# 2022 Texas gubernatorial election

Elections in Texas :
General elections
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 :
Federal government
Presidential elections
1848
1852
1856
1860
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Presidential primaries
Democratic
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Republican
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
U.S. Senate
1846
1847
1851
1853
1857
1859
1859 sp
1870
1871
1875
1876
1881
1882
1887
1888
1892 sp
1893
1894
1899
1901
1905
1907
1911
1913
1913 sp
1916
1918
1922
1924
1928
1930
1934
1936
1940
1941 sp
1942
1946
1948
1952
1954
1957 sp
1958
1960
1961 sp
1964
1966
1970
1972
1976
1978
1982
1984
1988
1990
1993 sp
1994
1996
2000
2002
2006
2008
2012
2014
2018
2020
2024
2026
U.S. House of Representatives
1846
1849
1851
1853
1855
1857
1859
1866
1869
1870
1871
1872
1874
1876
1878
1879
6th sp
1880
1882
1884
1886
1887
2nd sp
1888
1890
1892
9th sp
1894
1896
11th sp
1898
1900
1901
6th sp
1902
4th sp
1903
8th sp
1904
1905
8th sp
1906
1908
1910
1912
1913
10th sp
1914
1916
1918
1919
12th sp
1920
1922
13th sp
1924
1926
1928
1930
17th sp
1931
14th sp
1932
1933
7th sp
8th sp
15th sp
1934
1936
1937
10th sp
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
6th sp
1947
9th sp
16th sp
1948
15th sp
1950
18th sp
1951
13th sp
1952
7th sp
1954
1956
1958
1960
1961
20th sp
1962
4th sp
13th sp
1963
10th sp
1964
1966
8th sp
1968
3rd sp
1970
1972
1974
1976
1st sp
22nd sp
1978
1980
1982
1983
6th sp
1984
1985
1st sp
1986
1988
1989
12th sp
18th sp
1990
1991
3rd sp
1992
1994
1996
1997
28th sp
1998
2000
2002
2003
19th sp
2004
2006
22nd
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
27th sp
2020
2021
6th sp
2022
34th sp
2024
18th sp :
State government
Gubernatorial elections
1845
1847
1849
1851
1853
1855
1857
1859
1861
1863
1866
1866
1869
1873
1876
1878
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
Lieutenant gubernatorial elections
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
Attorney General elections
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
Comptroller elections
2010
2014
2018
2022
Senate elections
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
House of Representatives elections
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Constitutional amendments
1972
2005
2007
2021
2023 :
Austin
Mayoral elections
2003
2006
2009
2012
2014
2018
2022
2024
Austin municipal elections
2022
2024 :
Corpus Christi
Mayoral elections
2012
2014
2016
2017 sp
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
Dallas–Fort Worth
Arlington mayoral elections
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019
2021
2023
Dallas mayoral elections
1856
1857
1875
1904
1925
1961
1963
1965
1995
1999
2002 sp
2003
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023
Dallas municipal elections
2015
2019
2021
Fort Worth mayoral elections
2003
2007
2009
2011
2015
2017
2019
2021
2023
Denton mayoral elections
2020
2022
Plano municipal elections
2017
2019
2021 :
El Paso
Mayoral elections
2001
2003
2005
2009
2013
2017
2020
2024
Municipal elections
2017
2020
2024 :
Houston
Mayoral elections
1987
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
2015
2019
2023
Municipal elections
2005
2007
2009 :
Laredo
Mayoral elections
2018
2022 :
Lubbock
Mayoral elections
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
San Antonio
Mayoral elections
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019
2021
2023
2025 :
Government :
vte :
The 2022 Texas gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 2022, to elect the governor of Texas. Incumbent Republican Governor Greg Abbott won re-election to a third term, defeating the Democratic nominee, former Congressman Beto O'Rourke. All statewide elected offices were currently held by Republicans. In his previous gubernatorial race in 2018, Abbott won with 55.8% of the vote.
The Democratic and Republican primaries were held on March 1, 2022. O'Rourke and Abbott won outright majorities in their respective primaries, and therefore did not participate in the May 24 runoffs.
Texas had not elected a Democratic candidate for governor since Ann Richards in 1990. Additionally, Abbott had a strong approval rating on election day, with 55% of voters approving to 45% disapproving. Beto O'Rourke, who gained national attention in 2018 for his unusually close and competitive campaign against Senator Ted Cruz, was widely viewed as a rising star in the Texas Democratic Party and potential challenger for Abbott, but a failed run for President of the United States in 2020 prompted criticisms of opportunism via Republican attempts to brand him as anti-law enforcement and his former stance and disavowed comments on guns.
Abbott won by 10.9%, a slightly smaller margin of victory than his 13.3% margin in 2018 in spite of a much more Republican national climate in 2022, making this the closest gubernatorial election in Texas since 2006, and the closest election of Abbott's entire political career since his first race for the Texas Supreme Court in 1998. Beto O'Rourke, meanwhile, performed 8.3% worse than his 2018 Senate run, but he still won the highest share for a Democratic gubernatorial candidate since Ann Richards received 45.9% in her unsuccessful reelection bid against George W. Bush in 1994. Abbott's raw vote total was less than his 4.65 million in 2018, while O'Rourke set a record of most raw votes for a Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate at around 3.55 million, but it was also less than his 4.04 million vote total in the 2018 Senate race.
Abbott carried 235 out of 254 counties, flipping the heavily Hispanic counties of Culberson and Zapata and becoming the first Republican gubernatorial candidate to win the latter in the state's history (though Zapata had earlier voted Republican in the 2020 presidential election), while O'Rourke became the first Democratic gubernatorial candidate to win the county of Fort Bend since 1974. O'Rourke outperformed Joe Biden two years prior among Latino voters, though his performance with them was still worse than past nominees.

