2026 Texas gubernatorial election

2026 Texas gubernatorial election

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. 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

Nominee

• Greg Abbott, incumbent governor (2015–present)

Eliminated in primary

• R.F. "Bob" Achgill, literary researcher and candidate for Bryan City Council in 2024 • Evelyn Brooks, member of the Texas State Board of Education from the 14th district (2023–present) • Pete "Doc" Chambers, former Lieutenant Colonel in U.S. Army Special Forces • Charles Andrew Crouch, author • Arturo Espinosa, candidate in 2025 San Antonio mayoral election • Mark V. Goloby, businessman and conservative activist • Kenneth Hyde, contractor • Stephen Samuelson, veteran • Ronnie Tullos, project manager • Nathaniel Welch, businessman

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Greg Abbott	Evelyn Brooks	Pete Chambers	Arturo Espinosa	Mark V. Goloby	Other	Undecided
YouGov	February 26 – March 2, 2026	1,668 (LV)	± 2.8%	72%	2%	11%	0%	0%	2%	13%
University of Texas/ Texas Politics Project	February 2–16, 2026	360 (LV)	± 5.2%	91%	1%	5%	1%	1%	2%	–

Results

<table><thead><tr><th>Party</th><th>Candidate</th><th>Votes</th><th>%</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><td>Greg Abbott (incumbent)</td><td>1,764,924</td><td>81.8</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><td>Pete "Doc" Chambers</td><td>240,640</td><td>11.2</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><td>Evelyn Brooks</td><td>44,142</td><td>2.0</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><td>Arturo Espinosa</td><td>23,444</td><td>1.1</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><td>Charles Andrew Crouch</td><td>15,405</td><td>0.7</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><td>Kenneth Hyde</td><td>14,941</td><td>0.7</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><td>Nathaniel Welch</td><td>12,057</td><td>0.6</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><td>Mark V. Goloby</td><td>10,991</td><td>0.5</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><td>Stephen Samuelson</td><td>10,864</td><td>0.5</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><td>Ronnie Tullos</td><td>10,352</td><td>0.5</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><td>R.F. "Bob" Achgill</td><td>9,119</td><td>0.4</td></tr><tr><td>Total votes</td><td>2,156,879</td><td>100.0</td></tr></tbody></table>

Democratic primary

Nominee

• Gina Hinojosa, state representative from the 49th district (2017–present)

Eliminated in primary

• Patricia Abrego • Chris Bell, former U.S. representative for Texas's 25th congressional district (2003–2005), nominee for governor in (/wiki/2006Texasgubernatorialelection), candidate for mayor of Houston in (/wiki/2001Houstonmayoralelection) and (/wiki/2015Houstonmayoralelection), and candidate for U.S. Senate in (/wiki/2020UnitedStatesSenateelectioninTexas) • Bobby Cole, rancher • Carlton Hart, event manager • Jose Navarro Balbuena, tax strategist • Faizan Syed, manager • Zach Vance, veteran • Angela Villescaz, education and gun safety advocate

Withdrawn

• Ben Flores, Bay City councilor (running for Texas Land Commissioner, endorsed Hinojosa) • Nick Pappas, marine veteran (running for Denton County Judge) • Andrew White, son of former governor Mark White, and candidate for governor in (/wiki/2018Texasgubernatorialelection) (endorsed Hinojosa)

Declined

• Jasmine Crockett, U.S. representative from Texas's 30th congressional district (2023–present) (running for U.S. Senate, endorsed Hinojosa) • Veronica Escobar, U.S. representative from Texas's 16th congressional district (2019–present) (running for re-election, endorsed Hinojosa) • Clay Jenkins, Dallas County Judge (2011–present) • Beto O'Rourke, former U.S. representative from Texas's 16th congressional district (2013–2019), nominee for governor in (/wiki/2022Texasgubernatorialelection), nominee for U.S. Senate in (/wiki/2018UnitedStatesSenateelectioninTexas), and candidate for president in (/wiki/2020UnitedStatespresidentialelection) • Ron Nirenberg, former mayor of San Antonio (2017–2025) (running for Bexar County Judge)

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Chris Bell	Bobby Cole	Gina Hinojosa	Angela Villescaz	Andrew White	Other	Undecided
YouGov	February 26 – March 2, 2026	2,342 (LV)	± 2.7%	4%	5%	55%	2%	–	9%	25%
Blueprint Polling (D)	February 23–24, 2026	472 (LV)	± 4.5%	4%	3%	61%	2%	1%	9%	20%
UT Tyler	February 13–22, 2026	– (LV)	–	25%	–	60%	–	–	14%	1%
– (RV)	25%	–	58%	–	–	15%	2%
University of Texas/ Texas Politics Project	February 2–16, 2026	369 (LV)	± 5.9%	4%	9%	76%	3%	–	8%	–
University of Houston/YouGov	January 20–31, 2026	550 (LV)	± 4.2%	7%	6%	37%	4%	–	14%	32%
Slingshot Strategies (D)	January 14–21, 2026	1,290 (LV)	± 3.7%	4%	3%	29%	–	–	6%	58%
	January 5, 2026	White withdraws from the race
Texas Southern University	December 9–11, 2025	1,600 (LV)	± 2.5%	5%	3%	41%	1%	6%	2%	42%

Results

Results by county:   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%   Hart—30–40%   Tie—50%   Tie—20–30%

<table><thead><tr><th>Party</th><th>Candidate</th><th>Votes</th><th>%</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><td>Gina Hinojosa</td><td>1,289,576</td><td>58.5</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><td>Chris Bell</td><td>216,787</td><td>9.8</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><td>Angela "Tia Angie" Villescaz</td><td>150,752</td><td>6.8</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><td>Patricia Abrego</td><td>128,632</td><td>5.8</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><td>Andrew White (withdrawn)</td><td>117,392</td><td>5.3</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><td>Bobby Cole</td><td>112,675</td><td>5.1</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><td>Jose Navarro Balbuena</td><td>65,826</td><td>3.0</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><td>Carlton W. Hart</td><td>63,278</td><td>2.9</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><td>Zach Vance</td><td>58,753</td><td>2.7</td></tr><tr><td>Total votes</td><td>2,203,671</td><td>100.0</td></tr></tbody></table>

Third-party and independent candidates

Declared

• Pat Dixon (Libertarian), former chair of the Libertarian Party of Texas • Jenn Mack Raphoon (Independent)

Declined

• Matthew McConaughey, actor

General election

Predictions

<table><thead><tr><th>Source</th><th>Ranking</th><th>As of</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>The Cook Political Report</td><td>Solid R</td><td>September 11, 2025</td></tr><tr><td>Inside Elections</td><td>Solid R</td><td>August 28, 2025</td></tr><tr><td>Sabato's Crystal Ball</td><td>Safe R</td><td>September 4, 2025</td></tr><tr><td>Race to the WH</td><td>Lean R</td><td>February 12, 2026</td></tr></tbody></table>

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Greg Abbott (R)	Gina Hinojosa (D)	Other	Undecided
UT Tyler	February 13–22, 2026	1,117 (RV)	± 3.1%	49%	41%	–	10%
GBAO (D)	January 26 – February 3, 2026	1,000 (LV)	± 3.1%	46%	43%	6%	5%
University of Houston/YouGov	January 20–31, 2026	1,502 (LV)	± 2.5%	49%	42%	3%	6%
Emerson College	January 10–12, 2026	1,165 (RV)	± 2.8%	50%	42%	–	8%