Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Sunday evening that he is running for a fourth term as governor of the Lone Star State.
Earlier in the week, Abbott said he would make a special announcement from Houston on Sunday, outlining his vision for the future of the state.
Abbott said it was in Houston that he rebuilt his life after the accident that left him paralyzed.
“I learned that our lives don’t have to be determined or defined by how we’re challenged,” Abbott said. “We get to define our lives by how we respond to those challenges. It is a trademark 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 built, we will finish what we started. We will lead Texas into its glorious future! And that’s why tonight, I’m here to announce I am running for reelection as your governor for the great state of Texas.”
He touted the state’s economy, the 8th largest in the world, and said Texas is “number one” in electricity generation.
Abbott also claimed 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 to “rein in skyrocketing appraisals.”
He said on Sunday that voters should have the power to decide on eliminating school property taxes and that any future property tax hikes should require two-thirds voter approval.
“It’s time to drive a stake through the heart of local property tax hikes for good,” Abbott said. “We are going to turn the tables on local taxing authorities, put the power with the people, and put an end to out-of-control property taxes in Texas.”
This comes less than a week after Texas voters approved constitutional amendments to reduce property taxes.
He is currently the second-longest serving governor of Texas, behind former Gov. Rick Perry, who served for 14 years.
Gov. Abbott’s time in office
Abbott was first elected as governor of Texas in 2014, sworn into office on Jan. 20, 2025. Prior to 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 into law, allowing licensed individuals to carry concealed handguns on public college campuses and openly in public areas, respectively.
In May 2021, he signed the Texas Heartbeat Act (SB 8), which bans most abortions after cardiac activity is detected, about 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 $1 billion controversial school choice bill into law, allowing for taxpayer money to be used to help qualifying students pay for private school tuition, which he promoted during his speech in Houston on Sunday.
In his speech on Sunday, he also promoted signing Senate Bill 8, the so-called “bathroom bill,” into law. The law requires people in government buildings and schools to use certain facilities based on the sex they were assigned at birth.
Andrew White, of Houston, and State Rep. Gina Hinojosa are among the Democratic candidates running against Abbott in 2026.
