Abbott, Hinojosa differ on taxes, schools, data centers ahead of Nov. 3, 2026 governor race
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and Democrat State Rep. Gina Hinojosa, the nominees for Texas governor in the November 3, 2026 election, outlined their positions on property taxes, public education, data centers and other issues affecting Houston and Texas voters. Abbott proposed eliminating school district property taxes on homesteads and backing the state's Education Savings Accounts program, while Hinojosa called for keeping public money in public schools and would support repealing the accounts program if legislation reached her desk.
- When it happened
- November 3, 2026 general election
- Where
- Texas; Houston and Harris County voters
- First reported by an outlet
- Nov 1, 2026 at 8:13 am
- Confirmed by
- 2 independent outlets
Taxes & money
None stated in sources.
Who's involved
- Greg Abbott · Republican incumbent governor, running for fourth term[1,2]
- Gina Hinojosa · Democrat State Rep. from Austin, challenger for governor[1,2]
- James Talarico · Democrat candidate for U.S. Senate[1]
- Ken Paxton · Republican candidate for U.S. Senate[1]
- Pat Dixon · Libertarian candidate for governor[1]
- Ted Brown · Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate[1]
The facts
- Texans voted on Tuesday, November 3, 2026 for governor and U.S. senator [1][1]
- Abbott began his career as an attorney, served as a trial court judge in Harris County for three years where he was awarded 'Trial Judge of the Year,' was appointed to the Texas Supreme Court in 1996 and was twice elected to the court before becoming attorney general in 2002 and governor in 2014 [2][2]
- If Abbott is reelected to his fourth term and serves it to its entirety, he will be the longest-serving governor in Texas history [2][2]
- Under Abbott, more than 2.5 million jobs have been created, Texas now has the most Fortune 500 companies in the U.S. and its $2.9 trillion GDP is the eighth largest in the world [2][2]
- Hinojosa was elected to her local school board about 10 years before 2026, then elected to the Texas House in 2018, and within one year was ranked by the Texas Tribune as the most liberal member of the Texas House [2][2]
- Abbott signed bills allocating a record $9 billion to fund public schools, give historic teacher raises and retirement increases [2][2]
- A University of Houston Hobby School survey of likely voters conducted October 10–14, 2026 found Democrat James Talarico at 48% and Republican Ken Paxton at 46% in the Senate race [1][1]
Who said what
- Greg Abbott The state would fully fund public education if school district property taxes on homesteads were eliminated, pointing to state budget surpluses and more property-tax relief strategies [1][1]
- Greg Abbott The goal of Texas' school-choice program is the same as its investment in public schools: improving student outcomes [1][1]
- Greg Abbott Future data centers should meet stricter requirements involving electricity, water use and where facilities are built, and local leaders and residents should have a greater role in those decisions [1][1]
- Gina Hinojosa Decisions about local property-tax revenue should remain with locally elected governments [1][1]
- Gina Hinojosa Her priority would be keeping public money in public schools and she would support repealing the Education Savings Accounts program if legislation reached her desk [1][1]
- Gina Hinojosa She has called for a moratorium on new data centers and an end to certain tax breaks, arguing that data-center companies should pay more of the infrastructure costs associated with their operations [1][1]
- Gina Hinojosa She supports expanding Medicaid, particularly as part of an effort to increase health coverage for Texas children [1][1]
- James Talarico He would seek bipartisan support in the Senate and tied affordability to changes in campaign finance, congressional stock trading and other government reforms [1][1]
- James Talarico He would support banning super PACs if elected [1][1]
- James Talarico He is concerned about the influence of large technology companies and the resources required by AI data centers [1][1]
- James Talarico He would oppose members of his own party if he believed Democratic policies threatened Texas oil and gas jobs, particularly in the Houston area [1][1]
- Ken Paxton He supports continued data-center development with conditions, including requirements involving power generation, water use and where facilities are located [1][1]
- Greg Abbott He proposed an 'Essential Benefits Health Insurance Plan' that he says would lower premiums for families and small businesses [1][1]
- Greg Abbott He has proposed a five-point property tax reduction plan [2][2]
- Gina Hinojosa She advocates for fully funding public schools and opposes the state taking over failing schools [2][2]
- Gina Hinojosa She has proposed giving all Texans a $1,500 check to help reduce costs [2][2]
Where sources disagree
Hinojosa's property tax voting record
- Abbott campaign claims Hinojosa voted 40 times to raise property taxes [1][1]
- Hinojosa defended her record against the claim that she voted 40 times to raise property taxes [1][1]
- Hinojosa has voted 40 times to increase property taxes, a claim she denies, despite her voting record, according to The Center Square [2][2]
Sources
- News Center Texas election 2026: Where Abbott, Hinojosa, Paxton and Talarico stand Click2Houston · Nov 1, 2026
- News Not rated Texas governor’s race 2026: Abbott and Hinojosa on the issues North Penn Now · Nov 2, 2026
Written by AI from the sources above, under fixed rules: every fact is cited, claims are kept apart from facts, and dollar figures appear only when a source states them. Mistakes get corrected in public.