Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announces run for fourth term, touts property tax plan, economy, policies
Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced Sunday evening that he is seeking a fourth term as governor of the Lone Star State.
Earlier in the week, Abbott said he would make a special announcement Sunday from Houston, outlining his vision for the state’s future.
Abbott said it was in Houston that he rebuilt his life after the accident that left him paralyzed.
“I learned that our lives should not be determined or defined by how we face challenges,” Abbott said. “We can define our lives by how we respond to these challenges. It’s a mark of resilience that we Texans have.”
“As Texans, we will defend this state with every fiber of our being,” Abbott continued. “We will protect what we have built, we will finish what we started. We will lead Texas into its glorious future! And that is why tonight I am here to announce that I am running for re-election as governor of the great state of Texas.”
He touted the state’s economy, the eighth-largest in the world, and said Texas was “number one” in electricity production.
Abbott also claimed that the Texas economy is “growing twice as fast as the United States economy.”
Abbott unveils property tax reform plan
As part of his announcement, Abbott also outlined a sweeping property tax reform plan aimed at “curbing skyrocketing assessments.”
He said Sunday that voters should have the power to decide whether to eliminate school property taxes and that any future property tax increases should require two-thirds voter approval.
“It’s time to permanently put participation at the heart of local property tax increases,” Abbott said. “We will turn the tables on local tax authorities, put the power back in the hands of the people, and end out-of-control property taxes in Texas.”
This happens less than a week later Texas voters approved constitutional amendments to cut property taxes.
He is currently the second-longest serving governor of Texas, behind former Governor Rick Perry, who served for 14 years.
Governor Abbott’s Term Length
Abbott was first elected governor of Texas in 2014 and was sworn in on January 20, 2025. Before that, he served as the state’s attorney general from 2002 to 2015.
During the 2015 legislative session, Abbott signed the “campus carry” and “open carry” bills, allowing authorized individuals to carry handguns concealed on public college campuses and openly in public spaces, respectively.
In May 2021, he signed the Texas Heartbeat Act (SB 8), which bans most abortions after heart activity is detected, approximately six weeks.
He also launched Operation Lone Star in 2021, a multi-agency collaboration between the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Texas Military Department, including the deployment of state troopers, National Guard personnel and other resources for border security.
In May 2025, Abbott signed the controversial $1 billion school choice bill, authorizing the use of taxpayer dollars to help eligible students pay private school tuition, something he promoted during his speech in Houston on Sunday.
In his speech on Sunday, he also encouraged the signing of Senate Bill 8, known as the “bathroom bill.” The law requires people in government buildings and schools to use certain facilities based on their sex assigned at birth.
Andrew White of Houston and state Rep. Gina Hinojosa are among the Democratic candidates running against Abbott in 2026.
