Texas Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa announced her first transition team appointments on Thursday. The group includes former state Rep. Ernest Bailes, a conservative Republican from rural East Texas. Bailes was among Republican lawmakers who joined Democrats in 2023 to block Gov. Greg Abbott's school voucher proposal. The story reports that Abbott later backed primary challengers against those Republicans in 2024, including the candidate who defeated Bailes. Hinojosa called Bailes a champion for public schools. Bailes said, "We will put partisanship aside."
Other appointees include Tamala Barksdale, a former Austin ISD trustee who served with Hinojosa on the school board, and Ryan Pollock, a union electrician and executive director of the Texas State Building and Construction Trades Council. Joe Madden, a Houston public affairs consultant who previously worked in the Texas Legislature and Harris County government, will serve as executive director of the transition team.
Hinojosa said she has spoken with Abbott since the election and that their teams are already communicating. She said Abbott has been gracious. The governor-elect said her staff will begin reviewing resumes and making more appointments in the coming weeks.