NEW: Hinojosa Brings Debate to Governor’s Mansion, Greg Abbott Scared to Show Because of Failed Record

Austin, TX – Today, Democratic nominee for Texas Governor Gina Hinojosa held a debate outside the Governor’s Mansion after Abbott ignored all four proposed debates with four different networks. Hinojosa has repeatedly called on Abbott to face her on the debate stage and answer questions about his record as governor.

“If Greg Abbott is not man enough to debate me, then he does not deserve to be the governor of Texas,” said Hinojosa. “I will keep crisscrossing the state, talking about my plan to secure the American Dream by saving Texas public schools and putting money in your pocket. There’s One Fight this year, are we a Texas by and for the people or is this the billionaires’ world and we just live in it? Now, we have an opportunity to forge a new way forward that is about delivering for all Texans.

“The Governor is hiding. 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.

“I promised that I would show up here today to answer questions, and I’m happy to answer questions while the governor is hiding from his record.”

This is the first time in 12 years that Abbott is refusing to debate with his challenger in the governor’s race – and the first time he has been losing in consistent independent polls with less than three weeks until Election Day. Here’s why:

  • Texas has the most people without health insurance (5.1 million), the most children with health insurance in the entire country (1.1 million), and the most rural hospital closures in the country, including 21 shuttered, 76 at risk, and 12 on the immediate brink. 71 Texas counties currently operate with zero hospitals.
  • Abbott promised Texas would be the “epicenter” of AI data centers, allowed hundreds to open across Texas with the richest tax breaks in the country that now cost the state $1 billion a year, and accepted over $22 million from data center interests. 
  • Abbott gutted $1 billion from Texas public schools and redirected it to an unaccountable school voucher scam after receiving $12 million in campaign contributions – the biggest campaign donation in Texas history – from out-of-state billionaire Jeff Yass. 
  • Greg Abbott raised auto insurance rates and used $30 million of that money to set up a warrantless Flock surveillance state without approval from the legislature – which continues to surveil Texans as local officials “expect Abbott will reinstate funding” for them.
  • After Elon Musk donated to his campaign, Greg Abbott gave him billions of dollars in state contracts, grants, and tax breaks, and still won’t release his “intimate and embarrassing” emails with Musk. 
  • Despite being a world energy powerhouse, Texas leads the country in the most utility disconnects because Greg Abbott let energy companies jack up prices after over 600 Texans froze to death in Winter Storm Uri. 
  • Although Greg Abbott has run on lowering property taxes for the last 12 years, property taxes have risen 85%.
  • Greg Abbott kicked off the nationwide redistricting war, gerrymandering Texas and stealing the voice from millions of voters to appease his corporate donors. 
  • Greg Abbott promised $2 gas by the end of summer, and still won’t suspend the gas tax to offer any relief at the pump while accepting $48 million from the oil and gas industry.
  • Greg Abbott has given $1 billion in no-bid contracts to his campaign donors. 
  • Greg Abbott wanted to defund the police, threatening to cut $200 million in public safety funding in Houston, Dallas, and Austin.
  • Greg Abbott set free the convicted murderer of a U.S. Air Force veteran, ignoring the family’s plea to keep him locked up.
  • Greg Abbott spent $11 billion in taxpayer money to grandstand on the border with Operation Lone Star, and then took half a decade to get the money back, despite bragging that his job was to sue the federal government on behalf of Texans. 
  • Under Greg Abbott, the average cost of single-family homes in Texas skyrocketed by 112 percent. 
  • Under Greg Abbott, Texas has the most bankruptcies of any state.

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