Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in the Texas governor's race on Tuesday, ending his bid for a record fourth term. The Texas Tribune reported that no Democrat has held the governor's office this century. Abbott conceded at 10 p.m. at his results watch party, saying he had called Hinojosa to congratulate her.
Hinojosa campaigned on improving public schools and reducing what she called undue corporate and billionaire influence in state government. The story reports that she was heavily outspent, by more than four to one, and that she had been outraised by her opponent and by James Talarico, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate. Abbott had entered the race with the advantages of incumbency, fundraising and party infrastructure.
Hinojosa, 52, a fifth-term state representative, will be the first Latina to serve as Texas governor. The last female governor was Democrat Ann Richards, who lost her 1994 reelection bid to George W. Bush.