Just days after Democratic candidate for Texas governor Gina Hinojosa announced her first large-scale ad buy of the General Election campaign season, Gov. Greg Abbott countered with $10 million TV push of his own.
The statewide television ad that underscores Abbott’s “commitment to defend the commonsense values that make Texas a beacon of freedom and opportunity for all,” his announcement said on Thursday, Aug. 6.
In the ad, Abbott is seen visiting with voters saying, “the Democrats are trying to take over Texas because I am advancing transformative policies that the Democrats are against.”
Abbott has controlled the governor’s office for more than a decade. The GOP has controlled the Texas Legislature and public policy for more than 20 years.
Abbott cites his new plan to cut property tax, the constitutional ban on state income tax and signing a law keeping one gender from playing in another’s sports.
“I get up every single day to go to work, to make sure the Democrat socialist policies will never take root in the state of Texas,” Abbott says in the ad.
The large ad buy comes on the heels of Hinajosa’s $340,000 cable ad campaign announced Tuesday, Aug. 4, and begins with “Lone Star,” which is airing on cable statewide in markets across Texas. Thirty- and 60-second versions will be part of Hinojosa’s digital ad spending, which began in July.
Her ad features a diverse group of supporters, promising to rein in Republican leaders “who forgot who they serve.” The ads carry on the theme in her campaign of fighting corporate interests the state lawmaker says have been controlling the Texas GOP for far too long.
Hinojosa has criticized Abbott’s property tax overhaul plan, warning that his goal to eliminate school district property taxes would drain critical funding from public schools and disproportionately benefit private entities and wealthy donors
Before the $10 million buy, Abbott spent at least $3.9 million on specific, reported television, radio, and digital ad buys so far during his 2026 reelection campaign, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Important dates for 2026 Texas election
The last day to register to vote for the General Election is Oct. 5, either online, by mail, or in person.
Early voting starts Oct. 19 and runs through Oct. 30. The absentee ballot request deadline is Oct. 23 for mail requests or Oct. 19 for in-person requests. The absentee ballot return deadline is Nov. 3, by mail or in person on Election Day.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Kristian Jaime is the Top Story Reporter for the El Paso Times and is reachable at Kjaime@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Gov. Greg Abbott’s $10 million ad buy outspends Hinojosa in TV push
Reporting by Kristian Jaime, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Kristian Jaime, El Paso Times | USA TODAY Network
