Gov. Greg Abbott is on track to consolidate even more power if he wins an unprecedented fourth term in November.

Why it matters: Abbott has redefined the powers of a Texas governor, is largely unchallenged within his party and has remained relatively popular over his 11 years in power.

• If he wins in November, Abbott could break former Gov. Rick Perry's record of 14 years and one month in office.

What they're saying: "He can be governor as long as he wants," Cal Jillson, political science professor at Southern Methodist University, tells Axios.

Zoom in: Abbott has exercised power through disaster declarations, veto threats and state agency control, even as Texas governors are institutionally weak, Brandon Rottinghaus, political science professor at the University of Houston, tells Axios.

• The governor wields major influence over the state Legislature, using his fundraising prowess in 2024 to help oust GOP lawmakers who opposed his school voucher program, which passed last year.
• "The strongest governors are the ones who can make the most of the powers that they have. He's done that," Rottinghaus says of Abbott. "He's pushed Texas' traditionally weak governor model close to its limits."

The other side: "All indicators are that this is the perfect opportunity, kind of perfect storm of opportunities, to be running for change," state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, the Austin Democrat challenging Abbott, tells Axios.

• Hinojosa emphasized strong Democratic turnout in this year's primary election, and signs that Texas Hispanic voters are turning back toward Democrats, as signals that the party can perform better in November.

"Governor Abbott's main focus is building on Texas' record of success and delivering even more results for hardworking families," Abbott spokesperson Andrew Mahaleris tells Axios in a statement.

What's next: Texans can expect Abbott to exert more executive power and be more willing to bypass or pressure the Legislature next year if he wins reelection, Rottinghaus says.

• Property tax relief is Abbott's top priority for next year's legislative session, Mahaleris says.

Go deeper

A San Antonio company had a hand in bringing "Malcolm in the Middle" back to screens.

Catch up quick: The reboot of the hit show starring Frankie Muniz as Malcom is now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu, with visual effects work by White Rhino VFX — a local production company led by Daniel Saldivar.

• The reboot, which debuted April 10, is set nearly 20 years after the original series. Now a dad, Malcolm gets pulled back into his family's chaos during a reunion for his parents' 40th anniversary.

What they did: White Rhino VFX helped polish scenes, including combining parts of different takes into a single smoother scene, erasing visible gear or crew from shots and enhancing effects so they appear more natural.

• The team focused on creating "invisible" enhancements that support the story without drawing attention, Saldivar tells Axios in an email.

What they're saying: "Great visual effects aren't always seen — they're felt," Saldivar says. "Our goal is always to enhance what's on-screen in a way that feels completely natural to the audience."

Zoom out: This isn't White Rhino VFX's first mainstream project. Saldivar and his team have worked on projects for Megan Thee Stallion, Santana and "Fortnite."

Flashback: Saldivar started the company in 2012 while he was a full-time student.

• He's a Warren High School and UT San Antonio graduate.

Monday's flooding left one person dead and prompted at least two dozen calls to the San Antonio Fire Department for water rescues. (SA Report)

Two suspected natural gas explosions in a North Side neighborhood last night left five people hospitalized, including a child. 10 homes were evacuated and utilities were shut off in the surrounding area. (WOAI)

🏀 The Spurs fell 106–103 to the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 2 of the series. Game 3 will be in Portland on Friday. (ESPN)

🚗 Waymo temporarily paused operations in San Antonio after one of its unoccupied vehicles entered a flooded road. (KSAT)

• It's unclear when service will resume. Rides remained unavailable as of yesterday afternoon.

🏙️ A local builder has begun construction on luxury townhomes in Government Hill. Pricing could start in the $700,000s. (SA Business Journal 🔑)

🍪 Insomnia Cookies will open a downtown location on Saturday on Houston Street. (CultureMap SA)

You can now bid on art created by Pre-K 4 SA students while benefitting a local nonprofit.

The big picture: The "Gracias San Antonio: Children Are Citizens Project" aims to help kids express their opinions while participating in civic and cultural life in San Antonio.

How it works: The kids voted in November on a local nonprofit to support this year and chose the Children's Shelter, which aids children and families impacted by or at risk of abuse and neglect.

• Throughout the year, they explored places across San Antonio, like the Monarch Butterfly Festival, Muertos Fest and the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.
• In the spring, local artists joined the classroom to create art with the kids about their experiences at the places they visited.

What's next: The auction continues through May 1. All proceeds go to the Children's Shelter.

• View the pieces and place bids online.

💭 Our thought bubble: Scrolling through these talented kids' art makes it easy to feel confident in future generations.