Democratic Hopefuls Outline Paths to Unseat Texas Gov. Abbott

At a Texas Tribune Festival event on Thursday, Democratic contenders for Texas governor framed themselves as the strongest candidates to defeat Republican Governor Greg Abbott as he seeks a fourth term.

State Rep. Gina Hinojosa, from Austin, focused her remarks on what she called the state’s “biggest problem — corruption.” She said Abbott was responsible for fostering it, pointing in particular to the new school voucher program passed by the Legislature this year, a longtime Abbott priority. 

“The first order of business when I’m elected governor will be to stop the corruption,” Hinojosa said during the event. She emphasized that her campaign is centered on beating Abbott to ensure “everyday Texans have a state leader who works for them.”

Her primary opponent, Houston businessman Andrew White, son of former Gov. Mark White, presented himself as an independent-minded Democrat capable of winning statewide, something no Democrat has achieved since 1994. 

White described himself as “personally pro-life” while saying that abortion should be “safe, legal, and rare,” adding that women and doctors should not be criminalized. He also called for a pathway to citizenship for undocumented residents alongside a secure U.S.–Mexico border.

Both candidates pledged to eliminate the state’s school voucher program. As White put it, “I’m into strategy and I’m into winning.”