Democrat Gina Hinojosa launches campaign for governor in Texas
Source: CNN Politics
Updated Oct 15, 2025, 1:42 PM ET
PUBLISHED Oct 15, 2025, 7:00 AM ET
Texas state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, a Democrat and South Texas native, is launching a run for Texas governor, entering a crowded Democratic primary to challenge Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in 2026.
“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 a video launching her campaign. “That’s who Greg Abbott works for. I’m running for governor to work for you.”
The 51-year-old Latina attorney will kick off her campaign Wednesday at a Blue Texas event in her hometown of Brownsville, a city in the Rio Grande Valley where Democrats are hoping to head off the significant gains Republicans have made with Latino voters in recent elections. In her launch video, Hinojosa taps into her roots in the Valley, citing a Spanish phrase used by her grandmother, “No te dejes,” to say she will “fight back.”
If she wins the Democratic primary, Hinojosa will face an uphill battle in the reliably red state. No Democrat has won statewide office in Texas since 1994. President Donald Trump won there by 13 points in the 2024 election, and Abbott holds a firm grasp on the statehouse as he seeks a fourth term in office.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/15/politics/gina-hinojosa-texas-governor-campaign