Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa is projected to defeat three-term Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in an enormous upset in the Lone Star State.

It would be the first time in over 30 years Texas has a Democrat governor.

The surprise victory would also make Hinojosa the state’s first Hispanic governor.

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Hinojosa, who was born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley, was elected to the state House in 2016. Before she became a legislator, she was a civil rights and a labor lawyer.

Education has been a pillar of her political career, with Hinojosa crediting work to stop her son’s elementary school from closing because of state budget cuts as her inspiration to seek elected office. Education funding and reform were big issues in her campaign, as she pledged over the summer that one of her first actions as governor would be to fire the state’s education commissioner, citing declining student performances across Texas.

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She also criticized Abbott on data centers, a big issue throughout the state, including in rural areas. While Abbott has enjoyed reliable support from rural voters in past races, he faced friction with the voting bloc this cycle over his past support of data centers. Texas is home to over 500 data centers thus far, making it the state with the second-most data centers in the country.

“Leading this state has been the greatest honor I’ve ever had. Thank you for your support, thank you for your love, [and] thank you for making Texas Texas,” Abbott said.

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More from The Texas Tribune:

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.

Hinojosa, 52, will be Texas’ first Latina governor. The state’s last female chief executive — and the last Democrat to serve in the governor’s mansion — was Ann Richards, who lost reelection to George W. Bush in 1994.

 

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