Republican · Governor
Greg Abbott
Record verified Sept. 24, 2026 · Corrections welcome
Greg Abbott is the Republican candidate for Governor in the November 3, 2026 general election. Abbott used a Texas proclamation to designate CAIR, a U.S. Muslim civil-rights and advocacy organization, as a foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organization. Abbott pressed a school district to sever ties with a CAIR-sponsored Islamic Games event. The office signs or vetoes state law, appoints agency heads and many judges, commands the Texas Military Department and directs state emergency powers.
Greg Abbott’s sourced public-service history includes Judge, 129th District Court in Harris County from 1993 to 1995; Justice, Supreme Court of Texas in State of Texas from 1996 to 2001; Attorney General in State of Texas from 2002 to 2015; Governor in State of Texas from 2015 to the present. District-court dates are known only by year (1993 to 1995), so that term is counted conservatively.
The sourced record below also covers: Abbott used a Texas proclamation to designate CAIR, a U.S. Muslim civil-rights and advocacy organization, as a foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organization; Abbott pressed a school district to sever ties with a CAIR-sponsored Islamic Games event; Abbott threatened public-safety grants over a Grand Prairie Eid event, which was later canceled. Each item remains attributed to its original statement, filing, reported account, official action, or court record; allegations are not presented as findings.
Reported coverage
Coverage
Credible reporting and clearly labeled analysis, opinion, interviews, and guides.
Hinojosa presses Abbott over January 6 in TribFest appearance
Coverage of Hinojosa’s campaign message, advertising and argument against Abbott.
Gina Hinojosa launches campaign for governor
A profile of Hinojosa’s entry into the 2026 race against Abbott and the experience she brought to it.
Hinojosa challenges Abbott on education and public schools
Reporting on the candidates’ education records and competing approaches to Texas schools.
Texas Republicans turn against data centers
Reuters examines the political backlash to data centers in Texas and the policy pressure on state leaders.
Record sourced · Reviewed September 24, 2026
Record at a glance
Civil liberties
Expanded state enforcement powers
Abbott used a Texas proclamation to designate CAIR, a U.S. Muslim civil-rights and advocacy organization, as a foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organization.
On November 18, 2025, Abbott's office announced the designation and said it would restrict CAIR's ability to acquire real property in Texas. The allegations are Abbott's and his office's. A state designation is not a federal designation.
Governor Abbott designation proclamation, Nov. 18, 2025 (press release) · OFFICE-STATED / PRIMARY · reviewed September 24, 2026
Abbott pressed a school district to sever ties with a CAIR-sponsored Islamic Games event.
On January 21, 2026, Abbott's office sent a letter to Cypress-Fairbanks ISD objecting to the use of public-school facilities for the Houston Islamic Games because of CAIR-NJ's sponsorship, demanding preservation of records and termination of agreements.
Governor Abbott calls on CFISD to sever ties with CAIR-sponsored Islamic Games (press release) · OFFICE-STATED / PRIMARY · reviewed September 24, 2026
Abbott threatened grant funding and sought investigations over airport ablution facilities.
The Texas Tribune reported on August 14, 2026 that Abbott threatened grant funding and sought investigations over ablution facilities at DFW and Houston airports. Houston said its facility was available to people of all faiths.
Abbott, DFW and IAH airport ablution facilities (Texas Tribune) · REPORTED · reviewed September 24, 2026
Campaign-finance audit
Filing review and source trail
Partial review · checked September 24, 2026
The candidate’s available 2025–2026 TEC reports were reviewed through June 30, 2026. No explicitly identified pro-Israel PAC receipt was located; that finding does not establish a corporate-PAC-free campaign.
Source details
- Filing system
- TEC
- Review period
- 20250101 through 20260630
- Filing ID(s)
- 00051153
- Review scope
- Partial: PAC-name screening of the 2025–2026 Texas Ethics Commission reports through June 30, 2026 is done. Review of large individual donors and full PAC and independent-spending tracing is still outstanding.
How we checked
- Matched the candidate's Texas Ethics Commission filer ID and 2025–2026 reports in the September 24, 2026 bulk export.
