Election 2026

Texas Looks Competitive

Plus: AI weirdness, Amazon algorithm data, bond markets, and more...

Liz Wolfe | 10.8.2026 9:30 AM

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Democratic Representative and candidate for Texas governor Gina Hinojosa talks at the Texas Tribune Festival on September 24, 2026 in Austin. (Bob Daemmrich/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom)

Dems invest in Texas: A week ago, I wrote that the Democratic Governors Association was under pressure from prominent Latino Democrats to perceive the Texas gubernatorial election as competitive and to invest in Gina Hinojosa's bid against the Republican incumbent, Greg Abbott.

Now The New York Times reports that "Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois and the Democratic Governors Association are each sending $1 million to support her bid." This isn't meaningless pocket change for the Hinojosa campaign: "She had just $4 million or so on hand at the end of last month, according to Texas campaign finance reports."

Hinojosa's campaign isn't the only one worth watching for those curious about whether Texas will turn blue. "The Democratic nominee for Senate, James Talarico, has emerged as one of the party's national fund-raising darlings, raising more $70 million," adds the Times. (Talarico has been polling rather well.) But some worry the prospects of Talarico's success against Ken Paxton have drowned out enthusiasm for Hinojosa, who also has a shot. Democrats haven't won a statewide race in Texas since 1994; the governor's mansion hasn't been occupied by a Democrat since Ann Richards left office in 1995.

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