Initial results show Democrat Gina Hinojosa has defeated Republican Governor Greg Abbott in the Texas governor's race. If confirmed, it would end more than three decades of Republican control of the office. Hinojosa would be the first Democratic Texas governor since 1995.
Public education was a major part of her campaign. Austin voter Nory Boulton said it was her top issue. "Education was my number one issue," Boulton said. In a 2024 CBS Austin town hall, Hinojosa, then a state representative, called for more public school funding and higher teacher pay. She also opposed school vouchers and state takeovers of school districts. On election night, she told supporters, "The days of treating our public schools like they are for sale are over."
Ariell Bertrand, an assistant professor of practice at Texas Tech University who studies the politics of education, said public education was a key issue for many Texans in this election. She cited the state's Education Freedom Accounts, or school-choice vouchers, which she said were unpopular with some Republicans.