## Republican primary

On June 4, 2021, Texas Republican Party chairman Allen West announced his resignation as party chair. West criticized Gov. Greg Abbott's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in Texas. The history of conflict between West and Abbott included a lawsuit by West and other Republicans challenging Abbott's extension of the early voting period in 2020, as well as a protest outside the Governor's Mansion over pandemic-related shutdowns as well as mask mandates. On July 4, 2021, West announced that he would challenge Abbott in the 2022 gubernatorial primary. Both West and fellow gubernatorial candidate Don Huffines were considered more conservative than Abbott. On March 1, 2022, Abbott won the Republican primary by a smaller margin than in 2018.

### Candidates
#### Nominee

* Greg Abbott, incumbent governor and former Texas Attorney General

#### Eliminated in primary

* Paul G. Belew, criminal defense attorney
* Danny Harrison, businessman
* Kandy Kaye Horn, philanthropist
* Don Huffines, former member of the Texas Senate
* Ricky Lynn Perry, staffing agency employee
* Chad Prather, podcaster / talk show host, activist, and stand-up comedian
* Allen West, former chair of the Texas Republican Party and former U.S. representative for Florida's 22nd congressional district

#### Withdrawn

* Martin Holsome, former Rusk city councillor
* Kurt Schwab, military veteran

#### Declined

* George P. Bush, Texas Land Commissioner and member of the Bush family (ran for Attorney General)
* Christi Craddick, Texas Railroad Commissioner
* Glenn Hegar, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (running for re-election)
* Sid Miller, Texas Agriculture Commissioner (running for re-election)
* Rick Perry, former governor and former U.S. Secretary of Energy
* Joe Straus, former Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives

### Endorsements

U.S. executive branch officials
* Sarah Huckabee Sanders, former White House Press Secretary (2017–2019) and governor of Arkansas 2023-present
* Donald Trump, 45th president of the United States (2017–2021)
U.S. senators
* Ted Cruz, U.S. senator from Texas (2013–present)
State officials
* Ken Paxton, 50th attorney general of Texas (2015–present)
Organizations
* Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas
* National Border Patrol Council
* National Federation of Independent Business
* NRA Political Victory Fund
* Susan B. Anthony List
* Texas Apartment Association
* Texas Association of Business
* Texas Farm Bureau AGFUND
* Texas for Lawsuit Reform
* Texas Medical Association
* Texas Municipal Police Association
* Texas Oil and Gas Association
U.S. senators
* Rand Paul, U.S. senator from Kentucky (2011–present)
U.S. representatives
* Ron Paul, former U.S. representative for Texas's 22nd congressional district (1976–1977, 1979–1985) and Texas's 14th congressional district (1997–2013)
Texas state representatives
* Matt Rinaldi, chair of the Republican Party of Texas (2021–present) and former state representative (2015–2019) (withdrawn at Huffines's request following Rinaldi's election as chair of the Texas Republican Party)
* Jonathan Stickland, former state representative (2013–2021)
Local officials
* Don McLaughlin, mayor of Uvalde (2014–present)
Individuals
* Julie McCarty, True Texas Project CEO
* Katrina Pierson, national spokesperson for Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign
Texas state representatives
* Kyle Biedermann, state representative (2017–present)
Individuals
* Ted Nugent, musician and political activist

### Polling

Graphical summary
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Greg Abbott | Don Huffines | Ricky Lynn Perry | Chad Prather | Allen West | Other | Undecided |
| The Trafalgar Group (R) | February 25–28, 2022 | 1,040 (LV) | ± 3.0% | 62% | 10% | 2% | 2% | 15% | 5% | 3% |
| Emerson College | February 21–22, 2022 | 522 (LV) | ± 4.2% | 61% | 9% | 3% | 3% | 12% | 3% | 9% |
| UT Tyler | February 8–15, 2022 | 581 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 60% | 3% | 6% | 3% | 7% | 5% | 15% |
| YouGov/UT | January 28 – February 7, 2022 | 375 (LV) | ± 5.1% | 60% | 14% | 5% | 3% | 15% | 3% | – |
| Paradigm Partners (R) | January 31, 2022 | 1,542 (LV) | ± 2.5% | 34% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 43% | 3% | 4% |
| UT Tyler | January 18–25, 2022 | 514 (LV) | ± 5.1% | 59% | 4% | 4% | 2% | 6% | 4% | 20% |
| YouGov/UH | January 14–24, 2022 | 490 (LV) | ± 3.7% | 58% | 7% | 3% | 2% | 11% | 2% | 17% |
| Paradigm Partners (R) | January 9, 2022 | 1,486 (LV) | ± 2.5% | 33% | 5% | 12% | 3% | 38% | 3% | 7% |
| Paradigm Partners (R) | December 16, 2021 | 447 (LV) | ± 4.5% | 33% | 2% | 15% | 1% | 35% | – | 14% |
| Paradigm Partners (R) | November 30, 2021 | – (LV) | – | 42% | 3% | – | 2% | 36% | – | 17% |
| UT Tyler | November 9–16, 2021 | 520 (LV) | ± 4.7% | 65% | 3% | – | 6% | 6% | 3% | 18% |
| Paradigm Partners (R) | November 11, 2021 | – (LV) | – | 43% | 3% | – | 2% | 33% | – | 19% |
| YouGov/UT/TT | October 22–31, 2021 | 554 (RV) | ± 4.2% | 56% | 7% | – | 4% | 13% | 4% | 16% |
| YouGov/TXHPF | October 14–27, 2021 | 405 (LV) | ± 4.9% | 61% | 4% | – | 3% | 13% | – | 19% |
| UT Tyler | September 7–14, 2021 | 427 (LV) | ± 6.1% | 70% | 15% | – | – | – | 15% | – |
| UT Tyler | September 7–14, 2021 | 431 (LV) | ± 6.0% | 65% | – | – | – | 20% | 15% | – |
| Victory Insights (R) | July 22–24, 2021 | 400 (RV) | ± 4.9% | 80% | – | – | – | 20% | – | – |
| Paradigm Partners (R) | June 30, 2021 | – (LV) | – | 73% | – | – | – | 17% | – | 10% |
| UT Tyler | June 22–29, 2021 | 440 (LV) | ± 5.4% | 77% | 12% | – | – | – | 11% | – |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Greg Abbott | Don Huffines | Sid Miller | Allen West | Undecided |
| Public Opinion Strategies (R) | June 14–17, 2021 | 446 (LV) | ± 4.6% | 69% | 3% | 3% | 13% | – |

### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Greg Abbott (incumbent) | 1,299,059 | 66.48% |
| | Republican | Allen West | 239,557 | 12.26% |
| | Republican | Don Huffines | 234,138 | 11.98% |
| | Republican | Chad Prather | 74,173 | 3.80% |
| | Republican | Ricky Lynn Perry | 61,424 | 3.14% |
| | Republican | Kandy Kaye Horn | 23,605 | 1.21% |
| | Republican | Paul Belew | 11,387 | 0.58% |
| | Republican | Danny Harrison | 10,829 | 0.55% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,954,172 | 100% |

## Democratic primary
### Candidates
#### Nominee

* Beto O'Rourke, former U.S. representative for Texas's 16th congressional district, nominee for U.S. Senate in 2018 and candidate for president of the United States in 2020

#### Eliminated in primary

* Inocencio Barrientez, fitness trainer
* Michael Cooper, pastor, candidate for lieutenant governor in 2018, and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2020
* Joy Diaz, reporter
* Rich Wakeland, former advisor to Public Utility Commissioner Ken Anderson

#### Disqualified

* Jack Daniel Foster Jr., teacher
* R. Star Locke, veteran

#### Declined

* Steve Adler, mayor of Austin
* Joaquin Castro, U.S. representative for Texas's 20th congressional district (endorsed O'Rourke)
* Julián Castro, former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, former mayor of San Antonio, and candidate for president of the United States in 2020
* Wendy Davis, former state senator, nominee for governor in 2014, and nominee for Texas's 21st congressional district in 2020
* Veronica Escobar, U.S. representative for Texas's 16th congressional district, former El Paso commissioner, and former El Paso county judge (running for re-election)
* Lina Hidalgo, Harris County judge

### Endorsements

U.S. senators
* Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. senator from New York (2009–present) and candidate for president of the United States in 2020
U.S. representatives
* Rubén Hinojosa, former U.S. representative for Texas's 15th congressional district (1997–2017)
Local officials
* Ron Nirenberg, mayor of San Antonio (2017–present) (Independent)
Labor unions
* Texas Federation of Teachers
* Texas AFL–CIO
* Texas State Employees Union
Organizations
* Democracy for America
* End Citizens United
* Let America Vote
* March On
* MoveOn
* Planned Parenthood Texas Votes
* Stonewall Democrats
* Texas College Democrats
Newspapers and other media
* Austin American Statesman
* The Austin Chronicle
* The Dallas Morning News
* Houston Chronicle

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Inocencio Barrientez | Michael Cooper | Joy Diaz | Jack Foster Jr. | Deirdre Gilbert | Star Locke | Beto O'Rourke | Rich Wakeland | Other | Undecided |
| Emerson College | February 21–22, 2022 | 388 (LV) | ± 4.9% | 1% | 5% | 4% | – | – | – | 78% | 2% | – | 11% |
| UT Tyler | February 8–15, 2022 | 479 (LV) | ± 4.9% | 2% | 3% | 4% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 68% | 2% | – | 14% |
| YouGov/UT | January 28 – February 7, 2022 | 348 (LV) | ± 5.3% | 2% | 1% | 2% | – | – | – | 93% | 1% | 1% | – |
| UT Tyler | January 18–25, 2022 | 459 (LV) | ± 5.4% | 1% | 6% | 4% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 58% | 0% | – | 27% |
| YouGov/UH | January 14–24, 2022 | 616 (LV) | ± 3.3% | 3% | 4% | 3% | – | – | – | 73% | 1% | – | 16% |
| YouGov/UT/TT | October 22–31, 2021 | 436 (RV) | ± 4.7% | – | – | – | – | – | – | 70% | – | 5% | 25% |

### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Beto O'Rourke | 983,182 | 91.41% |
| | Democratic | Joy Diaz | 33,622 | 3.13% |
| | Democratic | Michael Cooper | 32,673 | 3.04% |
| | Democratic | Rich Wakeland | 13,237 | 1.23% |
| | Democratic | Inocencio Barrientez | 12,887 | 1.20% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,075,601 | 100% |

## Green primary
### Candidates
#### Declared

* Delilah Barrios, environmental activist

## Libertarian convention
### Candidates
#### Declared

* Mark Jay Tippetts, attorney, former Lago Vista city councilman, and nominee for governor in 2018

