Who is Gina Hinojosa? Democrat who ousted Greg Abbott to become Texas's first Latina governor

Reports suggest Gina Hinojosa entered politics as an angry mom trying to save a neighbourhood school and later ended up a giant slayer, defeating Republican Greg Abbott, one of America's longest-serving governors.

In a surprising twist, Democrat Gina Hinojosa won in Texas on Tuesday, ousting Republican incumbent Greg Abbott from the nation's most populous red state. She will be the first Latina governor and the first Democratic governor of Texas in more than 30 years, and will hold the office since Ann Richards in the 1990s.

Her victory validated a long-deferred dream among Democrats: that demographic shifts in Texas would eventually translate into political power. It also transformed Hinojosa, a 52-year-old state legislator who has represented a liberal Austin district since 2017, into a breakout star for the party, even though her campaign received little meaningful backing from national Democrats.

Reports suggest she entered politics as an angry mom trying to save a neighbourhood school and later ended up a giant slayer, defeating Republican Greg Abbott, one of America's longest-serving governors.

Democrat Gina Hinojosa was born in McAllen, Texas. She is the daughter of Gilberto Hinojosa, a former chairman of the Texas Democratic Party, and Crisanta Guerra Lozano, a legal aid attorney. Of Mexican descent, she grew up in Brownsville and spent summers with her grandparents in Mission. After graduating from Homer Hanna High School in 1992, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Plan II Honours and Government from the University of Texas at Austin in 1996, followed by a Juris Doctor from George Washington University Law School in 1999. She also spent a semester at the University of Texas School of Law, where she met her future husband.

Hinojosa began her career as a civil rights lawyer representing union members. In 2012, when her son's elementary school, Pease Elementary, faced closure, she ran for the Austin ISD school board, won, and successfully fought to keep the campus open. She served on the board until 2016, when she was elected to represent Texas's 49th House District, a seat she has held since 2017 as a Democrat.

Before entering the legislature, Hinojosa worked for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the law firm Kator, Parks & Weiser. In 2005, she joined the legal team that sued then-House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. She also worked part-time for Catholic Charities USA, Texas Rural Legal Aid, and the Equal Justice Centre.

On October 15, 2025, Hinojosa launched her campaign for governor, winning the Democratic primary the following March. On November 3, 2026, she defeated incumbent Republican Governor Greg Abbott, becoming Texas's first Hispanic and first Latina governor. Alongside James Talarico, who won the US Senate race that same night, she helped Democrats secure their first statewide victories in Texas since 1994.