Texas Gov. Greg Abbott proclaims run for fourth time period, touts property tax plan, economic system, insurance policies

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott introduced on Sunday night that he’s operating for a fourth time period as governor of the Lone Star State.

Earlier within the week, Abbott mentioned he would make a particular announcement from Houston on Sunday, outlining his imaginative and prescient for the way forward for the state.

Abbott mentioned it was in Houston that he rebuilt his life after the accident that left him paralyzed.

“I discovered that our lives do not must be decided or outlined by how we’re challenged,” Abbott mentioned. “We get to outline our lives by how we reply to these challenges. It’s a trademark resilience that we Texans have.”

“As Texans, we are going to defend this state with each fiber of our being,” Abbott continued. “We’ll shield what we constructed, we are going to end what we began. We’ll lead Texas into its superb future! And that is why tonight, I am right here to announce I’m operating for reelection as your governor for the nice state of Texas.”  

He touted the state’s economic system, the eighth largest on this planet, and mentioned Texas is “primary” in electrical energy era. 

Abbott additionally claimed the Texas economic system is “rising twice as quick as the USA’ economic system.”  

Abbott unveils property tax reform plan

As a part of his announcement, Abbott additionally outlined a sweeping property tax reform plan to “rein in skyrocketing value determinations.”

He mentioned on Sunday that voters ought to have the ability to resolve on eliminating faculty property taxes and that any future property tax hikes ought to require two-thirds voter approval.

“It is time to drive a stake by means of the guts of native property tax hikes for good,” Abbott mentioned. “We’re going to flip the tables on native taxing authorities, put the ability with the individuals, and put an finish to out-of-control property taxes in Texas.”

This comes lower than every week after Texas voters accredited constitutional amendments to cut back property taxes.  

He’s at the moment the second-longest serving governor of Texas, behind former Gov. Rick Perry, who served for 14 years.

Gov. Abbott’s time in workplace

Abbott was first elected as governor of Texas in 2014, sworn into workplace on Jan. 20, 2025. Previous to that, he served because the state’s Legal professional Basic from 2002 to 2015.

Through the 2015 Legislative session, Abbott signed the “campus carry” and “open carry” payments into legislation, permitting licensed people to hold hid handguns on public school campuses and brazenly in public areas, respectively.

In Might 2021, he signed the Texas Heartbeat Act (SB 8), which bans most abortions after cardiac exercise is detected, about six weeks.

He additionally launched Operation Lone Star in 2021, a multi-agency collaboration between the Texas Division of Public Security (DPS) and the Texas Navy Division, together with the deployment of state troopers, Nationwide Guard personnel, and different sources for border safety.

In Might 2025, Abbott signed the $1 billion controversial faculty selection invoice into legislation, permitting for taxpayer cash for use to assist qualifying college students pay for personal faculty tuition, which he promoted throughout his speech in Houston on Sunday.

In his speech on Sunday, he additionally promoted signing Senate Invoice 8, the so-called “lavatory invoice,” into legislation. The legislation requires individuals in authorities buildings and faculties to make use of sure services based mostly on the intercourse they had been assigned at start.

Andrew White, of Houston, and State Rep. Gina Hinojosa are among the many Democratic candidates operating in opposition to Abbott in 2026.