Cuban, Mark
1958–
Mark Cuban's Cost Plus Drugs framework — radical pharmacy-pricing transparency, opposition to PBM gouging, support for IVF and reproductive choice, and Dallas-Texas-Democrat-coded business pragmatism — aligns Hinojosa's anti-private-equity-healthcare framing and her targeting of 'big insurance and big drug companies.' Abbott's IVF posture ('I simply don't know the answer'), refusal of Medicaid expansion, and lack of a state pharmacy-pricing or PBM-reform initiative cut against Cuban. On the small-business strand, Abbott earns credit for the veteran-owned franchise-tax exemption and R&D credit; Hinojosa earns credit for HB 3488 Public Benefit Corporations. Hinojosa is the substantially closer Cuban fit on the healthcare-pricing centerpiece; both candidates pick up partial small-business credit.
Sources
- Governing, 'Texas governor still won't expand Medicaid,' archived analysis of Abbott's repeated rejection of Medicaid expansion. (full list)
- Eleanor Klibanoff, 'Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says IVF should be protected, but: I simply don't know the answer,' Texas Tribune, Feb. 26, 2024. (full list)
- CBS Austin, 'Dem nominee for governor Gina Hinojosa weighs in on school budget crises and immigration,' March 2026. (full list)
- Texas Legislature Online, HB 3488 (85R, 2017), Gina Hinojosa author — creating Texas Public Benefit Corporations. (full list)
- Mark Cuban, Cost Plus Drugs (2022) — transparent-pricing pharmacy model; Maverick ownership and business writing. (full list)