The Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated the Republican governor Greg Abbott on Tuesday in the Texas gubernatorial election, becoming the first Latina to hold this position and the first Democrat to win the governorship of the state in over three decades, reported the agency Associated Press and the Fox News decision desk.
"This night, I make a solemn promise to each of the Texans: whether you voted for me or for Governor Abbott, or whether you felt so betrayed by failed policies that you decided not to vote at all. Hear what Texas has said today, loud and clear: your government belongs to you," said Hinojosa on his social media.
"And, as your governor, I will never forget it. There will be no special rules for the rich and powerful; I will not look the other way when someone from my own party does wrong. The trust you have placed in me tonight is not a blank check; it is a sacred responsibility. And my purpose is to earn it every day," he added.
With 66% of the precincts counted, Hinojosa had accumulated nearly 3.9 million votes (57%) compared to about 2.8 million for Abbott (41%), preliminary results pending official certification.
The last Democrat to govern Texas was Ann Richards, whose term ended in January 1995 when she was defeated by George W. Bush. Since then, no Democrat has won a statewide election in the state, which Abbott has governed for 12 years after taking office in 2015.
"Leading this state has been the greatest honor of my life. Thank you for your support, your love, and for making Texas what it is," Abbott expressed in a farewell. "We believe in freedom above fear, in God above government," he stated.
Hinojosa, 52 years old and state representative for District 49 of Austin since 2017, entered the race last year without significant resources or support from the national Democratic Party, at a time when other higher-profile candidates declined to run. Her campaign focused on a populist message centered around the cost of living and corruption, deliberately avoiding the progressive label despite having served as the vice-chair of the Texas Legislative Progressive Caucus.
"They want to run an entire campaign saying that I am too progressive," Hinojosa said in one of his ads. "I plan to focus my entire campaign on the fact that working people are struggling too much."
His most striking proposal was the so-called "Corruption Tax Refund": a one-time payment of $1,500 per Texas household, funded by the state reserve fund, with an estimated cost of around $17 billion. He also criticized the proliferation of artificial intelligence data centers, accusing Abbott of allowing these facilities to consume energy without control; the governor responded with a temporary moratorium on new approvals.
The defeat of Abbott is particularly striking considering that his campaign spent 180 million dollars since the previous year and that the billionaire Elon Musk invested tens of millions more in support of Texas Republicans, yet it was not enough to change the outcome.
Hinojosa's victory occurred alongside another historic outcome: the Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton in the race for the federal Senate seat in Texas, marking the first Democratic victory in that seat since 1988.
Both results are set against the backdrop of a midterm election in which the Democrats regained control of the House of Representatives, which analysts described as a reflection of the national dissatisfaction with the ruling party during Donald Trump's second term.
Hinojosa will assume the governorship in January 2027, with a state Capitol where Republicans hold a legislative majority, which will test the actual scope of her mandate from day one.
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