Texas races down to the wire as candidates campaign across the state

With less than 48 hours remaining before Election Day, Texas candidates from both major parties are crisscrossing the state in a final sprint to mobilize voters in what polls indicate are exceptionally close statewide contests.

San Antonio emerged as a key battleground Sunday night, drawing appearances from candidates locked in high-stakes races for both Texas Governor and the U.S. Senate.

The Battle for Governor

What we know:

At the top of the ballot, the race for Texas Governor remains competitive in the closing hours. A recent study by Texas Southern University’s Barbara Jordan - Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs shows incumbent Republican Governor Greg Abbott holding a narrow lead over Democratic challenger Gina Hinojosa, 50% to 47%, with 2% backing Libertarian candidate Pat Dixon.

Local perspective:

Campaigning in San Antonio, Hinojosa reiterated her focus on education, framing public schools as both an economic anchor and a constitutional priority.

"They’re the largest employer in so many of our counties, they are enshrined in our Texas constitution as being essential for the preservation of liberties," Hinojosa said. "So many of us are proud products of Texas public schools, I know I am, and they are worth fighting for. And so that’s why you see a coming together in support of our kids in our Texas public schools, against a governor who has only hurt them."

Abbott, meanwhile, has centered his closing pitch on fiscal policy, border enforcement, and social issues, sharply contrasting his record with Hinojosa's legislative votes.

"Listen, I want to cut your taxes. My opponent voted for an income tax, she voted for an inheritance tax, she voted for property tax increases 40 times," Abbott said. "I’m for safe communities, she’s for defunding the police. I’m for a secure border, she voted for open border policies and sanctuary cities. I care about our children, I don’t want to see them transgendered in school."

A Historic U.S. Senate Showdown

Dig deeper:

Voters are also watching a razor-thin contest for the U.S. Senate, where the TSU survey shows Democrat James Talarico edging Republican Ken Paxton 49% to 47%, with 3% favoring Libertarian Ted Brown.

Rallying supporters in San Antonio on Sunday, Talarico pointed to the staggering volume of outside spend pouring into the race down the stretch.

"In the final days of this election, they are coming at us with everything they’ve got. The billionaire mega-donors, the super PACs," Talarico told the crowd. "They have already spent more than $300 million to try to stop us. That is the most of any Senate race in American history, and more is on the way."

Paxton framed the election in existential terms during a campaign stop in Georgetown over the weekend, arguing that the outcome carries national ramifications.

"This isn't just red versus blue; it's the America our founders gave us versus something that they would never recognize," Paxton said. "I am not exaggerating when I say we lose Texas, we lose America. That's what we're fighting for."

Across both campaigns, the closing message to voters has been uniform: turnout will determine the outcome. Election Day polling locations across Texas will be open Tuesday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time.

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