The Blast - September 29, 2025

21 days until early voting begins
36 days until the November election
40 days until the 2026 primary candidate filing period begins
70 days until the 2026 primary candidate filing deadline

IN TODAY’S BLAST

• A step up from comptroller

• Abbott passes Robert Eckels a THC role with TABC

• Eckhardt considers TX-10 bid

A STEP UP FROM COMPTROLLER

Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa is poised to take on Gov. Greg Abbott, with a formal announcement expected sometime soon.

Hinojosa, a fifth-term member from Austin, has been considering a statewide run for months now, although Axios upped this ante on Friday, reporting that she was telling donors that she is running and consultant David Butts saying it’s true.

Previously, she was considering a bid for comptroller, whose office is overseeing the new public school vouchers program, one of Hinojosa’s top issues. However, no other elected Democrat has signaled their intent to run for governor, leaving the door open for Hinojosa.

Democrats largely view the governor’s race to be the toughest statewide race this cycle. Abbott has generally been popular, and he’s sitting on a massive war chest.

Compared to the open comptroller race — and the relatively unknown Republican candidates in interim Comptroller Kelly Hancock, former state Sen. Don Huffines and Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick — going up against Abbott would be a significant step up. The governor finished June with $86.1 million cash on hand. Hinojosa had only $24,000 cash on hand at the end of June and raised $204,000 in the second half of 2024 in her shoo-in reelection campaign.

To put that in perspective, Abbott raised $500,000 for himself at a fundraiser co-hosted by A&M PAC this weekend, according to a press release from the group. Abbott raised $1.3 million during the first special session, which spanned most of House Democrats’ quorum break. Hinojosa raised $43,000.

Abbott had been popular, peaking at 55% approval in the December 2024 Texas Politics Project poll, his highest approval from the pollster since the beginning of the pandemic. However, Abbott’s approvals and disapprovals are on track to completely invert, according to the latest Politics Project poll. His approval is down to 40%, the lowest of his tenure, and his disapproval is up to 50%, tying his record high from August 2021 and marking his lowest net approval since he took office in 2015.

Hinojosa looks like she’s trying to keep herself in the conversation today with a statement regarding a Public Citizen report published last week. The report showed that at least eight companies have won emergency no-bid contracts from the state after donating to the Texans for Greg Abbott PAC.

“This is a serious abuse of power,” Hinojosa said, calling on Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to investigate. “I am concerned that this corruption will do irreparable harm to the public’s faith in our state government.”

Others in the race are 2018 candidate Andrew White, son of former Gov. Mark White, and rancher Bobby Cole.

There’s also the question of what comes after 2026. At last week’s Texas Faith Fest, Texas Values President Jonathan Saenz asked Abbott whether he would run for president. Abbott said that he prays to God every day to make sure he’s “not trying to achieve anything personal.

“I’m trying to work in God’s design and trying to achieve what God wants me to,” Abbott continued. “I will be guided by God in whatever I do, whatever I choose and whatever pathway I go down in the future.”

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ABBOTT PASSES ROBERT ECKELS A THC ROLE WITH TABC

In potential THC news, Gov. Greg Abbott has appointed Robert Eckels, a seven-term former Republican member of the state House and a former Harris County judge, to chair the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.

TABC has a core role in THC oversight under the stopgap executive order Abbott signed last month after the Legislature failed to pass a regulatory bill during the second special session. Following Abbott’s order, TABC on Tuesday approved an emergency rule to ban liquor license holders from selling THC products to those under the age of 21.

Eckels replaces Kevin Lilly, who left TABC for a role with the U.S. Department of the Interior. His term is set to expire in November 2027.

Assuming the Legislature doesn’t address the issue until the 2027 regular session, Eckels will lead half of the state’s consumable hemp oversight for the next couple years. As part of the executive order, Abbott fleshed out the Department of State Health Services’ regulatory role along with TABC’s role.

Abbott also directed TABC, DSHS, the Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension Service and other relevant state agencies to study how the state could implement legislation like House Bill 309, filed by outgoing state Rep. Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park, during the second special session. With that power, Eckels could play a role in outlining the potential Texas Hemp Council.

Eckels served in the House from 1983 to 1995 and served as Harris County judge from 1995 to 2007. He was on advisory committees to President George W. Bush and the Department of Homeland Security in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and was the founding chair of the Texas Central High-Speed Railway.

But as for THC, Eckels appears to be a blank slate. Hemp policy wasn’t really in question during his time in elected office. As of now, the hemp industry hasn’t raised any concerns about the new TABC chair.

Eckels’ appointment was the second microdose of THC news for the day. This morning, President Donald Trump posted a video on Truth Social advocating for CBD as a “game-changer” to reduce pain, improve sleep and extend life for the elderly.

“The groundbreaking 2018 Farm Bill, championed by President Trump, was the first step,” says the video’s voiceover. “Now it’s time to educate doctors on the endocannabinoid system, provide Medicare coverage for CBD and give millions of seniors the support they deserve.”

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ECKHARDT CONSIDERS TX-10 BID

Democratic state Sen. Sarah Eckhardt is considering running for the congressional seat being vacated by Republican U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul.

McCaul, of Austin, announced earlier this month that he won’t run for reelection in the 10th Congressional District, leaving the Trump +23 seat open for the first time in two decades.

Eckhardt, a former Travis County judge, announced her exploratory committee today, with members including Austin Mayor Kirk Watson and former state Sen. Wendy Davis of Fort Worth.

“Whatever my decision, I’ll be ready to roll up my sleeves and put in the work to deliver solutions for Texans,” Eckhardt said in a statement. “When we build on common ground, everybody wins.”

Eckhardt, who just finished her third regular session in the Lege, isn’t up for reelection next year, meaning she wouldn’t have to give up her seat to make the long-shot bid.

Last month, before the Senate approved the new congressional maps, Eckhardt said she would “give voters a real choice” if the new maps were upheld. The race has been surprisingly quiet on the GOP side, with no major candidate jumping in yet.

One aspect to consider on the Republican side is that TX-10 spans from Austin to East Texas, making the Brazos Valley a core population center in the district’s GOP primary. The Blast explored that angle a couple weeks ago.

• Railroad commissioner: State Rep. Jon Rosenthal, D-Houston, formally announced his campaign. Republican incumbent James Wright is running for reelection.

• TX-18: Former Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards released her first ads of the special election.

• TX-35: John Lira, a Marine Corps veteran who was the Democratic nominee in TX-23 in 2022, launched a campaign for the newly drawn TX-35 in San Antonio. Democrats are optimistic that the right candidate could make the race competitive in the majority-Hispanic, Trump +10 district. — Gabby Birenbaum

• HD-135: With Rosenthal running statewide, look for his former chief of staff, Odus Evbagharu, to potentially jump in. He appointed a campaign treasurer earlier this month.

• State Rep. Lacey Hull, R-Houston, Doug Deason, Texas Right to Life and others will hold a press conference about Robert Roberson on Wednesday afternoon ahead of his execution scheduled for Oct. 16.

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