Democrats Win Texas Governor and Attorney General Races, Challenging Abbott’s Immigration Legacy

Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated Greg Abbott in the Texas governor’s race, becoming the first Mexican American elected governor of the state. Nathan Johnson also won the attorney general’s race, becoming the first Democrat elected to that office since 1994. He will succeed Ken Paxton, whose office defended Abbott’s immigration policies in federal court.

The Democratic victories were part of a broader national rebuke of the Trump administration’s economic policies and immigration crackdown. In Houston, voters placed “I voted” stickers at the memorial of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a man fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in July. Business owners in border areas said arrests and deportations of undocumented people left some construction companies short of workers.

“Obviously, a new state governor can’t rewrite immigration laws, but Texas can make a difference in terms of the choices they make about how it uses its state resources.”

Over nearly 12 years, Abbott spent billions of dollars deploying National Guard soldiers, arresting migrants, and building border barriers. He also tested the limits of state authority in immigration enforcement. Hinojosa and Johnson will inherit a system built through state laws, federal partnerships, and court rulings that could limit how quickly they can change course.

The future of Texas laws known as SB 4 remains uncertain. One version from 2017 limits local restrictions on cooperation with federal immigration authorities, while another establishes crimes related to certain border crossings. Hinojosa’s administration cannot automatically repeal existing provisions or end federal operations.

Kristin Etter, director of policy and legal services at the Texas Immigration Law Council, said a new governor cannot rewrite immigration laws but can make a difference through choices about state resources. Both Hinojosa and Johnson have criticized Abbott’s approach to immigration. Hinojosa’s inauguration is scheduled for January 2027.