After two weeks of speculation that State Rep. Gina Hinojosa might run for Texas governor, the five-term Austin Democrat has made it official.
On Wednesday, Hinojosa unveiled her plan to run for the state’s highest office and take on well-funded Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. Her campaign will center around cutting costs for families, growing healthcare access, defending public schools and fighting back against corporate influence in politics, according to her website.
“Our fight right now is against the billionaires and corporations who are driving up prices, closing our neighborhood schools and cheating Texans out of basic health care,” Hinojosa said in a two-minute campaign video. “That’s who Greg Abbott works for. I’m running for governor to work for you.”
Wednesday’ announcement sets up a potential duel between Hinojosa, one of the most prominent critics of Abbott’s school voucher plan, and the three-term governor, who sits on a war chest worth more than $87 million.
Although Abbott won all three of his gubernatorial elections by double digits, a recent University of Texas/Texas Politics Project poll shows his approval rating underwater. In August, 50% of Texan voters disapproved of Abbott’s performance while just 40% approved.
Before Hinojosa can take on Abbott, though, she’ll need to get through a Democratic primary that includes Houston businessman Andrew White, the son of former Democratic Gov. Mark White, and other less-known contenders.
“I like Gina. She’s a progressive who represents her district well,” said White in statement responding to her campaign announcement. “But this is a statewide race. Democrats need a candidate who will bring together progressives, moderates, and independents to beat Greg Abbott.”
Hinojosa’s campaign has already racked up 100 endorsements, including from seven members of Texas’s congressional delegation, suggesting she has a substantial leg up in the primary.
Her first campaign event is scheduled for Wednesday night in the Rio Grande Valley, where she grew up.
Hinojosa’s father, Gilberto, chaired the Texas Democratic Party for a dozen years, stepped down in 2024 after blaming his party’s bruising election losses on its support of transgender people.
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