Texas state Rep. Gina Hinojosa is running for governor, setting up what could be one of the most closely watched political fights in the country.
The 51-year-old Democrat from Austin, who grew up in the Rio Grande Valley, announced her campaign Wednesday in a video that takes direct aim at Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and the corporate interests she says dominate Texas politics.
“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 launch video. “That’s who Greg Abbott works for. I’m running for governor to work for you.”
Hinojosa officially kicked off her campaign at a Blue Texas event in her hometown of Brownsville, where Democrats are trying to reverse Republican gains among Latino voters. In the video, she recalls a phrase her grandmother used to say — “No te dejes” — meaning “don’t let them push you around.” It’s a slogan that doubles as both a family memory and a campaign message.
If she wins the Democratic nomination, Hinojosa would face a steep climb. Texas hasn’t elected a Democrat statewide in 30 years. Abbott, now seeking a fourth term, remains popular with the Republican base and has an established fundraising machine that dwarfs nearly every other politician in the state.
Still, Democrats see a narrow opening. They’re betting that Abbott’s hardline positions on abortion, immigration, and school funding could alienate suburban moderates and women voters. Hinojosa’s record and personal story — as a mother, attorney, and former school board president — could help her connect with those groups.
Education is likely to anchor her campaign. Before her time in the state legislature, Hinojosa served as president of the Austin Independent School District board, running for that position after her son’s school faced closure due to budget cuts. In recent months, she’s been one of Abbott’s most vocal critics on the issue of school vouchers, calling his proposal a “scam.” In her campaign video, she delivers a pointed warning: “Don’t mess with Texas moms.”
Hinojosa was among the Democratic lawmakers who fled Texas in 2021 to block a Republican redistricting plan, a move that temporarily paralyzed the state legislature and earned national attention.
The Abbott campaign wasted no time firing back. In a statement Tuesday, a spokesperson called Hinojosa “radical” and accused her of backing “woke, extreme ideologies.” The campaign added that Abbott would continue to “secure the border, fight for safer communities, and uphold family values.”
Hinojosa’s path to the governor’s mansion may be narrow, but her entry gives Texas Democrats something they’ve been missing for a long time — a candidate who knows how to fight on the defensive and still make it feel like offense.
