Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa speaks during a campaign stop at San Antonio’s Paper Tiger on Thursday. Credit: Jacob R. Lopez

During a Thursday campaign appearance in San Antonio, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa attacked incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott for his response to Winter Storm Uri, one of the worst natural disasters in Texas history.

During her speech at the Paper Tiger music venue, Hinojosa — an Austin state representative — said Abbott and other Republican leaders failed to lead during the 2021 storm that caused widespread power outages, hundreds of deaths and billions in economic losses. That failure stuck Texans with rising energy costs during and after the storm, she added.

During the storm, natural gas prices surged as demand increased and supply disruptions affected the state’s power grid. Energy companies received billions in payments for natural gas sold during the crisis, leading to lawsuits and ongoing disputes over whether the charges were excessive. CPS Energy, San Antonio’s municipally owned utility, sued Energy Transfer over allegations the energy company engaged in price gouging during the storm. A jury later ruled in favor of Energy Transfer, rejecting CPS Energy’s claims.

“Here in San Antonio, your electricity bills are about to have to [cover] a $400 million bill from Energy Transfer,” Hinojosa told the crowd.

“The reason why we are paying more and getting less is because we are paying the Greg Abbott corruption tax.”

Thursday’s rally marked the second stop on Hinojosa’s three-city Money in Your Pocket affordability tour, which began in Houston and will conclude in Laredo on July 10. The tour highlights her campaign’s focus on addressing the rising cost of living for Texas families.

Earlier this week, Hinojosa unveiled a proposal to send one-time $1,500 payments to Texas households. She said the plan would use $17 billion from the state’s approximately $27 billion Rainy Day Fund, officially known as the Economic Stabilization Fund, while leaving the remaining balance in reserve.

Joining Hinojosa at the Paper Tiger rally were Democratic Texas House candidates Zack Dunn, Kristian Carranza and Adrien Reyna as well as Democratic congressional candidates Kristin Hook, Katy Padilla Stout and Johnny Garcia. Each addressed the crowd before Hinojosa took the stage, encouraging support for Democratic candidates and emphasizing the importance of the 2026 election.

“I support Gina because she gets it,” Reyna told the Current. “I’ve seen her work on the public education committee … . She’s been at the forefront of that fight. Whether it’s fighting against vouchers, more public school funding or making sure we have mental health professionals that our students can access regularly, she has been there for that.”

Those in the crowd held signs reading “Money in Your Pockets” and “Gina Hinojosa for Texas Governor.” Some chanted “¡No te dejes!” — a Spanish phrase meaning “Don’t back down” or “Stand up for yourself.”

Maria Luisa Rodriguez, a member of the Texas State Employees Union, told the Current she supports Hinojosa’s policies and believes Abbott’s failures during Winter Storm Uri worsened its impact.

“To listen to her speak today and talk about how many people died during the winter storm, I don’t think too many people realized how many lives were lost because of that,” Rodriguez said.

Hinojosa concluded the rally by encouraging supporters to continue organizing ahead of the November midterms.

While Hinojosa continues to campaign across the state, Abbott still holds the lead. A June University of Texas/Texas Politics Project poll found the governor leading Hinojosa 47% to 40% among registered voters. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.83 percentage points.

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