Texas Democrat Gina Hinojosa Launches 2026 Campaign for Governor

Texas state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, a Democrat and South Texas native, has officially launched her campaign for governor, setting up a challenge to Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in the 2026 election.

“Our fight right now is against the billionaires and the corporations who are driving up prices, closing our neighborhood schools and cheating Texans out of basic healthcare,” Hinojosa said in her campaign launch video. “That’s who Greg Abbott works for. I’m running for governor to work for you.”

The 51-year-old Latina attorney plans to kick off her campaign at a Blue Texas event Wednesday in her hometown of Brownsville, a key area where Democrats hope to regain ground with Latino voters. In her video, Hinojosa recalls her grandmother’s advice — “No te dejes,” meaning “don’t let them push you around” — as a rallying cry to fight back for working families.

If she wins the Democratic nomination, Hinojosa will face a steep climb in the Republican stronghold. No Democrat has won statewide office in Texas since 1994, and former President Donald Trump carried the state by 13 points in 2024.

Hinojosa represents central Austin in the state legislature and is making education reform a centerpiece of her campaign. A former president of the Austin ISD school board, she first ran for office after her son’s elementary school faced closure due to budget cuts. She recently clashed with Abbott over his school voucher proposal, calling it a “scam.”

“Don’t mess with Texas moms,” she said in her campaign video.

Hinojosa also made headlines when she and other Texas Democrats fled the state in 2021 to block a Republican-led redistricting plan.

Abbott’s campaign quickly criticized Hinojosa’s announcement, labeling her “radical” and accusing her of supporting “woke, extreme ideologies.”

“Texans deserve a Governor who will continue to secure the border, fight for safer communities, and uphold family values,” Abbott’s team said in a statement.

Credit: CNN Newsource

Explore: NBCPalmSprings.com, where we are connecting the Valley.