AUSTIN, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 3: Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate, State Rep. Gina Hinojosa speaks during her election night watch party at Assembly Hall on November 3, 2026 in Austin, Texas. State Rep. Gina Hinojosa is the projected winner of the
DALLAS - Gina Hinojosa defeated Greg Abbott in the Texas governor’s race with a campaign primarily focused on improving public education and lowering everyday costs.
As she begins the transition into the governor’s office, she already has plans for day one of her governorship and a few other priorities she has said she’s focused on.
What we know:
Hinojosa will officially be administered the oath of office on Jan. 19, 2027. Hinojosa said in a speech after her win Tuesday night that she intends to fire Texas Commissioner of Education Mike Morath the day she takes office.
"I will take the oath of office ready to lead a government by the people and for the people," she said. "Not for the people who donated the most, not for the people who know the right people, but for every Texan."
Gina Hinojosa's victory in Texas governor's race a historic shift for the state
Gina Hinojosa made history in multiple ways Tuesday night after defeating Greg Abbott in the Texas governor’s race.
Public education reform a major focus
While speaking to supporters, she also revisited some of her key ideas surrounding public education reform.
Hinojosa said she plans to "end the era of no-bid contracts," or government agreements awarded to a vendor without a bidding process, and redirect funds toward increasing teacher pay.
She also promised to stop state takeovers of local schools and "repair the damage" from what she referred to as the "Texas voucher scam."
The private school voucher program was enacted under Abbott’s administration following years of debate. Under it, public funds are used to help families pay for private education, though critics have argued it primarily benefits wealthier families.
Hinojosa has also repeatedly stated her intentions to end the STARR test, which she says is "flawed" and fails to "reliably measure student achievement."
Five major takeaways from Texas’ 2026 midterm election results
Democrats dismantled three decades of GOP control in Texas, winning key statewide races, flipping Dallas suburbs and border counties, and blocking House gains.
Other goals Hinojosa has as governor
Dig deeper:
Some of her other proposals outside public education include banning surveillance pricing on groceries, putting an immediate moratorium on AI data centers and issuing a one-time $1,500 check to Texans using the state’s Rainy Day Fund – the latter of which would need approval from two-thirds of the Senate.
It remains to be seen what she is able to accomplish in her four years as governor, though Tuesday night she seemed hopeful that she could achieve what she campaigned on.
"As excited as I am about the history we’ve made tonight, I pray it does not compare to the future we build together," she told the crowd.
The Source: The information in this article comes from a speech Gina Hinojosa gave Tuesday night, as well as her campaign website and previous Fox Local reporting.