Meet the Republicans and Democrats running for Texas governor

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is seeking an unprecedented fourth term as Texas’ governor in 2026, and holds an enormous fundraising advantage over his numerous Republican and Democratic challengers.

Abbott, 68, faces 10 opponents in the GOP primary on March 3.

While most of them have little political experience, one intriguing contender is Evelyn Brooks, who serves on the Texas State Board of Education, and was once an ally of the governor before launching a campaign that’s been deeply critical of his school voucher program.

If Abbott is reelected and serves out another four-year term, he’ll be the longest-serving governor in Texas history, and he’ll rival others for that title nationwide. He reported a staggering $105 million on hand for his reelection campaign as of Dec. 31.

Nine Democrats are seeking their party’s nomination for governor in the March primary.

The two biggest-name contenders were Houston businessman Andrew White and state Rep. Gina Hinojosa (D-Austin), but White dropped out to endorse Hinojosa on Jan. 5. His name will still appear on the ballot in March. The race also includes former U.S. Rep. Chris Bell, though Bell’s website appears to have been archived and his campaign email address is no longer working.

Hinojosa has raised about $1 million since launching her campaign and reported about $370,000 on hand as of Dec. 31.

The November ballot could still include third-party candidates, who choose their nominees outside of the primary process, or independent candidates, who collect signatures to qualify after the primary.

Candidates below are shown in the order they will appear on Bexar County’s Republican and Democratic primary ballots.

Republican candidates for Texas governor in 2026

Democrats running for Texas governor in 2026