Gina Hinojosa names Texas governor transition team, including anti-voucher Republican

Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosaon Thursday announced leaders of her transition team, including a rural Republican whom Gov. Greg Abbott worked to oust for opposing school vouchers.

"We are forging a new way forward," Hinojosa said. "People are tired of the divisions, of the fighting, tired of the culture wars. This is a time to come together in a way that is about just delivering for the people of Texas."

Hinojosa said former state Rep. Ernest Bailes was a close ally in "delivering for our public schools" during his time in the House. Bailes was one of two dozen Republican House members who helped block Abbott's push in 2023 to pass vouchers, warning they could threaten the financial future of their local school systems. Several of them, including Bailes, lost their GOP primaries the next year to Abbott-endorsed opponents. The voucher program passed in 2025.

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The transition team will lay out the path to the first transfer of power in Texas in 12 years - and the first to a Democrat in three decades. It also includes Tamala Barksdale, a former Austin school trustee who served alongside Hinojosa on the school board before she became a state representative; Joe Madden, a former chief of staff to Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Ryan Pollock, who heads the Texas Building Trades Council.

The team picks showed her commitment to bipartisanship and focus on education and economic issues, Hinojosa said.

"We will have a bipartisan transition, and we will have a bipartisan administration and government in Texas," Hinojosa said.

Bailes said he believed the administration would "put partisanship aside."

"I have faith that we will be able to do good things for the state of Texas," he said. "We will work together for what is best for the kids of the state of Texas. We will be able to take care of education, and we will support and listen to the people."

Hinojosa made the announcement at a packed press conference at the University of Texas at Austin. It was her first public appearance since her historic upset victory over Gov. Greg Abbott, who has held the governor's mansion since 2015. No Democrat has held the office since Ann Richards left it in 1995.

Hinojosa said Abbott had committed to assisting in a smooth transition. She said she had not spoken to the governor since election night, but their teams were in communication. Abbott has kept a low profile since conceding the race Tuesday night.

"We are both committed to ensuring there is a smooth transition so that the people of Texas are taken care of," she said.

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This article originally published at Gina Hinojosa names Texas governor transition team, including anti-voucher Republican .