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National Democrats are stepping up their financial support for Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa after recent polls showed a dead heat and more Democrats began to see an opportunity to potentially defeat three-term incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.
Illinois Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker, a possible 2028 presidential contender, and the Democratic Governors Association are each putting at least $1 million behind Hinojosa, according to sources familiar with the investments and a senior DGA official. Pritzker’s contribution is actually larger — $1.2 million, according to sources familiar with the commitment. The New York Times first reported the investment.
The infusion comes at a crucial point for Hinojosa’s campaign. She reported roughly $4 million in cash on hand at the end of last month, according to campaign finance filings, and her campaign said it had been outspent by Abbott by roughly 10-to-1.
In a statement, Hinojosa’s campaign said her campaign has “momentum,” and said “we’re grateful for the support we’ve received in this final stretch from leaders across the country.”
Last week, more than 70 Latino Democratic leaders sent a letter to Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, the chair of the DGA, urging the group to invest $10 million to help Hinojosa’s campaign. A source told CBS News on Wednesday that the state’s Latino leaders, including Texas congressional lawmakers, met with the DGA to increase pressure to fund Hinojosa’s campaign, which was first reported by NBC News.
A source familiar with the investments tells CBS News that the DGA took action to support Hinojosa after Pritzker committed his own money to the race.
A DGA official disputed that characterization, saying that Beshear told Hinojosa in a conversation on Tuesday of last week that the DGA would spend at least $1 million on her campaign. A source close to Hinojosa’s campaign confirmed the conversation between Beshear and Hinojosa took place, as well as the Kentucky governor’s $1 million commitment.
Abbott’s campaign said in a statement that she is “taking her campaign to out-of-state Democrat strongholds.”
Abbott has significantly outraised Hinojosa, including from July to September, when his campaign said it brought in $20 million to her campaign’s $13 million. But his campaign reported having $17 million cash on hand, indicating a huge amount of spending given the over $100 million on hand he reported at the beginning of the year.
A Democrat has not been elected to the governor’s mansion in Texas since Ann Richards in 1990, who lost reelection to George W. Bush four years later, and President Trump won the state by more than 13 points in 2024. Abbott had not been considered vulnerable, but recent polls had shown the race tightening.
Mr. Trump is campaigning in San Antonio on Wednesday with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and several other GOP candidates, although Abbott is not joining the rally.
