Texas Democrats sideline abortion in bid to win midterms

Texas Democratic leaders are avoiding explicit discussion of abortion rights during the 2026 midterm cycle, a strategic choice that contrasts with recent polling data showing robust voter support for the issue.

Gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa aired a 60-second television spot in September that detailed her pregnancy loss due to trisomy 18. The video focused on her desire for good neighborhood schools and an economy that allows families to stay in Texas. It did not mention reproductive rights, abortion, or the state's strict criminal bans, despite Hinojosa's decade-long record as a pro-abortion legislator in the Texas House.

Reproductive rights advocates expressed frustration with the omission. Raven Freeborn, chief executive officer of Avow Texas, stated that avoiding the word abortion increases stigma and shame. Freeborn noted that the issue is a crisis that ends in death, requiring candidates to be brave and direct.

The state currently enforces one of the nation's strictest abortion bans, which includes no exceptions for rape, incest, or lethal fetal anomalies. Governor Greg Abbott has used executive orders to block care, while Attorney General Ken Paxton has defended the laws in court. Despite this, top Democratic candidates like Hinojosa and Senate candidate James Talarico have not made the issue a primary campaign focus.

Hinojosa acknowledged in a Politico interview that widening abortion access is not her priority as governor because it requires more than an election victory. In a statement to the Texas Observer, she criticized Abbott for forcing women to carry sick babies that will not live but did not use the word abortion in her response.

Senate candidate James Talarico, a Presbyterian seminarian, told voters he could find common ground with pro-life Republicans. He advocated for reducing unplanned pregnancies through sex education and contraception. His campaign listed Paxton's attacks on reproductive rights but did not prioritize exposing his opponent's anti-abortion record on the trail.

Joshua Blank, research director at the University of Texas at Austin's Texas Politics Project, said Democrats view campaigning around abortion as a losing strategy right now. He noted that the affordability crisis dominates the cycle, crowding out social issues. Polls from the Texas Politics Project show 43 percent of Texans believe abortion laws should be less strict, and 80 percent support exceptions for rape and lethal diagnoses.

Shellie Hayes-McMahon, executive director of Planned Parenthood Texas Votes, said Democrats are extra cautious but that abortion remains a top issue for voters. She pointed to the financial burden on families, noting that a recent lawsuit by Texas mother Maria Puerto sought $459,782 in damages for the average cost of raising two children after being forced into pregnancy. A study from the Institute for Women's Policy Research estimates the state's abortion laws cost the Texas economy nearly $15 billion annually.