Latino Dems urge investment in Hinojosa campaign as Texas governor's race tightens

Latino Democratic leaders are urging the Democratic Governors Association to pour more resources into Gina Hinojosa's Texas gubernatorial race, as a new poll shows her leading Republican incumbent Greg Abbott. The New York Times/Siena College survey released on Saturday revealed Hinojosa with a three-point advantage, a margin within the poll's error range.

Hinojosa, however, confronts a significant funding deficit, with Abbott and his allies outspending her by about ten-to-one. Over 70 Latino Democratic leaders penned a letter this week, urging the DGA and its chair, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, to commit $10 million to the Texas race. Beshear, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, faces guidelines to first safeguard incumbent Democratic governors, though some of these incumbents are already in strong positions.

Julián Castro, Obama's former HUD secretary and a 2020 White House hopeful, echoed the call on social media, urging the DGA and Beshear to back Hinojosa genuinely. Castro questioned how much more proof Beshear and the DGA need before they support her in a meaningful way. The renewed push highlights Democrats' perception of Texas as a competitive battleground in the final weeks of the campaign, despite Hinojosa's considerable financial disadvantage, which Republicans dub a "firewall" in a state Trump won by nearly 14 points in 2024.