(WACO, Texas) — Gina Hinojosa has made history as the first Latina governor-elect of Texas, breaking a 30-year drought for Democrats, women and Latinos in the state.
Hinojosa will be sworn in and take office Jan. 19, 2027.
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The very first woman governor in Texas was Miriam "Ma" Ferguson in 1925. Fifty-six years later, Ann Richards took office in 1991.
Richards became popular for her personality and for making government inclusive. Hinojosa now adds to that legacy as the first Latina to hold the office.
During the last week of October, Hinojosa drew a large crowd in Waco, paying homage to the Valley, her Hispanic roots and telling neighbors her plans for when she gets into office.
In her remarks, Hinojosa reflected on the women who shaped her.
"I can't help but think of my grandmother, Grandma Hinojosa, who used to tell me, 'no te dejes,'" Hinojosa said.
She connected that message to the experiences of Latinas across the state.
"Know your worth and fight to defend it. A lot of Latinas in Texas grew up hearing those same words from their own mothers, their own abuelas. This year we lived them and we change this state and this win belongs to you and to them," Hinojosa said.
Hinojosa also laid out a vision for the state's future.
"You will never have to choose between the state you love and a job that will pay your worth. You will have the economy that serves your ambitions, your dreams, and your hard work. A government on your side and the hope you deserve," Hinojosa said.
Local Democratic leaders described the shift as unprecedented.
"But I've never seen a transition so dramatic, and I'm not sure if you look back through history, you would find one in our history," Mark Hays of the McLennan County Democratic Party said.
Hays said Hinojosa's recent appearance in Waco stood out among the candidates this election season.
"You feel an obvious kindness to her in a lot of substance. When she spoke here in Waco recently, that was the most substantive speech in terms of what her ideas were and what her policies might be, that I heard from any candidate of any party in this election," Hays said.
