Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa has defeated Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a three-term Republican, NBC News projects, wresting control of the red-state governorship from Republicans for the first time since 1995.
\n\nHinojosa’s projected victory, which will make her the state’s first Hispanic governor, comes after Abbott’s campaign outspent her by tens of millions of dollars. Abbott, who could have become Texas’ longest-serving governor had he won, initially looked poised to earn another term in what has been a ruby-red state for decades.
\n\nBut changing demographics and a steadily worsening political environment for Republicans across the country and in Texas, where GOP nominees for several offices faced personal scandals and criticism, eventually took their toll on Abbott, too.
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\n\nHinojosa, who was born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley, was elected to the state House in 2016. Before she became a legislator, she was a civil rights and a labor lawyer.
\n\nEducation has been a pillar of her political career, with Hinojosa crediting work to stop her son’s elementary school from closing because of state budget cuts as her inspiration to seek elected office. Education funding and reform were big issues in her campaign…
Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/health