Democrat Gina Hinojosa declares victory, will face Gov. Greg Abbott in general election

Hinojosa railed against the 'Greg Abbott Corruption Tax' during her victory speech in San Antonio.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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State Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, won the Democratic primary with over 60% of the vote and will face off against incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in November's general election. In her victory speech, Hinojosa criticized Abbott's policies on public education, immigration, and what she called his 'blatant corruption'.

Why it matters

The Texas gubernatorial race is expected to be one of the most closely watched and high-stakes elections in the country, with Hinojosa positioning herself as a progressive challenger to the long-serving conservative governor. Her victory in the primary sets up a stark ideological contrast for voters in the general election.

The details

Hinojosa, a former Austin ISD Board of Trustees president and five-term state representative, greatly expanded her political profile during the last year's battle in the Texas Legislature over school vouchers. Her campaign is largely focused on increasing funding for Texas public schools, which rank near the bottom in per-pupil spending. She also criticized Abbott's support of former President Trump's immigration policies and accused the governor of corruption, citing his ties to a New York-based tech firm that was awarded a $1 billion taxpayer-funded voucher contract.

  • Hinojosa won the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026.
  • The general election between Hinojosa and Abbott is scheduled for November 2026.

The players

Gina Hinojosa

A state representative from Austin who won the Democratic nomination for Texas governor. She has positioned herself as a progressive challenger to the long-serving conservative governor, Greg Abbott.

Greg Abbott

The incumbent Republican governor of Texas, who has held the office since 2015. He is seeking re-election and will face off against Hinojosa in the general election.

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What they’re saying

“What I have learned from watching Greg Abbott at the State Capitol is that we work more, but we get less. We pay more, but we get less because we are all paying the Greg Abbott corruption tax.”

— Gina Hinojosa, State Representative (sacurrent.com)

“Democrats are ready for change. Texans are a no te dejes kind of people. We know our worth. We know we can have strong neighborhood public schools when we scrap Greg Abbott's corrupt vendor contracts and we use that money to make Texas teachers among the highest paid in the country.”

— Gina Hinojosa, State Representative (sacurrent.com)

What’s next

The general election between Hinojosa and Abbott is scheduled for November 2026. Polls currently show the race to be neck-and-neck despite Abbott's significant fundraising advantage.

The takeaway

The Texas gubernatorial race is shaping up to be a high-stakes battle between a progressive challenger and a long-serving conservative incumbent. Hinojosa's victory in the Democratic primary sets the stage for a stark ideological contrast, with the outcome potentially having significant implications for the direction of the state.