Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in the Texas governor's race on Tuesday night, denying him a record fourth term. She will be the state's first Latina governor. Republicans are expected to keep the Legislature.
Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated Gov. Greg Abbott in the Texas governor's race, denying the Republican a record fourth term. The election took place on Tuesday night, Nov. 3, 2026, and Hinojosa becomes the first Latina to lead the state. Abbott, the Republican incumbent, conceded the race to Hinojosa. He announced the concession in a speech on Tuesday night.
A historic win
Hinojosa, 52, will be Texas' first Latina governor. Her projected victory would end Republican control of the governorship for the first time since 1995 and make her the state's first Hispanic governor. She would also be the first Democrat to hold the office in more than three decades. Hinojosa had sought to become the first Democratic governor since Ann Richards, while Abbott was seeking a fourth term.
Had Abbott won and completed a fourth term, he would have become the longest-serving governor in Texas history. His campaign outspent Hinojosa's by tens of millions of dollars. In September, Abbott ordered the state to stop approving data center permits while an audit examined data centers' effect on the Texas electrical grid.
Background and what comes next
Hinojosa was elected to the Texas House in 2016 and was previously a civil rights and labor lawyer. Republicans are expected to keep control of the Texas House and Senate next year, so she would likely lead the executive branch in a divided state government. The Legislature will likely remain under Republican control, which could make it difficult for her to fulfill her legislative priorities. She proposes one-time $1,500 payments to Texas households from the Rainy Day Fund. Her campaign estimates the payments would cost around $17 billion and need legislative approval.
