertarian), former chair of the Libertarian Party of Texas[59]
- Jenn Mack Raphoon (Independent)[60]
Declined
- Matthew McConaughey, actor[61][62]
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[63] | Solid R | September 11, 2025 |
| Inside Elections[64] | Solid R | August 28, 2025 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[65] | Safe R | September 4, 2025 |
| Race to the WH[66] | Lean R | June 10, 2026 |
| RealClearPolitics[67] | Solid R | June 1, 2026 |
Post-primary endorsements
Greg Abbott (R)
Executive branch officials
- Donald Trump, president of the United States (2017–2021, 2025–present)[68]
Gina Hinojosa (D)
Executive branch officials
- Barack Obama, 44th president of the United States (2009–2017)[69]
U.S. representatives
- Beto O'Rourke, former TX-16 (2013–2019), 2018 U.S. senate nominee and 2022 gubernatorial nominee[70]
Organizations
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Greg Abbott (R) |
Gina Hinojosa (D) |
Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantus Insights (R)[71] | June 3–4, 2026 | 800 (LV) | ± 3.5% | 49% | 41% | 3% | 7% |
| Texas A&M University/ReconMR[72] | June 1–4, 2026 | 807 (LV) | ± 4% | 49% | 43% | 3%[m] | 5% |
| Texas Public Opinion Research[73] | May 27–28, 2026 | 1,670 (LV) | ± 2.8% | 46% | 41% | 3%[n] | 9% |
| Public Policy Polling (D)[74][B] | May 22–23, 2026 | 643 (RV) | – | 48% | 44% | – | 8% |
| Texas Southern University/YouGov[76] | April 22 – May 5, 2026 | 1,223 (LV) | ± 2.8% | 49% | 43% | 3%[o] | 5% |
| Slingshot Strategies (D)[77][A] | April 17–20, 2026 | 1,018 (LV) | ± 3.3% | 48% | 43% | 2%[p] | 7% |
| University of Texas/Texas Politics Project[78] | April 10–20, 2026 | 1,200 (RV) | ± 2.8% | 44% | 38% | 5%[q] | 13% |
| UT Tyler[55] | February 13–22, 2026 | 1,117 (RV) | ± 3.1% | 49% | 41% | – | 10% |
| University of Texas/Texas Politics Project[78] | February 2–16, 2026 | 1,300 (RV) | ± 5.1% | 45% | 35% | 6% | 14% |
| GBAO (D)[79][C] | January 26 – February 3, 2026 | 1,000 (LV) | ± 3.1% | 46% | 43% | 6%[r] | 5% |
| University of Houston/YouGov[56] | January 20–31, 2026 | 1,502 (LV) | ± 2.5% | 49% | 42% | 3%[s] | 6% |
| Emerson College[80][D] | January 10–12, 2026 | 1,165 (RV) | ± 2.8% | 50% | 42% | – | 8% |
Hypothetical polling
Greg Abbott vs. Chris Bell
Generic Republican vs. generic Democrat
See also
Notes
- Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear - "Someone else" and "I [did/will] not vote in this primary" with 1%; R.F. "Bob" Achgill, Charles Andrew Crouch, Kenneth Hyde, Stephen Samuelson, Ronnie Tullos, and Nathaniel Welch with 0%
- "Someone else" with 2%; R.F. "Bob" Achgill, Charles Andrew Crouch, Kenneth Hyde, Stephen Samuelson, Ronnie Tullos, and Nathaniel Welch with 0%
- "Someone else" with 3%; Patricia Abrego and "I [did/will] not vote in this primary" with 2%; Jose Navarro Balbuena, Faizan Syed, and Zach Vance with 1%; Carlton Hart with 0%
- "Do not remember" with 5%; "Did not vote in this race" with 2%; Patricia Abrego, Carlton Hart, and Zach Vance with 1%; Jose Navarro Balbuena 0%
- "Someone else" with 14%
- "Someone else" with 15%
- "Someone else" with 6%; Patricia Abrego and Carlton Hart with 1%; Jose Navarro Balbuena and Zach Vance with 0%
- "2 Others <4%" and Patricia Abrego with 5%; Carlton Hart with 4%
- "Would not vote in that race" with 5%; Zach Vance with 1%
- Jose Navarro Balbuena and "Others (<1%)" with 1%
- "Someone else" with 2%
"Wouldn't vote" with 1% - "Would not vote in that race" with 1%
Pat Dixon (L) with 1%
Jenn Mack Raphoon (I) with 1% - Pat Dixon (L) with 3%
- "Would not vote in that race" with 2%
- "Someone else" with 5%
- Pat Dixon (L) with 6%
- Pat Dixon (L) with 3%
- "Someone else" with 8%
Partisan clients
- Poll sponsored by Texas Public Opinion Research
- Poll commissioned by Lone Star Rising PAC, which supports James Talarico's campaign for U.S. Senate.[75]
- Poll sponsored by Hinojosa's campaign
- Poll sponsored by Nexstar Media