Democratic candidate for Texas governor Gina Hinojosa is spending big bucks in a first-ever cable campaign buy in her bid to unseat Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.
Hinojosa's $340,000 cable ad campaign was 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.The ads, featuring a diverse group of Hinojosa supporters, promise to rein in Republican leaders “who forgot who they serve.” The ads carry on the theme in the Hinojosa campaign of fighting corporate interests the state lawmaker says have been controlling the Texas GOP for far too long.
The TV ad buy brings Hinojosa’s campaign spending
to nearly $1 million, according to a spokesperson. The ads will continue across the state until the Nov. 3 General Election.
Currently, Gov. Greg Abbott has 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.
Gov. Greg Abbott touts 'American values'
Gov. Greg Abbott is stepping into the Texas Senate race again. This time comparing Democrat James Talarico to Abdul El-Sayed, a Michigan U.S. Senate candidate, in Abbott's latest social media post.
The post from Wednesday, Aug. 5, features images of Talarico and El-Sayed, an American physician, epidemiologist, author, and progressive Democrat.
With a tagline of "Don't El Sayed my Texas," the post says "Radical Democrats are targeting common sense, pro-American values across the nation. That won’t happen in Texas."
El-Sayed ran for governor of Michigan in 2018, advocating progressive policies such as healthcare for all, economic fairness, and environmental protection.
This week he won the Democratic primary and will face Republican Mike Rogers in the General Election.
Talarico, for his part, has dismissed the "radical Democrat" and "radical leftist" labels from his political opponents as a strategy of distraction and division designed to obscure more pressing issues.
Talarico's campaign events emphasize "love your neighbor as yourself," pitching a message centered on common values and shared priorities over partisan conflict.
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: More than $4 million spent on TV ads by Texas governor's widening race
