Making good on her promise, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa showed up on the steps of the Texas Governor’s Mansion Thursday morning, ready to debate three-term incumbent Greg Abbott.
However, Abbott was a nowhere to be seen. What’s more, a line of Penske moving trucks obstructed the view of his residence.
“They put moving trucks there, which I guess tracks with the polling,” Hinojosa joked with the roughly 100 supporters watching the spectacle. “I didn’t know he’d start moving out.”
Hinojosa’s stunt came after four separate Texas media organizations invited Abbott and his Democratic rival to participate in gubernatorial debates. The Republican governor’s campaign has ignored all of the invitations.
To reorient her visit around her opponent’s absence, Hinojosa addressed supporters and held a Q&A session in front of the property. She criticized Abbott’s absence and emphasized her own campaign’s momentum.
“I guess the governor is a no-show, which is not surprising because he has been a no-show for Texans for years,” said Hinojosa, who’s neck-and-neck with Abbott in some recent polls despite being vastly outspent. “That’s why we are running for change.”
Abbott’s 2026 campaign marks the first time he’s refused to debate an opponent. In an interview with the Houston Chronicle, he said he’d rather travel the state and speak with community members.
With 19 days remaining until the midterm elections, Hinojosa said separate polls now show her ahead of Abbott.
“The governor is hiding,” Hinojosa said. “He’s hiding from his failed record — Texas has the most people without health insurance, the most children without health insurance, the most people disconnected from their electricity because they cannot afford to pay their bills and the most bankruptcies.”
Hinojosa added that if she’s elected she will increase spending on public education, impose a moratorium on data centers and develop a state AI policy.
Activist Heber Portillo said Hinojosa’s stances reflect humanity. He added that Abbott relies too heavily on fundraising and doesn’t engage with voters to understand their concerns.
“As an elected official, he should be out debating,” Portillo told the Current. “He should have done everything to coordinate and effectively be there to speak to the people, but he’s absolutely not interested.”
Danielle Kopitz, database project manager for the Learning Center for the Deaf, attended the demonstration to represent the state’s deaf community. She brought an interpreter to help produce a video sharing the candidate’s message with people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
“We don’t feel welcome in what’s happening within the political world,” Kopitz said. “With the school voucher program, we’re really wondering about how it’s going to impact deaf children’s accessibility.”
Hinojosa said she will keep crisscrossing the state throughout early voting. Her get-out-the-vote tour includes 16 stops over 11 days, including an appearance in San Antonio on Monday, Oct. 19.
Early voting runs Oct. 19-30, and Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
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