#### Withdrew/disqualified

* Dan Behrman, software engineer, internet personality, candidate for Texas House of Representatives in 2014, and candidate for President of the United States in 2020
* Andrew Jewell, industrial maintenance technician, Secretary of Libertarian Party of Dallas County, chair of Texas Libertarian Party Radical Caucus, and candidate for Dallas County Commissioner District 3 in 2020

## Independents and other parties
### Candidates
#### Declared

* Jacqueline Abernathy, public health policies consultant and American Solidarity Party candidate
* Deirdre Dickson-Gilbert, public educator (previously ran for Democratic nomination)
* Ricardo Turullols-Bonilla, retired educator and write-in candidate for U.S. Senate in 2020

#### Disqualified

* Patrick Wynne, software engineer, data scientist and U.S. Navy veteran (Reform Party)

#### Declined

* Matthew McConaughey, Academy Award-winning actor (no declared party affiliation)

## General election
### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Likely R | March 4, 2022 |
| Inside Elections | Solid R | July 22, 2022 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Likely R | June 29, 2022 |
| Politico | Likely R | April 1, 2022 |
| RCP | Lean R | January 10, 2022 |
| Fox News | Likely R | May 12, 2022 |
| 538 | Solid R | September 21, 2022 |
| Elections Daily | Likely R | November 7, 2022 |

### Debates

2022 Texas gubernatorial general election debates :
| No. | Date | Host | Moderators | Link | Republican | Democratic |
| Key:  P Participant  A Absent  N Non-invitee  I Invitee W Withdrawn | Key:  P Participant  A Absent  N Non-invitee  I Invitee W Withdrawn | Key:  P Participant  A Absent  N Non-invitee  I Invitee W Withdrawn | Key:  P Participant  A Absent  N Non-invitee  I Invitee W Withdrawn | Key:  P Participant  A Absent  N Non-invitee  I Invitee W Withdrawn | | |
| Key:  P Participant  A Absent  N Non-invitee  I Invitee W Withdrawn | Key:  P Participant  A Absent  N Non-invitee  I Invitee W Withdrawn | Key:  P Participant  A Absent  N Non-invitee  I Invitee W Withdrawn | Key:  P Participant  A Absent  N Non-invitee  I Invitee W Withdrawn | Key:  P Participant  A Absent  N Non-invitee  I Invitee W Withdrawn | Greg Abbott | Beto O'Rourke |
| 1 | Sep. 30, 2022 | KXAN-TV | Sally Hernandez Gromer Jeffers Steve Spriester | KXAN-TV | P | P |

### Post-primary endorsements

U.S. senators
* John Cornyn, U.S. senator from Texas (2003–present)
U.S. representatives
* Dan Crenshaw, U.S. representative for Texas's 2nd congressional district (2019–present)
* Louie Gohmert, U.S. representative for Texas's 1st congressional district (2005–2023)
Governors
* Mike Huckabee, 44th governor of Arkansas (1996–2007) and candidate for president in 2008 and 2016
State officials
* Cole Hefner, state representative from the 5th district (2017–present)
* Bryan Hughes, state senator from the 1st district (2017–present)
* Ken King, state representative from the 88th district (2013–present)
* Four Price, state representative from the 87th district (2011–present)
* John T. Smithee, state representative from the 86th district (1985–present)
Newspapers
* The Amarillo Pioneer
* The Beaumont Examiner
* Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Organizations
* Americans for Prosperity
* The LIBRE Initiative
* National Right to Life Committee
* Texas Alliance for Life
* Texas Association of Realtors
U.S. executive branch officials
* Julian Castro, 16th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (2014–2017) and candidate for President in 2020
* Barack Obama, 44th president of the United States (2009–2017)
U.S. representatives
* Colin Allred, U.S. representative for Texas's 32nd congressional district (2019–present)
* Sylvia Garcia, U.S. representative for Texas's 29th congressional district (2019–present)
* Eddie Bernice Johnson, U.S. representative for Texas's 30th congressional district (1993–2023)
* Sheila Jackson Lee, U.S. representative for Texas's 18th congressional district (1995–present)
State officials
* Julie Johnson, state representative from the 115th district (2019–present)
* Shawn Thierry, state representative from the 146th district (2017–present)
County officials
* Lina Hidalgo, Harris County judge (2019–present)
Local officials
* Sylvester Turner, mayor of Houston (2016–present)
Individuals
* Matthew Broderick, actor
* The Chicks, country band
* Will Ferrell, actor and comedian
* Selena Gomez, actress and singer
* Luci Baines Johnson, businesswoman and daughter of U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson
* Lin-Manuel Miranda, actor
* Kacey Musgraves, country singer
* Willie Nelson, country singer
* Gwyneth Paltrow, actress
* Sarah Jessica Parker, actress
* Gregg Popovich, professional basketball coach
* George Soros, businessman
* Lionel Sosa, marketing executive
* Harry Styles, musician
* Kerry Washington, actress
* Hayley Williams, singer
* Oprah Winfrey, businesswoman and talk show host
* Eugene Lee Yang, filmmaker
Labor unions
* National Education Association
* SEIU Texas
* United Auto Workers
Organizations
* Common Defense
* Equality Texas
* Everytown for Gun Safety
* Feminist Majority PAC
* Giffords
* Human Rights Campaign
* Jolt Action
* NARAL Pro-Choice America
* National Nurses United
* Texas Organizing Project
* Texas Rising Action
* Voter Protection Project
Newspapers
* San Antonio Express-News

