Hinojosa Cites Polls in Texas Governor Race as Abbott Attacks Her Over CAIR Endorsement

Texas state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, the Democratic nominee for governor, said in a national television interview aired Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, that six or seven polls from the last six weeks show her winning, while acknowledging that all polls put her within the margin of error. Host Margaret Brennan noted that a Hinojosa win would make her the first Democratic governor and first female governor in over 30 years, in a state with more Republicans than Democrats. Hinojosa said voters are disappointed in both parties and want something other than politics as usual. She called data centers a physical sign of Gov. Greg Abbott's government serving moneyed interests, and said public schools have drawn bipartisan support. Also on Sunday, Abbott, a Republican, criticized Hinojosa in an interview with Fox News over an endorsement she received from the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), which Texas designates as a foreign terrorist organization. Abbott said she supports Sharia law.

Right-leaning outlets had not reported this story at the time of writing, while left-leaning and alternative/independent outlets had. Left-leaning coverage centers on Hinojosa herself. CBS News published the full Face the Nation transcript, featuring Brennan's questions about crossing party lines and Hinojosa's poll claims and criticism of Abbott. The New York Times framed her as a surge with midterm implications, highlighting her appeal to MAGA voters and her refusal to engage in culture wars. Neither left-leaning outlet, in the portions provided, mentions the CAIR endorsement or Abbott's accusation. The Hill, the alternative/independent outlet, offers a distinct angle: it leads with Abbott's attack, its headline attributes the Sharia law claim to him, and it features his Fox News interview and the terrorist designation rather than Hinojosa's message or polling. Both sets of coverage involve the same race and Sunday interviews, but they differ in whose voice leads and which issue is foregrounded.