Gina Hinojosa Wins Texas Governorship and Pledges Education Overhaul
Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa will become the first Hispanic governor of Texas, pledging to end school vouchers and fire the state education commissioner.
Democrat Gina Hinojosa has been elected as the first Hispanic governor of Texas, defeating three-term Republican incumbent Greg Abbott. Her victory ends more than 30 years of Republican control of the governor's office, marking the first Democratic governor in the state since 1995. Hinojosa, a lawyer and former state representative, ran a populist campaign focused on working families and the defense of public schools.
Upon taking office on January 19, 2027, Hinojosa has pledged to fire Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath on her first day. She intends to return state-controlled public school districts, such as Beaumont ISD and Fort Worth ISD, to local community control and halt potential interventions in districts like Austin ISD. Her broader education platform includes terminating the state's $1 billion private school choice program, which she called a "voucher scam," ending the STAAR test, and abolishing A-F school accountability ratings.
While Democrats secured a sweep that includes the Texas House and a U.S. Senate seat won by James Talarico, Hinojosa faces a divided legislature. Republicans retain the majority in the Texas Senate, which must confirm any new nominee for education commissioner. The Texas State Teachers Association celebrated the results, stating the new leadership would end the "Abbott-Patrick war on public schools."
