Democrats won several statewide offices in Texas, including the governor's race, the attorney general's office and control of the state House, according to The Texas Tribune. The report said the results could bring a major shift in K-12 education priorities.
Gina Hinojosa, a former Austin ISD school board president, became the first Democrat to win the governor's seat since 1990. She campaigned on protecting public schools and pledged to remove Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath on her first day in office and to end state takeovers of districts. In her victory speech, she said, "We are taking our children's education back from a government that has failed them."
The report said Hinojosa cannot make these changes alone. Several of the issues she campaigned on are written into state law and would need the Legislature to change them. Lt. Gov. Vikki Goodwin, a Democrat, will oversee the Senate, but Republicans hold a majority there and can approve or reject Hinojosa's appointees.