Gina Hinojosa Defeats Abbott to Win Texas Governorship
WHO:
NBC News Politics - Texas Governor Greg Abbott conceded his reelection bid to Democratic challenger Gina Hinojosa.
CBS News - Gina Hinojosa is a Democrat and state representative from Austin who grew up in McAllen; Greg Abbott is a Republican incumbent who first took office in January 2015.
CBS News - Hinojosa will become the third woman to serve as Texas governor, after Ann Richards and Miriam A. Ferguson. Ferguson held the office during two separate terms in the 1920s and 1930s.
CBS News - Ann Richards served as governor from 1991 to 1995.
WHAT:
Click2Houston - Gina Hinojosa said she wants to send every Texas household a one-time $1,500 refund, using $17 billion from the state’s approximately $27 billion Rainy Day Fund while retaining about $10 billion in reserves; the plan requires legislative approval.
Click2Houston - Hinojosa said data centers should pay sales tax on the electricity they use, saying the current exemption costs Texas more than $1 billion annually. She also wants an immediate moratorium on new data centers and an end to tax breaks for them.
Click2Houston - Hinojosa said she supports legislation repealing the private-school portion of Texas’ education savings account program, while acknowledging that repeal would need to pass both legislative chambers.
Click2Houston - Hinojosa said she would push the Legislature to expand Medicaid, prioritizing health care access for every Texas child; she said the federal government pays most of the cost.
Click2Houston - Hinojosa’s platform proposes ending corporate subsidies to reduce property taxes, with the goal of eliminating residential property taxes.
Click2Houston - Hinojosa did not promise to eliminate border-security funding, saying, “I will spend the money it takes to keep our community safe, not for political theater.”
Click2Houston - Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick conceded his race to Democrat Vikki Goodwin.
Click2Houston - Patrick described the result as “a fair election” and said he accepted “the majority will of the voters.”
Click2Houston - Patrick called the election “a wave election in Texas and across the country” and cited affordability, gas prices, data centers and 765-kV lines among the issues voters considered.
Click2Houston - Patrick said Texas Republicans had work to do going into 2028 to take the state back from Democratic control.
NBC News Politics - Hinojosa defeated Abbott, ending his three-term tenure.
CBS News - CBS News projected that Hinojosa defeated Abbott in the 2026 Texas gubernatorial race.
CBS News - Hinojosa’s victory makes her the first Democrat elected Texas governor in more than three decades.
CBS News - Hinojosa’s win ends the Republican hold on the governor’s office that began in January 1995, when George W. Bush succeeded Richards. Republicans held the office through the administrations of Bush, Rick Perry and Abbott.
CBS News - Hinojosa campaigned on affordability, public education and issues affecting Texas families; she criticized Abbott’s leadership and said voters were more concerned about rising costs than political divisions.
CBS News - Abbott announced a pause on new state permits for data centers. Hinojosa questioned his commitment to the restrictions and joined other Democrats in calling for a moratorium until lawmakers could establish additional protections for residents.
CBS News - Hinojosa opposed Abbott’s school voucher program and advocated greater investment in public schools, higher teacher salaries and changes to standardized testing.
WHERE:
CBS News - The race was for governor of Texas; Hinojosa is a state representative from Austin and grew up in McAllen.
WHEN:
Click2Houston - Hinojosa is scheduled to be sworn in as Texas governor in January.
CBS News - A University of Texas at Austin poll released in August showed Abbott leading Hinojosa, 45% to 40%, with 10% of voters undecided.
CBS News - Abbott sought a fourth consecutive term; Hinojosa is expected to take office in January 2027.
HOW:
Click2Houston - Patrick said his Senate accomplishments included increasing average teacher pay from $54,000 to $69,000, adding $40 billion in school funding and passing school choice for 100,000 families.
CBS News - The race became increasingly competitive in the months leading up to Election Day, with some polls showing the gap between the candidates narrowing.
(UPDATED November 4, 2026 16:00 UTC)
Gina Hinojosa defeated Greg Abbott, ending Republicans’ decades-long hold on Texas’s governorship. She becomes the first Democrat elected governor in more than three decades and the state’s third female governor. Hinojosa takes office in January, promising a household refund and stricter data-center rules.
--
(UPDATED November 4, 2026 15:05 UTC)
Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated Greg Abbott, ending Republicans’ decades-long hold on Texas’s governorship. She’ll become the first Democrat elected governor in more than three decades. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick also conceded to Democrat Vikki Goodwin, calling the result fair.
--
(UPDATED November 4, 2026 10:02 UTC)
Gina Hinojosa defeated Greg Abbott, ending his three-term tenure as Texas governor. Her victory makes her the first Democrat elected governor there in over three decades. Hinojosa, who campaigned on affordability and public education, is expected to take office in January 2027.