### Polling

Aggregate polls
| Source of poll aggregation | Dates administered | Dates updated | Greg Abbott (R) | Beto O'Rourke (D) | Other | Margin |
| Real Clear Politics | October 3–19, 2022 | October 25, 2022 | 52.8% | 43.5% | 3.7% | Abbott +9.3 |
| FiveThirtyEight | June 14, 2021 – October 25, 2022 | October 25, 2022 | 51.4% | 42.9% | 5.7% | Abbott +8.5 |
| Average | Average | Average | 52.1% | 43.2% | 4.7% | Abbott +8.9 |
Graphical summary
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Greg Abbott (R) | Beto O'Rourke (D) | Other | Undecided |
| CWS Research (R) | November 2–5, 2022 | 786 (LV) | ± 3.5% | 53% | 42% | 2% | 3% |
| UT Tyler | October 17–24, 2022 | 1,330 (RV) | ± 2.9% | 47% | 44% | 7% | 1% |
| UT Tyler | October 17–24, 2022 | 973 (LV) | ± 3.4% | 50% | 44% | 5% | 1% |
| Emerson College | October 17–19, 2022 | 1,000 (LV) | ± 3.0% | 52% | 42% | 1% | 4% |
| Emerson College | October 17–19, 2022 | 1,000 (LV) | ± 3.0% | 53% | 44% | 3% | – |
| Siena College | October 16–19, 2022 | 649 (LV) | ± 5.1% | 52% | 43% | 2% | 4% |
| Beacon Research (D) | October 15–19, 2022 | 1,264 (RV) | ± 2.8% | 48% | 45% | – | – |
| BSP Research/UT | October 11–18, 2022 | 1,400 (RV) | ± 2.6% | 46% | 42% | 3% | 9% |
| YouGov/UT | October 7–17, 2022 | 833 (LV) | ± 3.3% | 54% | 43% | 4% | 2% |
| Civiqs | October 8–11, 2022 | 791 (LV) | ± 4.0% | 52% | 44% | 3% | 0% |
| Marist College | October 3–6, 2022 | 1,058 (RV) | ± 4.4% | 49% | 45% | 1% | 5% |
| Marist College | October 3–6, 2022 | 898 (LV) | ± 4.8% | 52% | 44% | 1% | 4% |
| Quinnipiac University | September 22–26, 2022 | 1,327 (LV) | ± 2.7% | 53% | 46% | 2% | – |
| Emerson College | September 20–22, 2022 | 1,000 (LV) | ± 3.0% | 50% | 42% | 4% | 5% |
| ActiVote | June 23 – September 21, 2022 | 323 (LV) | ± 6.0% | 47% | 40% | 12% | – |
| Siena College | September 14–18, 2022 | 651 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 50% | 43% | 2% | 5% |
| Texas Hispanic Policy Foundation | September 6–15, 2022 | 1,172 (LV) | ± 2.9% | 51% | 44% | 2% | 3% |
| UT Tyler | September 7–13, 2022 | 1,268 (RV) | ± 2.9% | 47% | 38% | 9% | 2% |
| Data for Progress (D) | September 2–9, 2022 | 712 (LV) | ± 4.0% | 50% | 45% | 2% | 3% |
| Echelon Insights | August 31 – September 7, 2022 | 813 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 48% | 46% | – | 6% |
| YouGov/UT | August 26 – September 6, 2022 | 1,200 (RV) | ± 2.8% | 45% | 40% | 4% | 11% |
| YouGov/UH/TSU | August 11–29, 2022 | 1,312 (LV) | ± 2.7% | 49% | 42% | 2% | 7% |
| UT Tyler | August 1–7, 2022 | 1,384 (RV) | ± 2.8% | 46% | 39% | 13% | 1% |
| UT Tyler | August 1–7, 2022 | 1,215 (LV) | ± 3.0% | 48% | 42% | 9% | 1% |
| YouGov/UH | June 27 – July 7, 2022 | 1,169 (RV) | ± 2.9% | 47% | 42% | 2% | 9% |
| YouGov/UH | June 27 – July 7, 2022 | 1,006 (LV) | ± 3.1% | 49% | 44% | 2% | 5% |
| YouGov/CBS News | June 22–27, 2022 | 548 (LV) | ± 6.6% | 49% | 41% | 4% | 6% |
| YouGov/UT | June 16–24, 2022 | 1,200 (RV) | ± 2.8% | 45% | 39% | 6% | 10% |
| YouGov/PerryUndem | June 15–24, 2022 | 2,000 (RV) | ± 2.2% | 47% | 43% | 3% | 5% |
| Quinnipiac University | June 9–13, 2022 | 1,257 (RV) | ± 2.8% | 48% | 43% | 2% | 5% |
| Blueprint Polling (D) | June 8–10, 2022 | 603 (LV) | ± 4.0% | 56% | 37% | – | 7% |
| UT Tyler | May 2–10, 2022 | 1,232 (RV) | ± 3.1% | 46% | 39% | 14% | 2% |
| YouGov/UT | April 14–22, 2022 | 1,200 (RV) | ± 2.8% | 48% | 37% | 7% | 9% |
