Gina Hinojosa becomes Texas governor, ending GOP streak
The Austin state representative defeated incumbent Greg Abbott, marking the first Democratic win in the state since 1995.
By Kevin Iyer ·
Gina Hinojosa, a 52-year-old state representative from Austin, defeated incumbent Greg Abbott for the office of Texas governor. The Associated Press called the race, confirming that Hinojosa has ended more than three decades of Republican control of the position.
This result denies Abbott, 68, a fourth term. Hinojosa will take office in January 2027. She will be the first Latina to serve as Texas governor. She will also be the first Democrat to hold the post since Ann Richards left office in 1995.
Hinojosa ran on a platform focused on public education and the cost of living for families. A former Austin school board president who grew up in the Rio Grande Valley, she campaigned against the state's current Republican leadership. Her agenda included opposing the private school voucher program that Abbott championed. That program began in 2026 and allocated $1 billion in tax money to students attending private schools.
Hinojosa pledged to replace Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath, a software developer and investor, with a professional educator. In contrast, Abbott argued that he had made the state safer, particularly through border security measures. He also promised to lower property taxes for residents.
David Crockett, a political science professor at Trinity University in San Antonio, described a potential victory for Hinojosa as an earthquake in the state's political history. He noted that the Democratic win would stand out after decades of Republican successes in statewide races.
Crockett warned that Hinojosa will likely face a Republican-led legislature. He stated that passing meaningful legislation will require finding common ground, a process he called difficult. Nancy Sims, a political science lecturer at the University of Houston, attributed the potential Democratic breakthrough to voter frustration with the federal government and President Donald Trump.
Sims said that if Democrats won in Texas in 2026, it would be driven by anger at Washington. The election results reflect a shift in voting patterns that analysts had predicted before Election Day.
