Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a “Get out the Vote” event at Cypress Trail Hideout in Cypress on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. State contractors give millions to Abbott, creating a perception of corruption that most states and the federal government do not allow.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott shakes hands with supporters at a GOP “Get out the Vote” event at Cypress Trail Hideout in Cypress on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. State contractors give millions to Abbott, creating a perception of corruption that most states and the federal government do not allow.

Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa speaks at a Powered by People rally in support of voting rights at the Texas Capitol in Austin. Hinojosa has promised to make corruption her main issue while running for governor.

Companies looking to score contracts with the state of Texas would do well to have at least one of three things: a billionaire benefactor, a well-connected lobbyist or a fat checkbook.

Texas hired a New York education-technology firm to administer the new school voucher program last week, which entitles it to a 5% cut of every tax dollar spent on private schools. Unsurprisingly, the contract went to Odyssey, a for-profit company that previously received a $500,000 grant from Jeff Yass, a billionaire investor and gambler from Pennsylvania.

Last year, Yass gave Gov. Greg Abbott $6 million to help push a school voucher program through the Legislature, and he attended the bill’s signing ceremony. While Yass has no known financial interest in Odyssey, the company is backed by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. Fund founder Marc Andreesen and Yass are part of a consortium that President Donald Trump chose to take over TikTok in........

© Houston Chronicle