2026 Texas gubernatorial election
The 2026 Texas gubernatorial election is scheduled to take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the governor of Texas. Incumbent Republican Governor Greg Abbott declared his intention to run for election to an unprecedented fourth term on November 9, 2025. If Abbott were to be successful and finish out a fourth full term, he would become the state's longest-serving governor with 16 years on January 21, 2031, surpassing the 14 years of his predecessor, Rick Perry. He would also tie with former California Governor Jerry Brown and former South Dakota Governor Bill Janklow as the fourth longest-serving governor in United States history at 5,845 days served.
Party primaries are scheduled on March 3, 2026, and potential primary runoffs where no candidate receives over 50% in a primary would be on May 26, 2026. The filing deadline was December 8, 2025.
Republican primary
Candidates
Declared
- Greg Abbott, incumbent governor
- Bob Achgill, literary researcher and candidate for Bryan City Council in 2024
- Evelyn Brooks, member of the Texas State Board of Education from the 14th district
- Pete Chambers, former Lieutenant Colonel in U.S. Army Special Forces
- Charles Andrew Crouch, author
- Arturo Espinosa, candidate in 2025 San Antonio mayoral election
- Mark Goloby, businessman and conservative activist
- Kenneth Hyde, contractor
- Stephen Samuelson, veteran
- Ronnie Tullos, project manager
- Nathaniel Welch, businessman
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Patricia Abrego
- Chris Bell, former U.S. representative for Texas's 25th congressional district, nominee for governor in 2006, candidate for mayor of Houston in 2001 and 2015, and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2020
- Bobby Cole, rancher
- Carlton Hart, event manager
- Gina Hinojosa, state representative from the 49th district
- Jose Navarro Balbuena, tax strategist
- Faizan Syed, manager
- Zach Vance, veteran
- Angela Villescaz, education and gun safety advocate
Withdrawn
- Ben Flores, Bay City councilor
- Nick Pappas, marine veteran ''
- Andrew White, son of former governor Mark White, and candidate for governor in 2018 ''''
Declined
- Jasmine Crockett, U.S. representative from Texas's 30th congressional district '
- Veronica Escobar, U.S. representative from Texas's 16th congressional district '
- Clay Jenkins, Dallas County Judge
- Beto O'Rourke, former U.S. representative from, nominee for governor in 2022, nominee for U.S. Senate in 2018, and candidate for president in 2020
- Ron Nirenberg, former mayor of San Antonio ''
Third-party and independent candidates
Candidates
Declared
- Pat Dixon, former chair of the Libertarian Party of Texas
- Jenn Mack Raphoon
Declined
- Matthew McConaughey, actor
General election
Polling
Greg Abbott vs. Gina Hinojosa| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Greg Abbott | Gina Hinojosa | Undecided |
| Emerson College | January 10–12, 2026 | 1,165 | ± 2.8% | 50% | 42% | 8% |
Generic Republican vs. generic Democrat
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Generic Republican | Generic Democrat | Other | Undecided |
| Texas Public Opinion Research | August 27–29, 2025 | 843 | ± 4.6% | 49% | 43% | 8% | – |