More than 70 Latino Democratic leaders from across the country have sent a letter urging the Democratic Governors Association to invest $10 million in Texas Gov. Gina Hinojosa’s campaign. The demand comes after a New York Times/Siena College poll showed Hinojosa running ahead of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott by three points, a margin within the poll’s margin of error.
The letter, first reported by The New York Times and confirmed by CBS News, asks the DGA and its chair, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, to commit the money. Hinojosa faces a huge financial disadvantage against Abbott, whose reelection campaign and Republican allies are outspending her by roughly 10-to-1.
The Poll That Sparked the Push
The New York Times/Siena College poll released Saturday found Hinojosa ahead of Abbott by three points. That is a narrow lead, and it sits inside the poll’s margin of error. The poll’s result puts Democrats in a position to argue the race is closer than the spending numbers suggest.
Democrats increasingly see the Lone Star state as competitive in the closing weeks of the campaign, even as Hinojosa continues to face a substantial spending disadvantage. The letter from Latino Democratic leaders signals a shift in how Democrats view the Texas governor’s race. Rather than treating it as a lost cause, they are treating it as a competitive opportunity.
Why the Spending Gap Matters
Abbott is a three-term governor, and his campaign and Republican allies are outspending Hinojosa by roughly 10-to-1. That gap is what some Republicans describe as a “firewall” in a state President Trump won by nearly 14 points in 2024.
The DGA has been constrained by its commitments to first protect incumbent Democratic governors seeking reelection. Beshear, a potential 2028 presidential contender, has been limited by those obligations, though some of those incumbents are currently in strong positions.
Castro’s Social Media Appeal
Julián Castro, who served as secretary of housing and urban development in the Obama administration, renewed the push Saturday following the poll’s release. Castro, the former mayor of San Antonio and a 2020 presidential contender, took to social media to call for the DGA and Beshear to support Hinojosa “in a real way.”
“How much more evidence” of Hinojosa’s “strength in Texas” will Beshear and the DGA “have to see before they support her in a real way?” Castro wrote. “She can win!”
Castro’s question frames the broader tension: the poll shows a competitive race, but the spending numbers tell a different story.
The DGA’s Position
Beshear has been constrained by the DGA’s existing commitments to incumbent governors. Those commitments require protecting sitting Democratic governors first, which limits the organization’s ability to pivot to new races like Texas.
The DGA’s chair has also weighed his own political future. As a potential 2028 presidential contender, Beshear holds that position while the organization manages its commitments.
What This Means for the Race
The letter from Latino Democratic leaders signals a shift in how Democrats view the Texas governor’s race. Rather than treating it as a lost cause, they are treating it as a competitive opportunity.
But the spending gap remains the elephant in the room. Hinojosa is trailing badly in funding, and the DGA’s existing commitments mean Beshear cannot simply redirect resources to Texas.
The question now is whether the DGA can find a path to support Hinojosa without breaking its commitment to incumbents. That may be difficult, but the poll’s result has put the race back into play for Democrats.
“How much more evidence” of Hinojosa’s “strength in Texas” will Beshear and the DGA “have to see before they support her in a real way?”
The answer to that question will test whether the DGA is willing to make an exception for a competitive race in a state President Trump won by nearly 14 points in 2024.
Source material: “Latino Dems urge investment in Hinojosa campaign as Texas governor's race tightens,” CBS News.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.