Democrat Gina Hinojosa stuns Abbott, makes history as first Latina Texas governor

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The Fox News Decision Desk projects that Texas state Rep. Gina Hinojosa has defeated three-term Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in the showdown for governor.

With her shocking upset victory, Hinojosa has brought the Democrats' 36-year losing streak in Texas gubernatorial elections to an end.

Hinojosa also made history as the first Latina governor of the nation's second most populous state.

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Abbott, a conservative governor and major ally of President Donald Trump, meanwhile, fell short in his history-making bid to become the first person to win four elections as Texas governor.

Abbott shared with his audience of supporters that he conceded to Hinojosa, congratulating her for winning the election.

"It has been the joy of my life to be the governor of the state of Texas," Abbott said.

Hinojosa, a former president of the Austin public school system and a civil rights lawyer, focused her campaign on public education funding, teacher pay, opposing school vouchers, data center moratoriums, and pocketbook relief. She framed her bid as a fight "against the billionaires and the corporations," who she accused of driving up prices, closing neighborhood schools and "cheating Texans out of basic healthcare."

Abbott, during his tenure as Texas governor, has pushed a strict conservative platform, including tighter border security, strict abortion restrictions, school choice vouchers, expanded gun rights, and lower business regulations.

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But the governor primarily ran for re-election on economic issues with his "Keep Texas Affordable" agenda. He launched his re-election campaign with a promise to slash rising property taxes in Texas in the next legislative session. Later in the campaign he unveiled a plan which he said would also lower the cost of healthcare, housing, home and auto insurance, electricity, and even higher education.

Abbott also framed his candidacy as a fight against the rising influence of socialism in American politics

And while the governor is close to Trump, he walked a fine line by defying the president when it came to his stance on artificial intelligence data center expansion.

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But Hinojosa made linking Abbott to Trump by characterizing both men as participants in institutional corruption and anti-democratic "power grabs" a centerpiece of her gubernatorial campaign.

Paul Steinhauser covers the national campaign trail from coast to coast for Fox News