Democrat Gina Hinojosa Defeats Gov. Greg Abbott in Texas; Talarico Wins Senate Race
Photo: The New RepublicDemocrat Gina Hinojosa, a 52-year-old Texas state representative, defeated three-term Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in Tuesday's midterm election, CNN projected. She is the first Democrat to win the Texas governorship since Ann Richards in 1990 and, according to one report, the state's first Hispanic governor. Democratic state Rep. James Talarico was projected to beat Republican Ken Paxton in the U.S. Senate race minutes earlier, becoming the first Democratic senator from Texas in 33 years. One report said his win helped Democrats retake control of the Senate. Abbott, first elected 12 years ago and endorsed by President Donald Trump, outspent Hinojosa by tens of millions of dollars. The Texas Tribune reported he raised $26 million from Sept. 25 to Oct. 24. Late last week the Real Clear Politics average showed him only three points ahead, while Talarico was narrowly leading. Hinojosa ran a few points behind Talarico in polling.
The New Republic, the left-leaning outlet, leads with the double upset under the headline "Blue Texas Is Finally Here." It stresses the historic firsts, the Senate majority, Abbott's spending edge and Trump's 56 percent win in Texas two years earlier. It says nothing about border policy. On the right, the Daily Mail also calls the result a stunning upset, but builds it around the CNN projection, polling averages, fundraising and Paxton's drag on the ticket. It adds that Hinojosa deflected Abbott's culture-war attacks. The Blaze takes a different angle. Its headline calls Hinojosa an "open-borders radical," and it cites her support for taxpayer-funded health care for illegal aliens and sanctuary cities. It credits Abbott with leading Texas through the Biden border crisis. Both sides agree on the result and on Talarico's win. They differ on whether it signals a Democratic realignment or turns on polling and immigration. NewsNation, an independent outlet, looks at what Hinojosa has said about the border and illegal crossings.
How the sides differ Left sources frame a Democratic breakthrough with historic firsts; right sources split between polling-focused upset coverage and border-focused criticism of Hinojosa.
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The New Republic leads with the double upset of Abbott and Paxton, the historic firsts for Hinojosa and Talarico, the Senate majority and Trump's earlier Texas margin, without discussing policy positions.
NewsNation reports Hinojosa's win over Abbott and focuses on what the governor-elect has said about the border and illegal crossings.
The Daily Mail details the CNN projection, polling, fundraising and Paxton's drag on the ticket; The Blaze calls Hinojosa an open-borders Democrat and credits Abbott's border record.