Governor Greg Abbott officially conceded the Texas gubernatorial race on Nov 4 after Democrat Gina Hinojosa won by a margin of 8.1 percentage points. The result, which marks the first time in more than 30 years a Democrat has won the governor’s mansion, represents a 21.8 point swing from the 2024 election. While Republicans are expected to retain the state Senate 19-12, Democrats are currently projected to take control of the state House with a 83-67 majority.
The shift in power has led Republican state Representative Brian Harrison to call for a special legislative session to curb the governor’s emergency powers before Hinojosa is sworn in. Harrison argues the current statutes give the executive authority that is “antithetical to representative government,” and he is urging the legislature to pass limits, such as HB911, within the remaining 10 weeks of the current term. Hinojosa has also called for the state to end its cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, prompting warnings from GOP critics that Texas will become a sanctuary state.