Hinojosa wins Texas governor, ending 32-year GOP streak

Gina Hinojosa won the Texas governor's race on Tuesday, defeating three-term incumbent Greg Abbott. The result ends the Republican control of the office that began in 1995. Abbott conceded the election at 10 p.m. Tuesday night. According to AP News data, Hinojosa received 57.1 percent of the vote. Abbott received 41.6 percent.

Abbott served as governor since January 2015. His nearly 12-year tenure concluded with this loss. "I love our state. It has been an honor to serve it. And know that we are leaving Texas in far better shape than it's ever been. Together, we've accomplished a lot," Abbott said on Tuesday night. The victory marks a shift in state politics after Democrats failed to win the top executive office for three decades.

Hinojosa is a 52-year-old state representative based in Austin. She previously served as president of the Austin Independent School District school board. Her campaign focused on affordability and public education. She also criticized the influence of wealthy donors and corporations in state government.

Money played a large role in the contest. Abbott raised $117 million for his re-election campaign. Elon Musk contributed to one-fifth of those donations. Hinojosa raised $17.5 million in the final four weeks of the race. Her funds came largely from small groups and individual donors.

The candidates clashed on economic issues. Hinojosa proposed a one-time $1,500 refund for Texas households. She also called for a freeze on electricity rates and measures to lower grocery and health care costs. Abbott campaigned on a property tax plan. He said the plan could cut bills by 50 percent and save the average homeowner up to $3,000 a year.

Data center development became a major issue for Abbott. He previously called Texas the epicenter for AI infrastructure. Public scrutiny of the physical buildout of these centers led to backlash. In September, Abbott announced a rollback of data center projects. He imposed a moratorium on all permits until the state could audit their impact on the electric grid and other resources.

Education policy also divided the campaigns. Abbott pushed for the expansion of private school vouchers. This plan redirects tax dollars into education savings accounts for private tuition. Hinojosa's victory ends a 32-year period without a Democratic governor in Texas.