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Who is Gina Hinojosa? 6 things to know about the Democrat who just toppled Greg Abbott
A Brownsville-born labor lawyer and school-board veteran becomes Texas' first Latina governor.
Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated three-term Gov. Greg Abbott, who conceded Tuesday night, according to The Texas Tribune. She will be Texas' first Latina governor and the first Democrat in the office since Ann Richards.
Texas just did the unthinkable twice. Alongside James Talarico's Senate win, Gina Hinojosa beat Gov. Greg Abbott, denying him a record fourth term, The Texas Tribune reported. Abbott conceded at 10 p.m. and called her to congratulate her. Here's who she is.
1. She's a Brownsville native and a labor lawyer
Per the Tribune, Hinojosa, 52, is a labor lawyer by trade from Brownsville who said she never intended to run for office.
2. A school closure got her into politics
The potential closure of her son's elementary school in 2012 spurred her to run for the Austin ISD school board, where she became board president. She was elected to the Texas House in 2016 and made public education her focus, the Tribune reported.
3. She was the ultimate underdog
Few outside Central Texas knew her when she launched in October 2025. Abbott entered the year with over $100 million cash on hand, and she overcame a more than four-to-one spending gap, per the Tribune. An August UT Austin poll had Abbott up 45% to 40%, CBS News Texas noted.
4. Her pitch: schools and kicking out billionaire influence
She ran on revitalizing public schools and purging state government of undue corporate and billionaire influence, the Tribune reported, while CBS Texas said she focused on affordability and education.
5. Her victory line
"We did it. Everything is bigger, including the shock of this win. We shocked the world tonight," she said, per the Tribune. "It never bothered me that they doubted me. It bothered me that they doubted us."
Abbott's reply: "I love our state. It has been an honor to serve it." he said.
On X she promised: "We will lead with a politics of courage, not convenience."
6. She makes history
She will be Texas' first Latina governor; the last woman and last Democrat in the office was Ann Richards, who lost to George W. Bush in 1994, per the Tribune. How much she can change depends on lieutenant governor and Texas House results, the Tribune noted.
Sources
- Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeats Greg Abbott for Texas governor — The Texas Tribune
- Texas governor election 2026: Greg Abbott vs. Gina Hinojosa results — CBS News Texas
- Post by Gina Hinojosa on X — X