Democratic state Representative Gina Hinojosa has defeated three-term Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott, US media projected on Tuesday, ending the Republican Party’s three-decade hold on the Texas governor’s office. She becomes the first Hispanic elected to lead the state. No Democrat has won statewide office in Texas since 1994, the longest such drought in the United States.
The result formed part of a strong night for Democrats, who were also projected to take control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, with wins in conservative states including South Carolina and Kansas.
How Hinojosa overcame Abbott
Gina Hinojosa emerged as an unexpected rival to one of the best-known and best-funded Republican governors in the country. Her approach rested in part on arguing that rising living costs and strained public schools matter more to Latino voters than the cultural fights that have, in recent years, drawn many of them toward Republicans.
“We are as Texan and American as anyone,” she said in a July interview in Austin. “Latinos are feeling the economic strain just like families all across this country and in Texas in a big way.”
Abbott had spent years building support in South Texas, visiting heavily Latino border communities, expanding field work in the Rio Grande Valley and making border security central to his outreach.
Senate race and Latino turnout
Her victory comes alongside State Representative James Talarico’s projected win in the Texas US Senate race. He defeated Republican Ken Paxton, who had backing from President Donald Trump.
Voto Latino Executive Director Beatriz Lopez said Democratic wins reflected Latino voters turning out over affordability concerns and Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement agenda. The group, which registers and mobilises Latino voters, registered about 400,000 voters in Texas this cycle and aims to carry that energy into the 2028 presidential election.
“This is a Texas sweep,” Lopez said. “It has literally put Texas on the map as a battleground state — and that changes everything now and into 2028.”
Wider Democratic gains
Hinojosa’s win sits within a broader Democratic surge in places long seen as Republican strongholds, as voters rejected Trump, his handling of the economy and the war with Iran. In a separate Senate contest, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed claimed victory in Michigan.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- 1994: Last time a Democrat won statewide office in Texas, beginning what became the nation’s longest such drought.
- July: In an Austin interview, Gina Hinojosa stressed Latino families’ economic strain and their place as Texans and Americans.
- This election cycle: Voto Latino registered about 400,000 voters in Texas and later framed the results as a “Texas sweep.”
- Tuesday: US media projected Hinojosa’s win over Greg Abbott and James Talarico’s Senate victory over Ken Paxton, alongside wider Democratic gains for Congress.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Texas mein Democrat Gina Hinojosa ne Governor Greg Abbott ko haraya, media ke projections ke mutabiq. Yeh jeet Republican Party ki lagbhag tees saal ki governor seat ki pakar khatam karti hai, aur Hinojosa pehli Hispanic governor banti hain. Latino voters ne mehengai aur immigration policy ko zyada ahem samjha. America ki politics ab Texas ko battleground state ke tor par dekh sakti hai, khas taur par 2028 ke liye.
