Abbott concedes; Hinojosa projected to win Texas governor's race

Gina Hinojosa is projected to win the Texas governor's race, becoming the first Democrat to win the seat since Ann Richards left office in 1995.

“Everything is bigger in Texas, including the shock of this win. With a Texas-sized chip on our shoulder, we showed that anything is possible," Hinojosa told the crowd. "It never bothered me that they doubted me. It bothered me that they doubted us.”

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott publicly conceded the race for governor at about 10 p.m., shortly after calling to congratulate his challenger.

Abbott told supporters he didn't see a mathematical path forward in the race and that he would help Hinojosa during the transition. He then thanked Texans for letting him serve as governor for 12 years.

“I have spoken to Gov. Abbott. He called to congratulate me. He extended a generous offer to assist with a transition. I want to thank him and his family for their years of service to this great state,” Hinojosa said.

Hinojosa told supporters, "Voters delivered a mandate for change and it is change they will get." She added she is a mom who believes in Texas and Texas public schools and will work to unwind Abbott's school voucher program.

“In case you haven’t heard, on day one I will fire Mike Morath and we will work to repair the damage of the Texas voucher scam and end the era in which our schools are sold for parts," Hinojosa said.

Abbott, who is serving his third term as Texas governor, defeated a deep field of 10 Republican challengers in the May primary. Texas has no term limit for governor, and each term lasts four years. Hinojosa has represented Texas's 49th district in the Texas House for five two-year terms. Pat Dixon of the Libertarian Party is also running for governor. He has served two terms on the Lago Vista City Council and held several leadership roles within the Libertarian Party.

Though most polls were still within the margin of error, Hinojosa and Abbott traded leads in several polls, making this the most competitive race for the governor's mansion in decades.

Abbott and Hinojosa have been on the campaign trail since their March primary nominations. They've made several stops in Tarrant County, which has been at the center of several major political battles in Texas. It is Texas's largest swing county between Republicans and Democrats and has drawn nationwide attention over redrawing legislative boundaries.

In late August, Hinojosa met with Democratic candidates, party leaders, and voting rights advocates in Tarrant County to strategize for the campaign's final stretch.

Abbott also met with Tarrant County’s Republican county judge and commissioners about his effort to limit local spending, require elections for tax increases and use state money to “buy down” and eliminate local school taxes.

In an NBC 5 Dallas/Telemundo Station Group Texas Voter Poll released in September, Gov. Greg Abbott led with support from 48% of the likely voters interviewed for the poll. Democrat State Rep. Gina Hinojosa had support from 41%; 8% remained undecided; 2% backed write-in candidate Jenn Mack Raphoon; and Libertarian Pat Dixon had 1% support.

But in November, the University of Texas Texas Politics Project poll found Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa at 49% among likely voters, compared with 48% for Republican incumbent Greg Abbott.

In an interview after the poll, Abbott said his data showed he was making progress.

"Americans are tired of polls; they don't trust polls, neither do I. What I know is what my data shows, and what my data shows is that we are making tremendous progress every single day because Texans are figuring out exactly who Gina Hinojosa is," Abbott said.

Abbott has plenty to say about his opponent, calling her one of the most liberal politicians in the state, soft on crime and on illegal immigration. Hinojosa, however, has called on him to air all these views publicly in a statewide televised debate.

"Greg Abbott and myself have been invited to four debates. He has hid from all four invitations. I have accepted all four. He won't debate me because he can't defend his indefensible record. And I believe that if he's not man enough to debate me, then he doesn't deserve to be governor," Hinojosa said in an interview.

When asked why he wouldn't debate his candidate, Abbott said he believed the best way to reach voters was in person in their communities.

"Listen, what I have learned by winning elections for governor, and that is the most important thing we can do, is to go to these communities. Talk to the people of Texas in their towns. Let them talk to me personally, whether it be in a coffee shop, in a manufacturing facility — whatever. Texans want to see their governor show up to their community," Abbott said.

The week before early voting started in Texas, Hinojosa set up podiums for a debate outside the governor's mansion in Austin to call out Abbott for avoiding a statewide televised debate.

Abbott responded on social media, saying in part: "This morning’s circus in Austin was no sincere attempt to debate: a standing podium reachable only by stairs, purposefully designed to keep someone in a wheelchair from participating."

Greg Abbott Campaign

Abbott is campaigning on issues including property tax reform, lowering home and auto insurance costs, increasing competition in the energy market and making Texas #1 in public education.

He has been endorsed by President Donald Trump, National Border Patrol Council, Texas Municipal Police Association, Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas and Association of Texas EMS Professionals.

Gina Hinojosa Campaign

Hinojosa is campaigning on issues including improving public schools and lowering healthcare, grocery, and utility costs.

She has been endorsed by State Rep. James Talarico, the Texas AFL-CIO and the Texas American Federation of Teachers. As well as U.S. Reps. Lloyd Doggett, Greg Casar, Veronica Escobar, Sylvia Garcia, Vicente Gonzalez, Julie Johnson and other lawmakers.

Pat Dixon Campaign

Dixon is campaigning on issues such as opposing tax incentive programs for data centers, reducing government spending, supporting "statewide scholarship" for education and more.

Early voting for the midterm election runs Monday, Oct. 19 through Friday, Oct. 30. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.