Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa makes a final public appearance with supporters outside the Austin Recreation Center before polls closed on Election Day, November 03, 2026 in Austin, Texas. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/AFP
Washington, United States: Democrat Gina Hinojosa unseated incumbent Texas Governor Greg Abbott in Tuesday's US midterms elections, media projections showed, in a stunning triumph for her party in the Lone Star State.
Hinojosa, a 52-year-old attorney and state lawmaker, is part of a new generation of Democrats who are seeking to attract independents and voters disillusioned by President Donald Trump's unpopular war in the Middle East and skyrocketing prices for gas and everyday goods.
CNN and NBC News called the race in Hinojosa's favor.
In a statement on X Tuesday night, Hinojosa vowed to serve every Texan whether they cast a ballot for her or not.
"There will be no special set of rules for the wealthy and the powerful," Hinojosa said. "The trust you have placed in me tonight is not a blank check. It is a sacred responsibility."
Hinojosa, who grew up in a Mexican Catholic family near the border, focused her campaign on the cost of living and vowed to impose a moratorium on the construction of new data centers, as tech innovators face off with locals who don't want to live near the facilities.
Long a Republican stronghold, diversifying Texas didn't back incumbent Abbott, 68, who was running for a fourth term and conceded the race Tuesday night.
In a post to Truth Social, Trump blamed Abbott for the loss, saying he'd "become a RINO" -- short for Republican in name only -- and "it wasn't pretty."
Democrat James Talarico, 37, was also projected to win his hotly contested US Senate race Tuesday despite Trump's rallies to support Republicans in the state.
