School takeovers and vouchers become a dividing line between Abbott and Hinojosa in the race for governor

Public schools are shaping up as one of the sharper contrasts in the Texas governor's race, though experts say it is not clear how much they will move voters, The Texas Tribune reported Monday.

Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican seeking a fourth term, pushed through the state's $1 billion school voucher program, which launched this year after Abbott backed primary challengers who replaced several House Republicans opposed to it. In the closing weeks of the campaign, he has focused more on cutting property taxes, border security and public safety, according to the Tribune.

"In Texas, crime is down, communities are safe, the border's more secure, and I have an opponent who's against those safe community policies," Abbott said in a CBS Texas interview. He added that students are doing better than ever and that the state has put record money into job training.

Abbott has also pledged action on teacher misconduct, classroom devices and school administrative costs, and announced teacher recruitment money from last year's school finance bill.

Hinojosa's pitch

State Rep. Gina Hinojosa, the Democratic nominee, has built her campaign around what she calls saving public schools. She has promised to fire Education Commissioner Mike Morath, who oversees state takeovers of struggling districts, on her first day in office. The state has replaced the elected boards in seven districts since 2023, including Fort Worth ISD.

Abbott's campaign notes that the takeover law is triggered only after five consecutive years of failing state grades. "This is not a decision made after one or two failing years," Abbott said, pointing to gains in Houston ISD under state control.

The rural question

The voucher fight split urban and suburban Republicans from rural Republicans, Southern Methodist University researcher Matthew Wilson told the Tribune, though he said rural voters are unlikely to flip parties. The bigger risk for the GOP, he said, is disaffected Republicans staying home. In 2022, Abbott carried 80% of the vote in rural counties, according to the Texas Politics Project at UT Austin.

Leslie Finger, a University of North Texas political scientist, said Republican candidates have said little about vouchers. "They are a little bit on the defensive now," she said.

Polling earlier this month by the University of Texas found voters more focused on the cost of living, the economy and corruption, and evenly split on which candidate would do better on education. Election Day is Nov. 3.

Sources

The Texas Tribune