Texas elects first Democratic governor in 36 years as Republican stronghold falls

Texas, long one of the most reliably Republican states in the country, has elected a Democratic governor for the first time in 36 years. A Democratic candidate also claimed victory in the state's US Senate race, marking back-to-back upsets in what had long been considered an unassailable conservative stronghold.

Democratic candidate Gina Hinojosa, 52, defeated Republican incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott, who was seeking a fourth term, in Tuesday's (local time) midterm elections, the Associated Press reported.

The last Democrat to win the Texas governorship was Ann Richards in 1990, during the presidency of George H.W. Bush. Hinojosa also made history as the first Latina governor in the state's history.

Hinojosa is a labor and civil rights attorney who has served in the Texas House of Representatives since 2017.

Though she entered the race with far lower name recognition than Abbott — a firm ally of President Donald Trump — she steadily built support by pressing issues including AI data center construction and corruption, the AP said.

With Democratic candidate James Talarico also projected to win Texas's US Senate seat, both the governorship and a Senate seat in one of America's most storied conservative bastions will pass to Democratic hands.