Politics 4 min read By Arthur Ellington
Democrat Hinojosa Unseats Abbott in Texas as Democrats Also Win in Ohio and Iowa
Despite large campaign budgets, Republican candidates in Texas, Ohio, Iowa and Georgia lost their gubernatorial races to Democrats.
Republican candidates backed by nine-figure sums lost their gubernatorial races on Tuesday evening. In Texas, incumbent Greg Abbott conceded defeat to Democrat Gina Hinojosa, even though he had started 2026 with 105.7 million dollars in available funds. In Ohio, Democrat Amy Acton prevailed over billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy, who had invested ten million dollars of his own fortune and more in the campaign. In Iowa, Democrat Rob Sand won the governorship and is the first Democrat to capture the post since 2006.
In Texas, Abbott conceded at 10 p.m., ending his bid for a record fourth term. Hinojosa, a Democratic member of the state House, will be the first Latina to govern Texas and the first Democrat in the office since 1990. With the count still ongoing, she led Abbott 57 to 42 percent. Among his largest donors in the second half of 2025 were oil executive Javaid Anwar of Midland, who gave more than 1.6 million dollars, and casino magnate Miriam Adelson with one million dollars. Both candidates campaigned on lowering the cost of living. Abbott focused on tax and regulatory cuts, while Hinojosa proposed one-time payments of 1,500 dollars and stronger consumer protection rules.
The same evening, Democrat James Talarico won the Senate race in Texas against Ken Paxton, for whose election Elon Musk had spent more than 200 million dollars. After the results became known, Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that Abbott would not have lost if he had not become a RINO, a Republican in name only, during the last six months of his political career. Abbott, he said, had to return to his original positions, and that was not pretty.
In Ohio, Amy Acton, the state's former health director, defeated Ramaswamy, as projected by NBC News and Decision Desk HQ. The 60-year-old is the first woman elected governor of Ohio and, according to the Associated Press, the first Democrat to win the seat in 20 years. She won despite more than 100 million dollars spent against her, including an estimated 36 million dollars from Ramaswamy's own fortune.
In the final weeks of the race, the momentum shifted due to an attack ad by Ramaswamy in which Acton's estranged mother, Donna Arthur, appeared and called her daughter a liar regarding her childhood. According to the Ohio Capital Journal, court records show that Acton's stepfather was arrested for raping the child and Arthur lost custody before the couple left the state to avoid prosecution. Acton said she had not seen her mother in almost 50 years. The ad drew criticism from both parties. Republican Governor Mike DeWine, who cannot seek re-election after two terms, urged Ramaswamy to withdraw it but maintained his support for the Republican. Trump and Vice President JD Vance defended the ad. Acton called it "absolutely despicable" and saw a strong surge in donations after it aired.
In Iowa, Democrat Rob Sand, the current state auditor, defeated Republican businessman Zach Lahn, as projected by the Associated Press. Sand, 44, campaigned on affordability, expanded access to health care and an end to the privatization of Medicaid. He often spoke about how his Christian faith guides him. His campaign specifically targeted disillusioned Republicans and independents. He will have to govern with Republican majorities in both chambers of the state legislature.
In Georgia, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, former mayor of Atlanta, defeated Republican billionaire Rick Jackson, succeeding the outgoing Governor Brian Kemp, as projected by NBC News. She is the first Black woman elected governor in the United States and the first Democrat in the office in Georgia since 1998. Like Democrats elsewhere, she focused on affordability and economic issues.
Source: fortune.com
9
