Gina Hinojosa says she is ready for a primetime clash in Fort Worth. The Democratic challenger has accepted an invitation to debate Gov. Greg Abbott on Oct. 15, in what her campaign is billing as an hour-long television forum to be broadcast statewide in English and Spanish. Hinojosa is pitching the event as a chance to pit her plans on taxes and public schools directly against Abbott’s before Texans start casting ballots.
In a press release, Hinojosa’s team said she officially accepted the invitation for a debate hosted by NBCUniversal Studios in Texas and Hearst Newspapers in Texas and urged the governor to show up for what she called a real debate, according to the Gina Hinojosa campaign. Her campaign said the one-hour event would take place in Fort Worth and air statewide in both English and Spanish. Hinojosa used the announcement to press Abbott on what she described as his record on schools and the cost of living.
Abbott’s side had not publicly accepted or declined the invitation at the time of reporting, as noted by the El Paso Times. That outlet reported Hinojosa released her debate statement on July 1 while Abbott stayed focused on the trail, promoting his property tax overhaul to voters around the state.
Abbott's Property Tax Push
Abbott has been selling a five-point taxpayer empowerment property tax plan that, among other moves, would require two-thirds voter approval for tax increases and aims to eliminate school property taxes for homeowners, according to the Greg Abbott campaign. The rollout also calls for more predictable appraisals, caps on how fast those appraisals can grow and ways for voters to roll back local tax hikes. Abbott has turned the package into a central theme of recent campaign events.
Where the Date Fits the Calendar
The proposed Oct. 15 debate would land just days before early voting opens for the Nov. 3 general election, a window when plenty of Texans lock in their choices. The state’s election calendar lists Oct. 5 as the last day to register for the Nov. 3 election, Oct. 19-30 as the early voting period and Oct. 23 as the final day to request a ballot by mail. The Texas Secretary of State posts the official deadlines and early voting schedule.
Hinojosa has been working North Texas hard, including a recent Fort Worth town hall where she vowed to end state takeovers of local school districts and criticized Abbott’s education policies, as reported by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Her team has framed schools and affordability as the key contrast with Abbott heading into the fall. If Abbott agrees to share the stage, the Fort Worth forum would give those themes a statewide airing.
Hinojosa has also started rolling out targeted ad buys and messaging to introduce herself to voters across Texas, while Abbott leans on a well-established campaign operation. The Texas Tribune has detailed Hinojosa’s early ad strategy and the broader shape of the race, including the fundraising gap between the two campaigns. Whether Abbott takes the Oct. 15 slot will help determine how much side-by-side exposure voters get before they head to the polls.
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