Jimmy Blacklock

[upbeat music] Straight ahead here, on the eve of early voting, a new poll shows Gina Hinojosa narrowly leading Governor Greg Abbott.

The Democratic Governors Association finally investing in her campaign, but how close will this race really be? And is the rural Republican vote undercounted? Plus, the Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court, Jimmy Blacklock, in a rare interview, running for a third term, defending the court's independence from politics, and his efforts to hold judges accountable.

Plus, she grew up homeless, elected to the Third Court of Appeals, and now wants voters to make her the new Chief Justice.

Democrat Maggie Ellis from Austin on her campaign for the state Supreme Court.

Abby, Gabby, and Jessica, back to you in just a moment here.

A lot more ahead, including this.

[upbeat music] When we come back, who will lead the state's highest court? A rare interview with the incumbent chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court, Jimmy Blacklock, and his Democratic opponent, Judge Maggie Ellis, with a background unlike any of her colleagues.

Inside Texas Politics back in a moment.

The center denied that Talarico had been a patient at its facility in an ex-post Sunday evening, saying, quote, "Representative James Talarico has never received treatment from Lindner Center of Hope." In other news, incumbents appointed by Governor Greg Abbott are on the ballot for the Texas Supreme Court this year.

Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock and Justices James P. Sullivan, Kyle Hawkins, and Brett Busby are this year's Republican nominees for the Supreme Court of Texas, the state's court of last resort for civil cases.

Respectively, they face Democratic challengers Justice Maggie Ellis, Justice Shari Kelly, Judge Kristin Hawkins, and Justice Gisela Triana.

Abbott appointed all four of the Republican incumbents.