| YouGov/TXHPF | March 18–28, 2022 | 1,139 (LV) | ± 2.9% | 50% | 42% | 3% | 5% |
| Texas Lyceum | March 11–20, 2022 | 926 (RV) | ± 3.2% | 42% | 40% | 7% | 11% |
| Emerson College | February 21–22, 2022 | 1,000 (LV) | ± 3.0% | 52% | 45% | – | 3% |
| UT Tyler | February 8–15, 2022 | 1,188 (RV) | ± 3.1% | 45% | 38% | 16% | 1% |
| Climate Nexus | February 1–9, 2022 | 806 (LV) | ± 3.6% | 45% | 40% | 7% | 8% |
| YouGov/UT | January 28 – February 7, 2022 | 1,200 (RV) | ± 2.8% | 47% | 37% | 6% | 11% |
| UT Tyler | January 18–25, 2022 | 1,072 (RV) | ± 3.5% | 47% | 36% | 16% | 1% |
| YouGov/UH | January 14–24, 2022 | – (LV) | – | 48% | 43% | 3% | 6% |
| Quinnipiac University | December 2–6, 2021 | 1,224 (RV) | ± 2.8% | 52% | 37% | 4% | 6% |
| UT Tyler | November 9–16, 2021 | 1,106 (RV) | ± 3.2% | 45% | 39% | 16% | – |
| Redfield & Wilton Strategies | November 9, 2021 | 884 (RV) | ± 3.3% | 40% | 39% | 5% | 7% |
| Redfield & Wilton Strategies | November 9, 2021 | 854 (LV) | ± 3.4% | 43% | 44% | 5% | 6% |
| YouGov/UT/TT | October 22–31, 2021 | 1,200 (RV) | ± 2.8% | 46% | 37% | 7% | 10% |
| YouGov/TXHPF | October 14–27, 2021 | 1,402 (RV) | ± 3.1% | 43% | 42% | 3% | 12% |
| UT Tyler | September 7–14, 2021 | 1,148 (RV) | ± 3.7% | 42% | 37% | 21% | – |
| UT Tyler | June 22–29, 2021 | 1,090 (RV) | ± 3.0% | 45% | 33% | 22% | – |
| Public Opinion Strategies (R) | June 14–17, 2021 | 800 (LV) | ± 3.5% | 52% | 42% | – | 6% |
Greg Abbott vs. Julián Castro
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Greg Abbott (R) | Julián Castro (D) | Other | Undecided |
| Redfield & Wilton Strategies | November 9, 2021 | 884 (RV) | ± 3.3% | 43% | 35% | 4% | 9% |
| Redfield & Wilton Strategies | November 9, 2021 | 854 (LV) | ± 3.4% | 45% | 39% | 4% | 8% |
Greg Abbott vs. Beto O'Rourke with Matthew McConaughey as an independent
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Greg Abbott (R) | Beto O'Rourke (D) | Matthew McConaughey (I) | Other | Undecided |
| Echelon Insights | August 31 – September 7, 2022 | 813 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 42% | 39% | 13% | – | 6% |
| UT Tyler | November 9–16, 2021 | 1,106 (RV) | ± 3.2% | 37% | 26% | 27% | 10% | – |
| YouGov/TXHPF | October 14–27, 2021 | 1,402 (RV) | ± 3.1% | 40% | 37% | 9% | 2% | 12% |
Greg Abbott vs. Don Huffines
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Greg Abbott (R) | Don Huffines | Other |
| UT Tyler | June 22–29, 2021 | 1,090 (RV) | ± 3.0% | 46% | 22% | 32% |
Greg Abbott vs. Matthew McConaughey
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Greg Abbott (R) | Matthew McConaughey | Other |
| UT Tyler | November 9–16, 2021 | 1,106 (RV) | ± 3.2% | 35% | 43% | 22% |
| UT Tyler | September 7–14, 2021 | 1,148 (RV) | ± 3.7% | 35% | 44% | 21% |
| UT Tyler | June 22–29, 2021 | 1,090 (RV) | ± 3.0% | 39% | 38% | 23% |
| UT Tyler | April 6–13, 2021 | 1,124 (RV) | ± 2.9% | 33% | 45% | 22% |
Greg Abbott vs. generic Democrat
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Greg Abbott (R) | Generic Democrat | Undecided |
| Data for Progress (D) | September 15–22, 2020 | 726 (LV) | ± 3.6% | 46% | 34% | 20% |
Greg Abbott vs. generic opponent
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Greg Abbott (R) | Generic Opponent | Undecided |
| Quinnipiac University | September 24–27, 2021 | 863 (RV) | ± 3.3% | 42% | 51% | 7% |
| Quinnipiac University | June 15–21, 2021 | 1,099 (RV) | ± 3.0% | 46% | 48% | 6% |