- Screened contributor names for identified Israel-policy organizations; a plain word search was rejected because it matched donor surnames.
- Outstanding: list every PAC contributor, review individual donors giving $25,000 or more against independent advocacy sources, and trace independent spending.
PAC & IE receipts
Direct AIPAC, other pro-Israel PAC, IE support and IE opposition remain separate.
View receipts →Major donor context
5 sourced records; individual donations are never labeled PAC money.
View receipts →Israel-linked financial actions
No public info found
Major donor context
Major individual donors with separately documented Israel advocacy
Abbott’s campaign has received major individual donations from figures with separately documented pro-Israel advocacy. Campaign filings establish amounts and donors; outside reporting establishes documented advocacy networks; neither alone proves why a donor made a particular contribution.
View individual-donor receipts · 5
Jeff Yass · individual contribution
The Texas Tribune reported that Jeff Yass gave Abbott’s campaign $6 million in December 2023, then the largest single campaign contribution in Texas history.
Billionaire Jeff Yass gave Greg Abbott $6 million (Texas Tribune) · REPORTED
Jeff Yass · individual contribution
The Texas Tribune later reported that Yass gave Abbott’s campaign another $4 million in April 2024.
Jeff Yass gave Greg Abbott another $4 million (Texas Tribune) · REPORTED
Separately reported advocacy context
The Guardian reported that Yass-controlled funding vehicles were linked to more than $16 million given to anti-Muslim and pro-Israel organizations. That reporting does not establish a motive for Yass’s contributions to Abbott.
Jeff Yass funding and anti-Muslim, pro-Israel organizations (The Guardian) · REPORTED
Miriam Adelson · individual contribution
The Texas Tribune reported from current-cycle filings that Miriam Adelson gave Abbott’s campaign $1 million during the second half of 2025. The Tribune has separately described Adelson as a backer of pro-Israel candidates.
Abbott enters the 2026 race with a $106 million war chest (Texas Tribune) · REPORTED / FILING-DERIVED
Texas Sands PAC context · not an Abbott contribution
The Texas Tribune reported that Miriam Adelson funded Texas Sands PAC. This is separate PAC history; this guide does not attribute a Texas Sands PAC amount to Abbott without an underlying Texas Ethics Commission filing.
Las Vegas Sands-backed PAC forms in Texas (Texas Tribune) · REPORTED
Muslim community engagement
Meeting with Muslim leaders · March 18, 2018
Aga Khan, Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims; Ismaili Muslim community · Houston
Abbott met the Aga Khan in Houston and spoke at a Diamond Jubilee luncheon, praising the Ismaili community's Hurricane Harvey volunteer work and calling the relationship a lasting friendship.
Texas Governor Abbott and His Highness the Aga Khan reaffirm longstanding partnership (Aga Khan Development Network) · ORGANIZATION-STATED / PRIMARY
Mosque or Islamic center visit · August 7, 2018
Ismaili Jamatkhana, Cedar Park · Cedar Park
Abbott headlined the opening of the Ismaili Jamatkhana in Cedar Park, toured the prayer and gathering center and thanked Ismaili volunteers for Hurricane Harvey relief.
Abbott joins Ismaili Muslims in opening Cedar Park community center (Austin American-Statesman) · REPORTED
Years in public office: 30 years
Judge, 129th District Court · Harris County
1993 – 1995 · Governor Greg Abbott (Office of the Texas Governor)
Justice, Supreme Court of Texas · State of Texas
1996-01-02 – 2001-06-06 · Texas Judicial System annual report, 1996 (Office of Court Administration)
Attorney General · State of Texas
2002-12-02 – 2015-01-05 · Portraits of Texas Governors, 1991–present (Texas State Library and Archives)
Governor · State of Texas
2015-01-20 – present · Portraits of Texas Governors, 1991–present (Texas State Library and Archives)
District-court dates are known only by year (1993 to 1995), so that term is counted conservatively.
Completed years of elected or appointed government service as of September 24, 2026, with overlapping terms counted once. Some dates are known only by year or month, so the count is conservative until exact dates are confirmed.
What to know
Certified for the November 3, 2026 ballot as the Republican candidate.
