Texas Democrat gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa pulled off a surprise victory against incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.
Abbott was running for a fourth term as governor.
Hinojosa is a former Austin ISD board president who was elected in 2012 after her son's school faced closure. She made defending public schools her primary focal point and was an aggressive critic of Abbott for supporting school choice.
Her campaign also focused on cutting family costs, expanding health care, defending public schools and fighting corporate influence.
On the other side, Abbott pledged to focus on securing the border, supporting law enforcement, empowering parents through school choice and expanding economic opportunity.
Abbott won the March 3, 2026, Republican primary with 82 percent, while Hinojosa won the Democratic primary with about 59 percent over a field including former Rep. Chris Bell.
🚨 LMAO! Democrats just got CAUGHT manufacturing a Republican voting against Greg Abbott for Texas Governor "The author was paid $57,000 by Gina Hinojosa" Brutal 💀💀 Their entire movement is fake! https://t.co/kTJCb0CzQi
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) November 2, 2026
Hinojosa vowed to fire Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath, end state takeovers, end the $1 billion voucher program, and return Houston ISD to local control after its 2023 takeover, according to the Houston Press. She also attacked data-center tax exemptions and Abbott's Operation Lone Star.
BREAKING: Polymarket projects Gina Hinojosa has unseated Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, becoming the first Democrat to win the office since 1990 — 99% chance. https://t.co/kR7a5nS2DF
— Polymarket (@Polymarket) November 4, 2026
This race was quieter than most and did not garner the level of attention as Texas’ Senate race. Most polling showed Abbott ahead of Hinojosa by five points in the weeks leading up to the election, and people were more focused on closer races.
Hinojosa will be the first Democrat elected governor of Texas since 1990.