### Results

2022 Texas gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Greg Abbott (incumbent) | 4,437,099 | 54.76% | −1.05% |
| | Democratic | Beto O'Rourke | 3,553,656 | 43.86% | +1.35% |
| | Libertarian | Mark Tippetts | 81,932 | 1.01% | −0.68% |
| | Green | Delilah Barrios | 28,584 | 0.35% | N/A |
| | American Solidarity | Jacqueline Abernathy | 1,243 | 0.02% | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 8,102,908 | 100.00% | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,102,908 | 45.85% | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 17,672,143 | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

#### Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

* Culberson (largest city: Van Horn)
* Zapata (largest city: Zapata)

#### Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

* Fort Bend (largest city: Sugar Land)

#### By congressional district

Abbott won 25 of 38 congressional districts.
| District | Abbott | O'Rourke | Representative |
| 1st | 77.3% | 21.7% | Louie Gohmert (117th Congress) |
| 1st | 77.3% | 21.7% | Nathaniel Moran (118th Congress) |
| 2nd | 62.2% | 36.4% | Dan Crenshaw |
| 3rd | 59.2% | 39.5% | Van Taylor (117th Congress) |
| 3rd | 59.2% | 39.5% | Keith Self (118th Congress) |
| 4th | 65.7% | 33.2% | Pat Fallon |
| 5th | 63.4% | 35.4% | Lance Gooden |
| 6th | 65.5% | 34.3% | Jake Ellzey |
| 7th | 35.2% | 63.3% | Lizzie Fletcher |
| 8th | 66.6% | 32.2% | Kevin Brady (117th Congress) |
| 8th | 66.6% | 32.2% | Morgan Luttrell (118th Congress) |
| 9th | 23% | 75.5% | Al Green |
| 10th | 61.5% | 37.1% | Michael McCaul |
| 11th | 73.7% | 25% | August Pfluger |
| 12th | 59.9% | 38.6% | Kay Granger |
| 13th | 74.7% | 24% | Ronny Jackson |
| 14th | 66.5% | 32.1% | Randy Weber |
| 15th | 52.4% | 46.4% | Vicente Gonzalez (117th Congress) |
| 15th | 52.4% | 46.4% | Monica De La Cruz (118th Congress) |
| 16th | 34.7% | 63.7% | Veronica Escobar |
| 17th | 64.8% | 33.9% | Pete Sessions |
| 18th | 25.2% | 73.3% | Sheila Jackson Lee |
| 19th | 76.6% | 22.1% | Jodey Arrington |
| 20th | 32.4% | 66.2% | Joaquín Castro |
| 21st | 60.8% | 37.8% | Chip Roy |
| 22nd | 59.5% | 39.1% | Troy Nehls |
| 23rd | 54.5% | 44.1% | Tony Gonzales |
| 24th | 57.6% | 41% | Beth Van Duyne |
| 25th | 67.9% | 30.9% | Roger Williams |
| 26th | 61.3% | 37.4% | Michael Burgess |
| 27th | 64% | 34.7% | Michael Cloud |
| 28th | 46.4% | 51.7% | Henry Cuellar |
| 29th | 29.9% | 68.4% | Sylvia Garcia |
| 30th | 22.1% | 76.9% | Eddie Bernice Johnson (117th Congress) |
| 30th | 22.1% | 76.9% | Jasmine Crockett (118th Congress) |
| 31st | 61.3% | 37.2% | John Carter |
| 32nd | 34.4% | 64.2% | Colin Allred |
| 33rd | 25.8% | 73% | Marc Veasey |
| 34th | 42.7% | 55.9% | Mayra Flores (117th Congress) |
| 34th | 42.7% | 55.9% | Vicente Gonzalez (118th Congress) |
| 35th | 25.7% | 72.7% | Lloyd Doggett (117th Congress) |
| 35th | 25.7% | 72.7% | Greg Casar (118th Congress) |
| 36th | 67.4% | 31.2% | Brian Babin |
| 37th | 21.4% | 77.2% | Lloyd Doggett |
| 38th | 60.6% | 37.9% | Wesley Hunt |

## Analysis

Texas Democrats hoped for Beto O'Rourke to achieve an upset over the incumbent Greg Abbott, which did not materialize. Abbott won by 10.9%, down from 13.3% in 2018. Abbott's margin was slightly larger than aggregate polling, but virtually in line with the last poll conducted. He won the vast majority of counties (235 out of 254), mostly rural, and by significantly wide margins. In particular, 34 counties, mainly in West Texas and the Texas panhandle, gave Abbott over 90% of the vote. This was the most by any Texas Republican gubernatorial candidate, and the most for any candidate since Democrat Allan Shivers' 1954 re-election.
Abbott won the three largest metro areas in the state, which include Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington in North Texas, Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land in Southeast Texas, and San Antonio–New Braunfels in South-Central Texas. He also won all of the state's mid-sized metro areas outside of the Rio Grande Valley, which include Corpus Christi along the coastal bend; Waco, Killeen–Temple–Fort Hood, and Bryan–College Station in Central Texas; Beaumont–Port Arthur, Tyler and Longview in East Texas; Lubbock, Abilene, and Midland-Odessa in West Texas; and Amarillo in the Panhandle. Abbott also won an urban county, Tarrant, home to Fort Worth and did well in the suburban counties of the Texas Triangle, winning Brazoria, Galveston, and Montgomery counties around Houston; Comal and Guadalupe around San Antonio; Collin, Denton, Ellis, Kaufman, and Rockwall in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex; and Williamson in Greater Austin.
In DFW and Austin specifically, Republican strength had declined somewhat in these metros, with Abbott carrying Collin, Denton, Tarrant, and Williamson by 10.07%, 12.81%, 4.11%, and 0.62% respectively, down from his margins of 19.48%, 20.60%, 10.64%, and 10.71% from 2018. Excluding the largest metro areas, Abbott improved on his 2018 margins.
O'Rourke, despite his loss, did best in most of Texas's urban centers. He carried Travis, home to the state capital Austin (72.6%-25.9%), his best performance in the state; El Paso, his home county, 63.4%-35%; Dallas (62.8%-35.9%); Bexar, home to San Antonio (57.5%-41.1%); and Harris, home to Houston (54%-44.5%). He also carried Hays, a rapidly growing county south of Austin which contains San Marcos and Texas State University along with fast-growing cities of Kyle, and Buda by 54.5%-43.7%. Despite improving on 2018 nominee Lupe Valdez's margins in these counties, he did worse in all of them compared to his Senate campaign in 2018, and, excluding Travis and Hays, worse than Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential race. The only county O'Rourke flipped was suburban Fort Bend outside Houston, which voted for Abbott by 0.2% in 2018, but voted for O'Rourke by 4.68% in this election.
Outside the Texas Triangle and Trans Pecos, the only other area O'Rourke won was heavily Hispanic South Texas along the U.S. border with Mexico. His performance was worse than Valdez's and his own from 2018, which continued the trend of rural Hispanic voters away from the Democrats towards Republicans, but he did outperform Biden from 2020. Counties that voted for Biden by single digits like Duval (2.61%), Starr (5%), and Maverick (9.45%); voted for O'Rourke 11.02%, 17.85%, and 17.68% respectively. Despite this improvement from the 2020 presidential race, Abbott flipped two heavily Hispanic counties, Zapata and Culberson (in the Trans Pecos).
Exit polls according to NBC News showed Abbott winning male (58%-41%) and female voters (51%-48%), whites (66%-33%), and other races (67%-31%), voters over 45 (60%-39%), college graduates (52%-47%) and non-college graduates (56%-43%), and voters who denied the results of the 2020 presidential election (94%-5%). O'Rourke won black voters (84%-15%), Latinos (57%-40%), Asians (52%-48%), voters between 18 and 44 (54%-44%), Independents (49%-47%) and moderates (60%-38%).
Fox News Voter Analysis exit polls showed Abbott winning male (59%-39%) and female voters (51%-48%); whites (68%-30%) and other races and ethnicities (53%-42%); voters over 45 (61%-37%); college graduates (54%-44%), non-college graduates (56%-43%); white men (70%-28%); white women (67%-32%). O'Rourke won African Americans (81%-18%), Latinos (56%-42%); African American men (76%-24%); African American women (85%-13%) and Latina women (61%-37%). O'Rourke also won Latino men (55%-45%).

