Texas State Board of Education member Evelyn Brooks has filed to challenge Governor Greg Abbott in the March 2026 Republican primary, setting up a David-versus-Goliath contest as Abbott seeks an unprecedented fourth term with a $106 million campaign war chest. Brooks, who represents District 14 on the State Board of Education, confirmed her gubernatorial intentions in November 2025 after filing for a treasurer appointment earlier that month, according to the Amarillo Pioneer.
The Challenger’s Background
Brooks assumed her position on the Texas State Board of Education on January 1, 2023, representing North and Central Texas areas, including parts of Denton, Dallas, and Johnson counties. A graduate of Bowie State University, she previously taught for Denver Public Schools and Fairfax County Public Schools before entering Texas politics, the Amarillo Pioneer reported.
Her State Board of Education biography emphasizes her “extensive experience educating and helping youth to develop a Biblical worldview, challenging them to strive for excellence, to think independently, and to develop self-discipline and self-control,” according to the Amarillo Pioneer. Brooks’ campaign website states she is running “to bring common-sense solutions back to our state,” advocating for “strong public schools rooted in proven teaching methods, a responsible budget that respects taxpayers, and real relief from rising property taxes”.
Abbott’s Formidable Advantage
Governor Abbott enters the 2026 race with overwhelming financial and political advantages that political analysts say make his renomination virtually certain. The Texas Tribune reported that Abbott raised almost $23 million from July through December 2025 alone, bringing his total campaign war chest to $106 million.
“When you look at the recent polls, the race right now is hers to lose,” political analyst Brian Smith from St. Edwards University told FOX 7 Austin, referring to Abbott’s Democratic challenger Gina Hinojosa, while noting that “the biggest obstacle, though, is Greg Abbott. He’s still well-funded”. Abbott’s strategy of targeting Republican incumbents in primary races has evolved significantly since 2017, when his $40 million war chest first shocked the political establishment, according to Texas Tribune reporters Kayla Guo and Alejandro Serrano.
Primary Landscape and Abbott’s Political Strategy
Brooks is one of multiple Republican primary challengers Abbott faces in March 2026, though she represents his most notable opposition on a crowded GOP primary ballot, FOX 7 Austin reported. Other Republican candidates include Bob Achgill, a literary researcher and 2024 Bryan City Council candidate, and Pete Chambers, a former Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Special Forces.
In his last primary election in 2022, Abbott defeated several high-profile challengers to claim the Republican nomination, the Amarillo Pioneer noted. If Abbott successfully wins a fourth term and serves it through completion, he would become Texas’s longest-serving governor with 16 years on January 21, 2031, surpassing the 14 years of his predecessor, Rick Perry.
Stakes for Texas Republicans
The Republican primary contest unfolds as Abbott has announced an aggressive plan to flip Harris County, Texas’s most populous county, to Republican control by recruiting GOP candidates to contest every state House seat, including traditionally blue districts. Dave Carney, Abbott’s chief strategist, confirmed the governor’s commitment to significant financial investment in this effort, according to reporting from the Texas Tribune.
The 2026 gubernatorial race will test Abbott’s continued dominance in Texas politics amid challenges, including debates over school choice and property taxes. The primary election is scheduled for March 3, 2026, with the general election following on November 3, 2026.