Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick easily won their Republican primaries Tuesday, decisively defeating several lesser-known challengers to continue their reelection bids.
Newsmax and DecisionDesk HQ called the races for Abbott and Patrick, each of whom are seeking their fourth four-year terms. With 67% of the votes tallied, Abbott had an 82.7% to 10.6% lead over Pete Chambers. Patrick had 85.3% of the vote, with the next challenger, Timothy Mabry, at 8.6%.
Both remain formidable general election opponents, with plenty of campaign cash and broad support from the Republican base. In 2022, Abbott defeated former Rep. Beto O’Rourke by more than 10 percentage points, and Patrick also won reelection with a 10-point edge.
On the Democrat side, Newsmax and DecisionDesk HQ called the race for state Rep. Gina Hinojosa of Austin. She defeated other Democrat candidates, including former U.S. Rep. Chris Bell and rancher and retired firefighter Bobby Cole.
State Rep. Vikki Goodwin of Austin, meanwhile, was leading in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor over union leader Marcos Velez, who had emerged as a sleeper candidate in the race after indirectly receiving a funding boost from Texas Majority PAC, the state party’s campaign partner.
In his reelection bid, Abbott has promised to further rein in property taxes and touted the conservative victories of his decade in office, framing his candidacy as a bulwark of "common sense in a country reeling from far-left, progressive insanity," The Texas Tribune reported. He has also vowed to spend big to flip Harris County, a Democrat stronghold.
Patrick is a leading conservative voice in Texas closely aligned with President Donald Trump.
© 2026 Thomson/Reuters. All rights reserved.