Democratic nominee Gina Hinojosa posted a video from a San Antonio news conference calling on Gov. Greg Abbott to meet her at the Governor’s Mansion in Austin on Oct. 15 at 10 a.m. In the clip, she says that if he is “not man enough to debate” her, he does not deserve to be governor of Texas. The post drew strong engagement as replies split between users urging him to show and others asking why he should debate her.
The video shows Hinojosa at a podium with news microphones, speaking outdoors on stone steps. She says, “Governor Abbott, I’m calling on you to meet me at the Governor’s Mansion in one week, October 15th at 10 AM, to defend your record and so Texans can hear my plan to secure the American dream in Texas.”
She then adds, “And if you are not man enough to debate me, then you don’t deserve to be the governor of Texas, Greg Abbott.” The clip doesn’t show Abbott, and it doesn’t show any response from him.
The Houston Chronicle reported that the remarks came at a news conference in San Antonio. Hearst Newspapers and NBCUniversal stations had invited both candidates to a debate in Fort Worth on Oct. 15. Hinojosa accepted.
Abbott’s campaign did not respond, and it did not immediately answer a Chronicle request for comment Thursday afternoon. The paper noted that Abbott has debated each of his past Democratic challengers. At the same appearance, she said, “I will come to him,” and “Please stop hiding from the voters.”
How Viewers Are Responding to the Debate Challenge
Some users backed the challenge. One wrote, “That’s right, Gina. If he’s not man enough to stand at a podium and debate you, he’s not fit for Governor. Can’t believe he won’t stand up for himself.”
Another said, “A real man would debate. Just saying…” A third posted, “Go get him, Gina,” and one supporter wrote, “I’m voting blue for sure. ¡Sí se puede, Gina Hinojosa!”
Others said Abbott had no reason to show. One commenter wrote, “What’s there to debate? He’s winning.” Another said, “Abbott does NOT have to debate you,” and a third wrote, “Texas is RED. Texas will stay RED,” pointing to her voting record and what the commenter called DSA involvement.
Away from X, the Chronicle treated the moment as another unanswered invitation rather than a set debate. It reported that the Oct. 15 stop at the mansion is unlikely to be more than a news conference if Abbott does not accept, and quoted Hinojosa saying voters would “know that their governor, Greg Abbott, is not man enough to debate.”
For now, the Oct. 15 date is on the calendar, and Abbott’s campaign has not said whether he will be there. The exchange adds one more moment to a gubernatorial race that has already turned on whether the two candidates will debate before Texas votes.
