Democrat Gina Ortiz Jones wins the Texas governor's race for the first time in decades

A victory no one expected

In the US midterm elections, Democrat Gina Ortiz Jones defeated incumbent Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who had led the state since 2015 and had previously won every campaign by double-digit margins. This is reported by Gazeta.uz citing AP, as well as Life.ru citing NBC, CBS and NPR. The outlets differ in how they frame the historic nature of the result: Gazeta.uz calls her the first Democratic governor of Texas in more than 30 years, while Life.ru calls her the first Democrat at the head of the state since 1995.

Why the result became a sensation

Texas is considered the most populous 'red' state in the country, and her chances were initially assessed as low. According to AP data, which Gazeta.uz relies on, the 52-year-old state senator from Austin ran her campaign with a smaller budget and without broad support from the national party apparatus, criticizing Abbott for prioritizing the interests of the wealthy, as well as speaking out against AI data centers and corruption. Her rival, according to the same data, spent $180 million since last year, expecting to easily win a fourth term; Republicans were also backed by Elon Musk, who spent tens of millions of dollars. She will become the first Latina to lead Texas and the first Democrat in that office since Ann Richards in the 1990s.

Trump's reaction and other results in Texas

President Donald Trump commented on the defeat of his fellow party member on Truth Social: in his view, Abbott lost because he 'turned into a RINO' — a 'Republican in name only' — over the last six months of his career. Another Democratic victory in the state: James Talarico defeated Texas Attorney General and Trump ally Ken Paxton in the US Senate race.

What the victory changes in practical terms

AP notes that she will gain the veto power — a strong tool against the Republican majority in the state legislature, where the governor's powers will be put to the test. Her administration could change the course of the Capitol, which over the past decade passed one of the strictest abortion laws in the country and tightened measures against migration. Among her first promises is a one-time payment of $1,500 to each of the state's roughly 32 million residents, called a 'corruption tax refund,' from Texas's emergency fund. Speaking at the victory celebration in Austin, she said: 'It never bothered me that they doubted me. What bothered me was that they doubted us. Texas, I never lost faith in you.'