Who’s running for Texas governor (so far)
The race for governor is heating up, with several candidates announcing their campaigns ahead of the Spring primaries.
As Governor Greg Abbott seeks a record-fourth term in office, the list of challengers continues to grow. With just a couple of months until the March primary elections, we want to break down who’s running so far.
Republican candidates:
Greg Abbott — Gov. Abbott is seeking yet another term in office, and although his approval rating continues to decline, he is the current favorite to win the Republican primary.
“Doc” Pete Chambers — Dr. Chambers is a U.S Army veteran and also served in the Texas Army National Guard. He is challenging Gov. Abbott from the right of the party, with a focus on property tax relief and term limits.
Democratic candidates:
Bobby Cole — Mr. Cole is a farmer looking to succeed Abbott as the next governor. His campaign is based on populist and progressive principles, and is focused on labor issues, healthcare expansion, and public education.
Benjamin Flores - Mr. Flores is a pig farmer and current city council member for Bay City. His campaign is focused on public education, healthcare access, and affordable housing.
Andrew White — Mr. White is an entrepreneur and the son of former Texas governor Mark White. Calling himself an “Independent Democrat, his campaign is centered around a pragmatic approach to Texas politics. Some of his priorities include ranked choice voting, Medicaid expansion, and infrastructure improvements.
Gov. Abbott will likely emerge as the Republican nominee, as he has been able to successfully fend off far-right challengers like businessman Don Huffines back in 2022. However his low approval rating may prove to be an issue going into the general election.
For Democrats, there is no reliable primary polling out at this time, however Andrew White’s business background and personal wealth makes him the favorite-to-win the Democratic primary. That being said, nothing in politics is guaranteed, so it is possible that Bobby Cole or another challenger could emerge as the nominee.
For now, Texans will have to wait and see how these primaries progress, before we know who’s going to be on the ballot in November 2026.