Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated Gov. Greg Abbott for governor Tuesday, denying the Republican a record fourth term and triggering a political earthquake in a state that has not seen a Democrat sit in the governor’s mansion this century.
Abbott conceded at 10 p.m. at his results watch party. He said he had just gotten off the phone with Hinojosa to congratulate her.
“I love our state. It has been an honor to serve it. And know that we are leaving Texas in far better shape than it’s ever been. Together, we’ve accomplished a lot,” he said.
With a populist campaign promise to revitalize public schools and purge state government of undue corporate and billionaire influence, Hinojosa overcame a more than four-to-one spending disparity to topple the three-term Republican incumbent as part of a blue wave that washed over a long drought-ridden state for Democrats.
Though he launched his reelection bid with the power of incumbency, seemingly limitless fundraising and extensive party infrastructure in place, Abbott was ultimately unable to withstand the intense political headwinds facing the GOP this cycle.
Didn’t they restructure the districts in Texas, too?
Democrats won all 4 US House districts Republicans redrew in Texas to try to eliminate Democrats
Yes. Even gerrymandered as they are, Texas is probably sending one more Democrat to the House of Representatives than in 2024. That it wasn’t worse for them is probably the closest thing to a silver lining the Republicans have in Texas this year.
The one thing that Democrats need to understand is that this is now a purple state, not a red one. in 2028 we’ll likely see Republicans who aren’t “frothing at the mouth” racist, and while the statewide officeholders will have more time to show results, there’s no guarantee that the state votes blue in the next presidential election.
All that said, between Musk and a pair of Christofascist oil billionaires, we in Texas were up against it, and I’m extremely happy there’s some sanity and some proof that money has diminishing returns.