Gina Hinojosa: The Democrat who ended Texas Republicans' three-decade grip on governor's office

At 52, Gina Hinojosa is set to make history as Texas’ first Latina governor. Democrat Gina Hinojosa has defeated Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, bringing more than three decades of GOP control over the Texas governor’s office to an end, according to the Associated Press’ race call.Democrat Gina Hinojosa has defeated Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in Texas Governor office race. (Getty Images via AFP)At 52, Hinojosa is set to make history as Texas’ first Latina governor.Gina Hinojosa was born on December 8, 1973, in McAllen, Texas, and spent her childhood in the Rio Grande Valley, largely in Brownsville. She was raised in a politically engaged family, with her father, Gilberto Hinojosa, having previously served as chair of the Texas Democratic Party.Deep DiveAfter completing her schooling in Brownsville’s public education system, she attended the University of Texas at Austin, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 1996. She later pursued law at George Washington University Law School, where she earned her law degree in 1999.Hinojosa campaigned on a populist agenda focused on revitalizing public education and limiting the influence of wealthy donors and corporate interests in state affairs. Despite facing a spending disadvantage of more than four to one, she managed to unseat the three-term Republican governor.Also read | Check live coverage of the 2026 US midterm election results hereHer win was part of a wider Democratic surge across Texas, where the party had struggled to secure major electoral victories for years.However, her campaign struggled for months to gain traction, overshadowed by the U.S. Senate race and facing a fundraising disadvantage against both Abbott and the party’s emerging standard-bearer, James Talarico.Ojas Jaiswal is a Content Producer at Hindustan Times, currently working with the US Desk, where he covers a wide spectrum of American sports and global news developments. From high-intensity NFL moments on the field to the latest off-court NBA storylines, he specializes in delivering engaging, audience-driven stories that blend factual accuracy with compelling narratives. A graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication from Bennett University, Ojas brings over two years of experience in digital journalism. Before joining Hindustan Times, he worked with EssentiallySports, a leading digital sports media platform catering to American sports audiences, where he contributed across multiple editorial and engagement-focused roles. He also interned with Times Network at the Sports Desk, producing articles and video content across diverse sports, ranging from Formula 1 to football. Known for his commitment to factual and accurate reporting, Ojas was awarded a Certificate of Excellence in Editing during his college years. Beyond sports journalism, he closely follows international affairs and global developments, while also exploring documentaries from different cultures and regions around the world. A lifelong football enthusiast, Ojas has admired Lionel Messi since childhood and continues to draw inspiration from the football icon’s journey and legacy.Read More