Will Andrew White Be the Democrat Who Finally Beats Greg Abbott?

Democrat Andrew White says sending another progressive to face Texas Gov. Greg Abbott next year would be “a giant waste of time.”

“Democratic voters want someone who can win,” White said in an interview on the Texas Take Podcast. “It’s time to do something different. We can’t do the same thing and expect different results.”

“It’s time to get the best of both parties and compromise on difficult issues,” he declared on his campaign website.

Running as a Democrat but presenting himself as politically independent, White argues that success in a statewide race requires appealing to the middle. He supports oil drilling, gun rights, and stronger border security, positions he says can attract voters beyond the Democratic base. 

White insists he’s not opposed to progressives but says Texas Democrats haven’t been competitive for governor in 35 years. As a businessman with no prior elected office experience, he believes he can offer voters a fresh alternative. 

“I’ve got Democratic values and I can’t stand by and watch my state go through potentially another four years of what Greg Abbott has done,” he said.

Following in the footsteps of his father, former Gov. Mark White, he plans to center his campaign on public education, criticizing state leaders for promoting private school vouchers instead of funding public schools.

White previously ran for governor in 2018, losing the Democratic primary runoff to Lupe Valdez but carrying 73% of the vote in Harris County, his home base. This time, his main rival is State Rep. Gina Hinojosa.