2026 Texas gubernatorial election
November 3, 2026
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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 successful and finish out 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.
Party primaries were held on March 3, 2026. The filing deadline for candidates was December 8, 2025.
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
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Greg Abbott (incumbent) | 1,760,400 | 81.8 | |
| Republican | Pete "Doc" Chambers | 240,393 | 11.2 | |
| Republican | Evelyn Brooks | 44,010 | 2.0 | |
| Republican | Arturo Espinosa | 23,423 | 1.1 | |
| Republican | Charles Andrew Crouch | 15,392 | 0.7 | |
| Republican | Kenneth Hyde | 14,917 | 0.7 | |
| Republican | Nathaniel Welch | 12,030 | 0.6 | |
| Republican | Mark V. Goloby | 10,968 | 0.5 | |
| Republican | Stephen Samuelson | 10,844 | 0.5 | |
| Republican | Ronnie Tullos | 10,316 | 0.5 | |
| Republican | R.F. "Bob" Achgill | 9,078 | 0.4 | |
| Total votes | 2,151,771 | 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 Texas 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) (running 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]
- State legislators
- James Talarico, state representative from the 50th district (2018–present) and nominee for the U.S. Senate[41]
- 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)[53] | February 23–24, 2026 | 472 (LV) | ± 4.5% | 4% | 3% | 61% | 2% | 1% | 9%[f] | 20% |
| UT Tyler[54] | 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[55] | January 20–31, 2026 | 550 (LV) | ± 4.2% | 7% | 6% | 37% | 4% | – | 14%[j] | 32% |
| Slingshot Strategies (D)[56][A] | January 14–21, 2026 | 1,290 (LV) | ± 3.7% | 4% | 3% | 29% | – | – | 6%[k] | 58% |
| White withdraws from the race | ||||||||||
| Texas Southern University[57] | December 9–11, 2025 | 1,600 (LV) | ± 2.5% | 5% | 3% | 41% | 1% | 6% | 2%[l] | 42% |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Gina Hinojosa | 1,285,695 | 58.5 | |
| Democratic | Chris Bell | 215,917 | 9.8 | |
| Democratic | Angela "Tia Angie" Villescaz | 150,366 | 6.8 | |
| Democratic | Patricia Abrego | 128,225 | 5.8 | |
| Democratic | Andrew White (withdrawn) | 116,948 | 5.3 | |
| Democratic | Bobby Cole | 112,367 | 5.1 | |
| Democratic | Jose Navarro Balbuena | 65,616 | 3.0 | |
| Democratic | Carlton W. Hart | 63,127 | 2.9 | |
| Democratic | Zach Vance | 58,593 | 2.7 | |
| Total votes | 2,196,854 | 100.00 | ||
Third-party and independent candidates
Candidates
Declared
- Pat Dixon (Libertarian), former chair of the Libertarian Party of Texas[58]
- Jenn Mack Raphoon (Independent)[59]
Declined
- Matthew McConaughey, actor[60][61]
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[62] | Solid R | September 11, 2025 |
| Inside Elections[63] | Solid R | August 28, 2025 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[64] | Safe R | September 4, 2025 |
| Race to the WH[65] | Lean R | February 12, 2026 |
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Greg Abbott (R) |
Gina Hinojosa (D) |
Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UT Tyler[54] | February 13–22, 2026 | 1,117 (RV) | ± 3.1% | 49% | 41% | – | 10% |
| GBAO (D)[66][B] | January 26 – February 3, 2026 | 1,000 (LV) | ± 3.1% | 46% | 43% | 6%[m] | 5% |
| University of Houston/YouGov[55] | January 20–31, 2026 | 1,502 (LV) | ± 2.5% | 49% | 42% | 3%[n] | 6% |
| Emerson College[67][C] | January 10–12, 2026 | 1,165 (RV) | ± 2.8% | 50% | 42% | – | 8% |
Hypothetical polling
Greg Abbott vs. Chris Bell
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Greg Abbott (R) |
Chris Bell (D) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UT Tyler[54] | February 13–22, 2026 | 1,117 (RV) | ± 3.1% | 51% | 39% | 10% |
Generic Republican vs. generic Democrat
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Generic Republican |
Generic Democrat |
Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Public Opinion Research[68] | August 27–29, 2025 | 843 (RV) | ± 4.6% | 49% | 43% | 8%[o] | – |
See also
Notes
- ^ a b c d e 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%
- ^ County executive
- ^ "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%
- ^ Pat Dixon (L) with 6%
- ^ Pat Dixon (L) with 3%
- ^ "Someone else" with 8%
Partisan clients
- ^ Poll sponsored by Texas Public Opinion Research
- ^ Poll sponsored by Hinojosa's campaign
- ^ Poll sponsored by Nexstar Media
References
- ^ Gou, Kayla (November 9, 2025). "Gov. Greg Abbott launches reelection campaign for fourth term". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved November 9, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Candidate Information". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
- ^ "From Greek Roots to the Texas Frontier: Pete Chambers Bold Run for Governor". Helleniscope. June 30, 2025. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
- ^ Taylor, Bill; Cerna, Ryan; Parker, Kolten (April 22, 2025). "SAN ANTONIO MAYOR'S RACE: Who is running for the city's top job in May 3 election". KSAT. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
- ^ "Mark Goloby Announces Campaign for Texas Governor". The Texas Tribune. July 10, 2025. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e "Texas Statewide — All Races". texascandidatetracker.com. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
- ^ Dey, Sneha (November 12, 2025). "Donald Trump endorses Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for reelection". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ^ Jaime, Kristian. "Abbott gets Riley Gaines endorsement, Hinojosa campaigns affordability". El Paso Times. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
- ^ Jaime, Kristian. "Greg Abbott gets builders endorsement, continues on campaign trail". El Paso Times. Retrieved February 24, 2026.
