Texas Border Business
By Texas Border Business
AUSTIN, Texas — Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in the November 3, 2026, general election, becoming Texas’ first Latina elected governor and the first Democrat to win the office in more than three decades.
According to preliminary Associated Press results early Wednesday, Hinojosa received 5,057,741 votes, representing 52.8%, compared with Abbott’s 4,379,950 votes, or 45.7%.
Libertarian candidate Pat Dixon received 140,972 votes, representing 1.5%. Approximately 94.3% of precincts had reported when those figures were recorded.
Abbott conceded Tuesday night, ending his bid for a fourth consecutive term. He first took office in January 2015.
Hinojosa, 52, will become the first Democratic governor since Ann Richards, who served from 1991 to 1995. She will also become the third woman to serve as Texas governor.
Born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley, Hinojosa attended public schools in Brownsville and graduated from the University of Texas. She later earned her law degree from George Washington University.
Before entering elected office, Hinojosa worked as a civil rights and labor attorney, representing workers and labor organizations.
Her political career began with the Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees. She ran for election after her son’s elementary school faced possible closure and later served as board president.
Hinojosa was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2016 and began representing a central Austin district in January 2017.
During her legislative career, she served on committees addressing public education and business issues. She supported increased public-school funding, teacher compensation, and expanded healthcare access.
Her gubernatorial campaign focused on affordability, public education, and concerns about corporate influence in state government.
Hinojosa proposed using state emergency reserves to provide one-time $1,500 payments to Texas households. She also opposed the state’s school voucher program and called for restrictions on additional data center development.
Abbott campaigned on his administration’s record, border security, property tax relief and continued Republican leadership.
The candidates differed substantially over education policy and the state’s approach to addressing household expenses.
Hinojosa’s Rio Grande Valley background connects her political career to a region where Abbott had invested considerable attention in border security and Republican voter outreach.
After her victory, Hinojosa addressed supporters in Austin and acknowledged the election’s significance.
“We did not end one era of single-party rule to usher in another,” she said, according to The Texas Tribune.
Abbott congratulated Hinojosa and acknowledged his defeat.
The governor-elect is expected to take office in January 2027, succeeding Abbott after 12 years in office.
The reported election figures remain preliminary until the statewide vote count is complete and the results are officially certified.
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