Texas Early Voting Begins With Record Turnout in Key Counties
Governor Greg Abbott and challenger Gina Hinojosa launched campaign tours as record-breaking early voting began in several major Texas counties on October 20.
Early voting for the November 3 gubernatorial election began on October 20, seeing record-breaking first-day turnout in several regions. Democratic strongholds Dallas County and Harris County both set new records, with Harris County processing over 100,000 in-person voters. Republican-leaning Denton County also broke its previous record with 34,700 votes.
Greg Abbott campaigned in Fort Worth as part of his Let’s Roll tour, where he promoted his economic record and property tax relief. He emphasized the necessity of keeping Tarrant County and the rest of the state Republican. Simultaneously, Democratic challenger Gina Hinojosa conducted stops in San Antonio for her One Fight tour, proposing a $17 billion plan to provide a one-time $1,500 payment to every Texas household using the state's rainy day fund.
While a Hobby School survey shows 55% of likely voters believe the state is heading in the wrong direction, incumbents lead Hinojosa by less than one point. This tight race coincides with a contested Senate race where Democrat James Talarico leads Republican Ken Paxton in several polls. In response to urban Democratic strength, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick urged rural and suburban voters to mobilize to save the country.
