Gov. Greg Abbott will run for a fourth term as governor next November, according to a Sunday news release from his campaign, Texans for Greg Abbott.
Abbott won his previous three gubernatorial elections each by over ten percentage points and raised over $87 million for this campaign, according to a July campaign news release.
“Governor Abbott strongly believes that Texas is the land of resilience and opportunity, and he’s running for reelection to safeguard and advance what Texans have built,” wrote Eduardo Leal, a press secretary for the campaign, in an email.
Abbott’s priorities include a plan for property tax reform in the state and defending Texas from the “radical, woke Democrats,” according to the news release. Since taking office in 2015, Abbott has appointed or reappointed every member of the UT System Board of Regents, the body that confirms and oversees the UT president, as part of his gubernatorial duties.
Leal wrote Abbott will continue to pursue workforce development and support research on college campuses. Abbott wants campuses to continue focusing on merit, which he started in his current term by banning diversity, equity and inclusion policies at colleges and universities, wrote Leal.
A February 2023 memo from Abbott’s office, obtained by the Texas Tribune, told agency and university leaders that using diversity, equity and inclusion practices is illegal in hiring. Later that month, the board announced a pause on new diversity, equity and inclusion policies. A law was passed later that year that banned the use of diversity, equity and inclusion. In January, Abbott issued an executive order instructing all other state agencies to end diversity, equity and inclusion policies.
“These radical policies deviate from constitutional principles and deny diverse thought,” wrote Abbott in a news release. “We must always reject race-based favoritism or discrimination and allow people to advance based on talent and merit.”
Abbott has also prioritized college affordability. In November 2024, Abbott sent a letter to Texas universities and colleges prohibiting tuition increases for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years. Abbott signed a law the year prior that “prohibits increasing undergraduate tuition and fees for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years.”
“The State has made historic investments in higher education, including increased funding for universities and financial aid programs,” Abbott wrote in the letter. “These efforts reflect our commitment to ensuring that higher education remains accessible and affordable for all Texans.”
If Abbott wins the primary next March, he will face the Democratic nominee in November. Candidates for the Democratic primary include Texas Rep. Gina Hinojosa and former U.S. Rep. Chris Bell, who announced his campaign on Tuesday.
President Donald Trump endorsed Abbott in a Tuesday Truth Social post, calling Abbott an “exceptional Governor and man.”
“What we have in Texas is precious, but it can all be destroyed in one bad election,” said Abbott in his speech, according to the campaign news release. “Make no mistake: Democrats want that election to be this election.”