### Voter demographics

Voter demographic data was collected by CNN. The voter survey is based on exit polls. There were 4,327 total respondents.
2022 Texas gubernatorial election (CNN) :
| Demographic subgroup | Abbott | O'Rourke | % of total vote |
| Ideology ||||
| Liberals | 10 | 89 | 22 |
| Moderates | 38 | 60 | 36 |
| Conservatives | 91 | 9 | 42 |
| Party ||||
| Democrats | 3 | 97 | 30 |
| Republicans | 95 | 5 | 41 |
| Independents | 47 | 49 | 29 |
| Age ||||
| 18–24 years old | 31 | 67 | 9 |
| 25–29 years old | 39 | 61 | 6 |
| 30–39 years old | 47 | 50 | 15 |
| 40–49 years old | 53 | 45 | 16 |
| 50–64 years old | 61 | 38 | 27 |
| 65 and older | 62 | 37 | 27 |
| Gender ||||
| Men | 58 | 41 | 49 |
| Women | 51 | 48 | 51 |
| Marital status ||||
| Married | 63 | 36 | 63 |
| Unmarried | 45 | 54 | 37 |
| Gender by marital status ||||
| Married men | 64 | 35 | 33 |
| Married women | 61 | 38 | 29 |
| Unmarried men | 49 | 49 | 17 |
| Unmarried women | 42 | 58 | 21 |
| Race/ethnicity ||||
| White | 66 | 33 | 62 |
| Black | 15 | 84 | 12 |
| Latino | 40 | 57 | 21 |
| Asian | 48 | 52 | 3 |
| Other | 67 | 31 | 2 |
| Gender by race ||||
| White men | 69 | 30 | 30 |
| White women | 64 | 36 | 32 |
| Black men | 22 | 78 | 6 |
| Black women | 9 | 90 | 6 |
| Latino men | 45 | 53 | 10 |
| Latina women | 36 | 62 | 11 |
| Other racial/ethnic groups | 57 | 42 | 5 |
| Education ||||
| Never attended college | 60 | 40 | 12 |
| Some college education | 53 | 45 | 28 |
| Associate degree | 57 | 41 | 15 |
| Bachelor's degree | 54 | 44 | 26 |
| Advanced degree | 49 | 50 | 18 |
| Education by race ||||
| White college graduates | 60 | 39 | 31 |
| White no college degree | 72 | 27 | 31 |
| Non-white college graduates | 34 | 65 | 14 |
| Non-white no college degree | 35 | 63 | 25 |
| Education by gender/race ||||
| White women with college degrees | 57 | 42 | 15 |
| White women without college degrees | 70 | 29 | 17 |
| White men with college degrees | 63 | 36 | 16 |
| White men without college degrees | 75 | 24 | 14 |
| Non-white | 35 | 64 | 39 |
| Issue regarded as most important ||||
| Crime | 58 | 36 | 11 |
| Inflation | 76 | 22 | 28 |
| Immigration | 88 | 12 | 15 |
| Gun policy | 32 | 67 | 12 |
| Abortion | 19 | 80 | 27 |
| Abortion should be ||||
| Legal | 23 | 75 | 54 |
| Illegal | 92 | 7 | 43 |
| First-time midterm election voter ||||
| Yes | 43 | 57 | 14 |
| No | 55 | 44 | 86 |
| 2020 presidential vote ||||
| Trump | 97 | 2 | 50 |
| Biden | 4 | 96 | 41 |
| Other | N/A | N/A | 3 |
| Did not vote | N/A | N/A | 5 |
| Biden legitimately won in 2020 ||||
| Yes | 25 | 74 | 54 |
| No | 94 | 5 | 42 |
| Area type ||||
| Urban | 49 | 50 | 42 |
| Suburban | 56 | 43 | 47 |
| Rural | 66 | 32 | 11 |