With the quote “No te dejes, fight back,” Gina Hinojosa, member of the Texas House of Representatives, announced on Wednesday her bid against Governor Greg Abbott for the 2026 election.
“For over a decade, Greg Abbott has made it easier for billionaires to profit while hardworking Texans struggle to afford groceries, housing, and healthcare,”
Hinojosa wrote on X.
The 51-year-old Democratic Representative announced her race in a video she posted on her social media accounts.
Abbott is running for this fourth consecutive term as governor. But according to an August poll from The Texas Politics Projects, his approval rating went down after a series of controversial decisions —including a school voucher program. 50% of Texans surveyed said they strongly disapprove of Abbott as governor, a lower 23% said they strongly approve, and 17% admitted they somewhat approve.
Texas hasn’t seen a Democratic governor in over 30 years, but Hinojosa is confident that Texans are ready for a change. “What I’m hearing is Texans are ready for change. Politics as usual just doesn’t cut it anymore, no one wants that,” she told KVUE.
Hinojosa plans to travel across the state during her campaign, to get in touch with voters.
She is not the only Democrat that has launched a campaign. Retired firefighter and farmer Bobby Cole, United States Marine veteran Nick Pappas, and Houston businessman Andrew White, are among the names of Democratic primary candidates.
Rep. Hinojosa will hold a launch rally on Wednesday 15, in Brownsville, where she grew up, at the Historic Alonso building, to officially announce the campaign.
