Texas Democrats avoid abortion talk as costs of ban rise

Gina Hinojosa’s campaign video features a 60-second account of her daughter’s death from trisomy 18, a genetic condition that ends in death after birth. The clip airs ahead of the November midterms and focuses on Hinojosa’s personal grief. It contains no mention of abortion laws or reproductive rights. The silence contrasts with her nearly decade-long record in the Texas House, where she voted for pro-abortion measures. Hinojosa’s voice cracks as she recounts the doctor telling her the baby would not live. She says she chose the child. The ad frames her motivation for running on schools and the economy, leaving reproductive health out of the narrative entirely.

Advocates say the strategy confuses their base. Raven Freeborn, CEO of Avow Texas, noted that the group endorses Hinojosa but found the spot disappointing. Freeborn argues that avoiding the word abortion increases stigma. She described the issue as a crisis that ends in death. Freeborn urged candidates to be direct about their positions on access. The campaign appears to target moderate and Republican voters in a competitive race. Hinojosa has stated she is focused on an economic agenda and has no interest in culture wars. She told the Texas Tribune that her priorities are reality-based and financial. This approach mirrors a broader Democratic trend in the state.

James Talarico, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, has also kept abortion off the center of his campaign. In a CNN town hall, he told a pro-life voter they could find common ground. He emphasized reducing unplanned pregnancies through sex education and contraception. Talarico, a Presbyterian seminarian, has said the Bible is silent on abortion. His opponent, Attorney General Ken Paxton, has used his office to defend strict state bans. Paxton has threatened hospitals and doctors with legal action. He also fought in court against women who suffered under the ban. Talarico’s campaign listed Paxton’s actions as a response to criticism about his own silence. They did not announce a new focus on the issue for the trail.

State Senator Nathan Johnson is running for attorney general against Mayes Middleton. His campaign website omits abortion rights as a priority. This differs from the 2022 race, where Democrat Rochelle Garza made the issue a key focus. Garza vowed to stop enforcement of the ban then. Johnson’s approach reflects a cautious strategy among statewide candidates. Local House candidates, however, are speaking more vocally about reproductive rights. Freeborn identified a clear gap between down-ballot and top-of-ticket messaging. She called the top-level silence an intentional choice. She described the current avoidance as a wasted opportunity to criticize Paxton.

Polling data suggests the public is not aligned with this caution. A summer poll by the University of Texas at Austin’s Texas Politics Project found that 40 percent of Texans strongly disapprove of how lawmakers have handled abortion policy. 43 percent believe the laws should be less strict. A 2025 study from the University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs found that almost half of Texans want laws that make access easier. More than 80 percent support exceptions for rape, incest, and lethal fetal diagnosis. Joshua Blank, the Texas Politics Project research director, said Democrats feel campaigning on abortion is a losing proposition. He pointed to past losses by Wendy Davis and Beto O’Rourke. Both candidates faced backlash for their stances or their focus on the issue.

Affordability is the dominant theme in the current midterm cycle. Rising fuel, housing, and food prices have made cost of living a primary concern for voters. Blank said economic stress crowds out social issues like abortion care. Hinojosa has reinforced this focus by describing her agenda as economic. Advocates argue that abortion is tied directly to affordability in Texas. Traveling out of state for care can cost thousands in gas, flights, and lost wages. Maria Puerto, a single mother in a recent lawsuit, requested $459,782 to cover the average cost of raising two children. She was forced into two pregnancies while earning minimum wage. The Institute for Women’s Policy Research estimates that current laws cost the state economy nearly $15 billion annually. Shellie Hayes-McMahon of Planned Parenthood Texas Votes said the bans are killing women and that the issue remains central to voters despite candidate caution.