Gina Hinojosa makes history: first Latina governor of Texas after Abbott's concession

Democrat Gina Hinojosa has won the Texas governorship and will make history as the first Latina to hold the office, after Republican Governor Greg Abbott conceded defeat on Tuesday night in Austin. The Associated Press also projected Hinojosa's victory, ending more than three decades of Republican control of the governor's mansion.

"After looking at all the details of every county in the entire state, I made the decision to go ahead and call Gina Hinojosa and congratulate her on winning this race for governor of the state of Texas," Abbott told his supporters, acknowledging that mathematically he could no longer catch his rival even though votes remained to be counted.

With about 69% of precincts reporting, Hinojosa had 4,073,877 votes to Abbott's 3,018,215, according to Associated Press data. Hinojosa, 52, a lawyer and state representative from Austin, will be the first Democratic governor of Texas since Ann Richards, who left office in 1995, and the first Latina to govern the nation's second most populous state.

Her campaign focused on public school funding, teacher pay, opposition to the school vouchers championed by Abbott, and relief from the cost of living for families. Abbott, 68, was seeking a fourth consecutive term after 12 years in office and had centered his reelection bid on lowering property taxes and the cost of housing, health care and energy.

Hinojosa's victory adds to another Democratic surprise in Texas on the same night: the Associated Press and CNN also projected Democrat James Talarico's win over Republican Ken Paxton in the race for the U.S. Senate from that state.

Photo: Archivo A Lo Claro

Source: Reuters, Associated Press and The Daily Texan