Abbott used a Texas proclamation to designate CAIR, a U.S. Muslim civil-rights and advocacy organization, as a foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organization.
Governor Abbott designation proclamation, Nov. 18, 2025 (press release)
Abbott pressed a school district to sever ties with a CAIR-sponsored Islamic Games event.
Governor Abbott calls on CFISD to sever ties with CAIR-sponsored Islamic Games (press release)
Evidence
Muslims, Islam & Civil Rights — Documented Record
November 18, 2025 · action · Official record
Abbott used a Texas proclamation to designate CAIR, a U.S. Muslim civil-rights and advocacy organization, as a foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organization.
On November 18, 2025, Abbott's office announced the designation and said it would restrict CAIR's ability to acquire real property in Texas. The allegations are Abbott's and his office's. A state designation is not a federal designation.
Why it matters for this office: The governor can issue proclamations and direct state agencies.
Receipts · 2
Governor Abbott designation proclamation, Nov. 18, 2025 (press release) · OFFICE-STATED / PRIMARY · Last reviewed September 24, 2026
Also: Texas governor declares Muslim civil-rights group a terrorist organization (Associated Press) · REPORTED
Response · ORGANIZATION RESPONSE
CAIR has publicly disputed Abbott's account, including his description of a federal court decision blocking his demand for the group's donor records. Its statement is a party's response, not independent proof either way.
Source: CAIR press release
January 21, 2026 · action · Official record
Abbott pressed a school district to sever ties with a CAIR-sponsored Islamic Games event.
On January 21, 2026, Abbott's office sent a letter to Cypress-Fairbanks ISD objecting to the use of public-school facilities for the Houston Islamic Games because of CAIR-NJ's sponsorship, demanding preservation of records and termination of agreements.
Why it matters for this office: A record of the governor's use of office toward a Muslim community event.
Receipts · 1
Governor Abbott calls on CFISD to sever ties with CAIR-sponsored Islamic Games (press release) · OFFICE-STATED / PRIMARY · Last reviewed September 24, 2026
September 24, 2026 · action · Independent reporting
Abbott threatened public-safety grants over a Grand Prairie Eid event, which was later canceled.
The Houston Chronicle reported that Abbott threatened more than $500,000 in public-safety grants. The event was later canceled after an originally restrictive flyer had been revised to say all were welcome, with a modest-dress rule.
Why it matters for this office: The governor's office administers public-safety grants to local governments.
Receipts · 1
Abbott and the Grand Prairie Muslim event (Houston Chronicle) · REPORTED · Last reviewed September 24, 2026
August 14, 2026 · action · Independent reporting
Abbott threatened grant funding and sought investigations over airport ablution facilities.
The Texas Tribune reported on August 14, 2026 that Abbott threatened grant funding and sought investigations over ablution facilities at DFW and Houston airports. Houston said its facility was available to people of all faiths.
Why it matters for this office: The governor's office administers state grants to local governments.
Receipts · 1
Abbott, DFW and IAH airport ablution facilities (Texas Tribune) · REPORTED · Last reviewed September 24, 2026
Democracy & Civil LibertiesOpen
No candidate-specific record was located for this category in the sources reviewed through September 24, 2026.
How we checked
Family & Household PolicyOpen
No candidate-specific record was located for this category in the sources reviewed through September 24, 2026.
How we checked
Office-Specific Record & AuthorityOpen
No candidate-specific record was located for this category in the sources reviewed through September 24, 2026.
How we checked
Muslim Community EngagementOpen
No candidate-specific record was located for this category in the sources reviewed through September 24, 2026.
How we checked
Political Money & Israel-Policy Organizations
No public info found
Palestine, Israel & Foreign PolicyOpen
The Texas governor does not set U.S. foreign policy. This section appears only for documented statements or state actions that materially touch foreign-policy-related organizations, contracts or investments.
This issue falls largely outside the authority of this office. We include it only when the candidate has addressed it publicly.
How we checked
Ballot listing: 2026 General Election statewide sample ballot, Texas Secretary of State. Page last reviewed September 24, 2026. Return to the Governor race overview. Methods & authorship. Corrections & updates.