Democrat Gina Hinojosa has defeated Republican Governor Greg Abbott in Texas, one of the biggest upsets of Tuesday’s US midterm elections. The Associated Press called the race for Hinojosa, and Abbott conceded at about 10pm local time, according to KSAT and other Texas outlets.
The result ends more than three decades of Republican control of the Texas governor’s office. Hinojosa, 52, will be the state’s first Latina governor and the first Democrat in the governor’s mansion since Ann Richards left office in 1995.
How the race was won
With about two-thirds of precincts reporting, Hinojosa had around 57% of the vote to Abbott’s 41%, a lead of more than one million votes, according to partial returns published by Click2Houston. Libertarian Pat Dixon took about 1%. Final figures are still being counted.
The scale of the win surprised many analysts. Most forecasters had rated the race “Likely Republican” in September, and polling averages then showed Abbott ahead by about three points. Abbott also had a huge money advantage. KSAT reported that he spent nearly $118 million on advertising, compared with about $26 million by Hinojosa.
The Texas Tribune said Hinojosa was helped by a competitive US Senate race on the same ballot, anger over the spread of large data centres, and a national environment that favoured Democrats. More than 7.7 million Texans voted early, a record rate for a midterm. Democrat James Talarico also defeated Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Senate race, ending the GOP’s long run of statewide wins in Texas.
Who is Gina Hinojosa?
Hinojosa is a labour lawyer from Brownsville in the Rio Grande Valley. She serves her fifth term as a state representative for Austin and is a former president of the Austin school board. Public education was at the centre of her campaign.
She strongly opposed Abbott’s private school voucher programme, which lets families use public money for private schooling, and campaigned on what she called “post-partisan” pocketbook issues. She also criticised the influence of Big Tech and the rapid growth of data centres in the state.
Abbott, who first took office in 2015, had sought to become the longest-serving governor in Texas history. He framed the contest as a choice between “common sense and crazy” and attacked Hinojosa as a high-tax liberal.
Her promises
According to KSAT and the Texas Tribune, Hinojosa has pledged to:
- Replace Education Commissioner Mike Morath on her first day in office with an educator.
- End the school voucher programme and overhaul the state’s testing and accountability system.
- Send $1,500 to every Texas household from the state’s Rainy Day savings fund.
- Veto any new gerrymandered electoral maps.
- Push lawmakers to regulate data centres.
The effects: what changes in Texas and beyond
The win gives Democrats control of the executive in America’s second most populous state, which has been a launchpad for conservative policy for a generation. Abbott used his office forcefully through appointments, executive orders, vetoes and emergency declarations, KSAT noted. Hinojosa inherits those powers, including a veto that can block legislation and new district maps.
However, how much she can change will depend on the results of other races, including the lieutenant governor’s office and the Texas House, which control much of the legislative agenda. If Republicans keep control of the legislature, she may face a divided government and frequent standoffs.
Nationally, the result is a heavy symbolic blow to President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, coming on the same night Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress. Texas, with its large Latino and immigrant population, is home to a sizeable Nigerian and African community, particularly in Houston and Dallas. Changes in state policy on education, public spending and cooperation with federal immigration enforcement will be closely watched by these communities.
What happens next
Hinojosa will be sworn in for a four-year term in January 2027. In the coming weeks she is expected to name a transition team and set out her first legislative priorities ahead of the next session of the Texas Legislature.
Sources: Associated Press (via Click2Houston), KSAT, The Texas Tribune, KUT, MultiState, Wikipedia.