- ^ Henry, John (January 7, 2026). "Gov. Abbott Opens Election Season With Law Enforcement Endorsements". Fort Worth Magazine. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
- ^ "Gov. Greg Abbott gets reelection endorsement from Houston Police Officers' Union". CW39. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
- ^ a b Rogers, Chase (January 7, 2026). "Abbott: Dallas leaders' failure on policing, homelessness to blame for AT&T relocation". Dallas News. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ Giaritelli, Anna (January 14, 2026). "Abbott locks down coveted Border Patrol union's endorsement". Washington Examiner. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- ^ a b c d "Teamsters back Greg Abbott as unions split endorsements in governor's race". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
- ^ @Teamsters (February 5, 2026). "Teamsters Joint Council 58 and Joint Council 80, which represent 40,000 rank-and-file Teamsters across Texas, have jointly endorsed Greg Abbott (R-TX) in his re-election for governor" (Tweet) – via X (formerly Twitter).
- ^ "Small Business Community Endorses Abbott on Fourth-Term Bid". Texas Border Business. February 3, 2026. Retrieved February 4, 2026.
- ^ "NRA-PVF | Grades | Texas". NRA-PVF. NRA-PVF. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "TACO Endorses Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's Reelection at Event - Woodall's Campground Magazine". Woodalls Campground Magazine. January 30, 2026. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
- ^ "2026 Primary Election Endorsements". Texas Alliance for life. November 25, 2025. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ^ Jaime, Kristian. "Greg Abbott gets Turning Point endorsement for reelection bid". El Paso Times. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
- ^ Darsch, Nathan (December 3, 2025). "Young Conservatives of Texas Endorses Governor Greg Abbott - Young Conservatives of TexasYoung Conservatives of Texas". Young Conservatives of Texas. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ^ "Maybe Gov. Greg Abbott's saving us from worse. It's really no contest in the GOP primary". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved February 17, 2026.
- ^ "Seeking fourth term as Texas governor, Greg Abbott best in GOP primary". San Antonio Express-News. February 13, 2026. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
- ^ a b "Texas Primary Elections" (PDF). YouGov. March 2, 2026. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
- ^ a b Henson, James; Blank, Joshua (February 23, 2026). "Competition Remains Fierce in Both U.S. Senate Primaries in Texas, According to Latest UT/Texas Politics Project Poll". The Texas Politics Project. Retrieved February 25, 2026.
- ^ Wermund, Benjamin (October 15, 2025). "Austin state Rep. Gina Hinojosa launches Democratic bid against Greg Abbott". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved October 15, 2025.
- ^ Jeffers, Gromer (November 10, 2025). "Another Democrat joins the race for Texas governor in 2026". The Dallas Morning News.
- ^ Bugenhagen, Faith (June 24, 2025). "East Texas farmer launches 2026 bid to unseat Gov. Greg Abbott". Chron.com. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
- ^ Van Hal, Kavan (October 17, 2025). "Flores exits governor race, launches bid for Texas Land Commissioner". Bay City Tribune. Retrieved October 21, 2025.
Flores also announced his endorsement of State Representative Gina Hinojosa for governor.
- ^ Imran, Shehzil (November 1, 2025). "Democratic candidates answer questions at forum ahead of March 2026 election". NTDaily.com. Retrieved December 1, 2025.
- ^ "Today, I have officially filed for Denton County Judge in 2026!". Nick Pappas on Instagram. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ^ a b Guo, Kayla (January 5, 2026). "Houston businessman Andrew White drops bid for Texas governor, endorses fellow Democrat Gina Hinojosa". Texas Tribune. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
- ^ Wermund, Benjamin (September 18, 2025). "Why Texas Democrats aren't lining up to take on Greg Abbott in the midterms". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Nir, David (October 15, 2025). "Morning Digest: Arizona threatens to sue after House GOP refuses to seat Democrat". Retrieved October 15, 2025.
