By Tripp Henderson | Staff Writer
Gina Hinojosa, the Democratic nominee in the Texas gubernatorial race, took the stage at The Backyard Bar Stage and Grill in Waco Tuesday to rally hundreds of supporters ahead of Election Day.
During her speech, Hinojosa highlighted her campaign agenda to secure the American Dream and criticized her opponent, incumbent Republican Greg Abbott.
“Come Nov. 3rd, we will end Greg Abbott’s 30-year-old career,” Hinojosa said. “When I am governor … my agenda will be to secure the American dream.”
Hinojosa called the election a “fight of our times” to decide who Texas belongs to and said it is about “taking power for the people of Texas.”
McLennan County Democratic Party Chairman Mark Hayes echoed a similar sentiment.
“It’s government by, for and of the people,” Hayes said. “Gina Hinojosa is going to be a big step along the way of reaching that.”
Hinojosa highlighted strong early-voting turnout so far and said, “People want change, and people are turning out in a historic way to vote to bring that change … and young people are back and voting.”
Hinojosa said one of her main priorities is saving Texas public schools, calling them the “gateway to the American dream.”
She said that, if elected, she would fire Commissioner of Education Mike Morath and replace him with an experienced educator. Hinojosa also said she would raise teacher pay to the highest in the country by ending vendor contracts tied to the school voucher system.
On May 3, 2025, Abbott signed Senate Bill 2, which established the Texas Education and Freedom Act and created a school voucher system that gives families moving their children to private school around $10,400 to pay for their education. Hinojosa, among other Democrats, views this as a threat to public schools.
“Our Texas public schools are worth fighting for,” Hinojosa said. “They are Friday night lights, they are the largest employer in so many of our counties, they are enshrined in our Texas Constitution as being essential for the preservation of our liberties.”
Hinojosa said she would suspend the gas and diesel tax in response to high prices caused by the War in Iran, and addressed energy rates and data centers.
“I will freeze electricity rates and make sure that the data centers and the corporations are paying their share,” Hinojosa said.
Hinojosa repeatedly called Abbott corrupt, criticized his relationship with Elon Musk and said Musk is Abbott’s largest contributor — donating over $5.5 million.
Furthermore, Hinojosa pointed to rising electricity prices, more data centers and schools shutting down, saying they all resulted from what she called the “Greg Abbott corruption tax.” She guaranteed $1,500 dollars to every Texas household as the “Greg Abbott Corruption tax refund.”
As early voting continues and Election Day nears, Hinojosa cited civic engagement among young voters as a way to fight corruption.
“If the politicians don’t fear voters, then they’ll keep being corrupt, right?” Hinojosa said. “When we show up and vote, then they fear us again.”