- ^ Solender, Andrew (April 10, 2025). "A growing wave of House members is grasping for higher office". Axios. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
- ^ Jeffers, Gromer Jr. (April 7, 2025). "Texas Democrats are searching for 2026 candidates as they resist President Donald Trump". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
- ^ Washington, Zacharia (May 20, 2025). "Here are 5 key points from Beto O'Rourke's town hall in Garland". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
When a young kid asked O'Rourke at the rally in Garland 'if he was going to face Texas Gov. Greg Abbott again,"' his answer, in short, was 'we'll see on the decision to run down the road.'
- ^ Moreno, Andrea; Marquez, RJ; Luna, Jarryd (November 15, 2025). "Former San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg announces bid for Bexar County judge". KSAT. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
- ^ Setner, Irie (February 27, 2026). "A president, deposed". Politico. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
- ^ Jaime, Kristian. "Greg Abbott touts big oil boon with ExxonMobil". El Paso Times. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
- ^ Molina, Daniel (October 21, 2025). "Collin Allred, James Talarico Endorse Gina Hinojosa for Governor". Texas Politics. Retrieved October 21, 2025.
- ^ Cobler, Paul (February 11, 2026). "Texas labor unions are increasingly divided on which candidate to endorse for governor". The Texas Tribune. KEYE. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
Hinojosa has won the endorsements of the Service Employees International Union-Texas...
- ^ "Texas AFL-CIO COPE Announces 2026 Primary Election Endorsements". Texas AFL-CIO. January 25, 2026. Retrieved January 25, 2026.
- ^ "Texas AFT COPE Endorses Hinojosa for Governor, Garibay to Replace Her in Texas House". Texas American Federation of Teachers. December 12, 2025. Retrieved December 13, 2025.
- ^ "EMILYs List Announces Texas Statewide Endorsements, Endorsing Jasmine Crockett and Gina Hinojosa". emilyslist.org. January 28, 2026. Retrieved January 28, 2026.
- ^ "Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus Announces 44 Endorsements for March Primary". OutSmart. January 19, 2026. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
- ^ "Hinojosa is the champion Democrats need in governor's race". Austin American-Statesman. February 6, 2026. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
- ^ "We recommend for Texas governor, Democratic primary". Dallas Morning News. February 16, 2026. Retrieved February 16, 2026.
- ^ "Star-Telegram endorsement: This Democrat is positioned best to take on Abbott". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
- ^ "Imagine a Texas governor focused on kitchen-table issues. Gina Hinojosa is Democrats' best hope". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
- ^ "State Rep. Gina Hinojosa is the best Democratic candidate for Texas governor". San Antonio Express-News. February 13, 2026. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
- ^ "March 2026 Primary Election Endorsements for the Austin Area • The Austin Chronicle". The Austin Chronicle. February 12, 2026. Retrieved February 14, 2026.
- ^ "Report: Talarico, Paxton lead their respective primaries for Senate". Chism Strategies. February 26, 2026. Retrieved February 26, 2026.
- ^ a b c "Texas Voter Survey" (PDF). University of Texas at Tyler. February 27, 2026. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
- ^ a b "Texas Primaries 2026" (PDF). University of Houston. February 11, 2026. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
- ^ "They all want to win: New poll shows how Democratic primary voters are weighing electability and turnout in the Texas Senate race". Texas Public Opinion Research. January 29, 2026. Retrieved January 29, 2026.
- ^ Adams, Michael O.; Jones, Mark P. (December 2025). "The 2026 Texas Democratic Primaries: Governor & Attorney General" (PDF). Texas Southern University. Retrieved December 18, 2025.
- ^ Schmidt, Nolan. "9 Libertarians vie for state seats in November election". seguingazette.com. Retrieved January 28, 2026.
- ^ "Jenn Mack Raphoon Signs Texas First Pledge for Governor - Texian Partisan". November 3, 2025. Retrieved December 1, 2025.
- ^ Zelman, Kevin. "Matthew McConaughey wants to become the Governor of Texas one day". KFOX14. Retrieved September 26, 2025.
- ^ Marks, Madi (November 13, 2025). "Is Matthew McConaughey running for governor? Viral TikTok has fans dazed and confused". FOX 4. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
- ^ "2026 CPR Governor Race ratings". Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
- ^ "Gubernatorial Ratings". Inside Elections. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
- ^ "2026 Governor". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
- ^ "Governor Forecast - 2026-2026". Race to the WH. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
- ^ "TX Poll: Hinojosa and Abbott in Virtual Tie in Texas Governor's Race". GBAO. February 12, 2026. Retrieved February 12, 2026 – via Google Drive.
- ^ "Texas 2026 Poll: Talarico Leads Crockett for Democratic Senate Nomination, Cornyn and Paxton Face Potential Runoff". Emerson College Polling. January 15, 2026. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- ^ "Texas Senate Primaries Take Shape as Statewide Races Stay Close". Texas Public Opinion Research. September 12, 2025. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
External links
- Official campaign websites