Texas at a Crossroads: Gina Hinojosa, the Public Good, and the Future of Democracy
by
Angela Valenzuela, Ph.D.
October 9, 2026
Texas faces a consequential choice about its future. At stake is more than who occupies the governor’s office. The larger question is what kind of state we want to become—and whether our public institutions will protect the rights of Texans, serve the public good, and expand opportunities for generations to come.
State Representative Gina Hinojosa has placed public education at the center of her campaign for governor. Her proposals include increasing support for teachers and public schools, restoring local control, reforming the state's accountability system, and redirecting resources from administrative expenditures into classrooms. Her record and proposals invite serious consideration of what meaningful public education reform should entail.
For those of us who have devoted our lives to educational equity, civil rights, and democratic participation, this election raises fundamental questions about our collective future. Will Texas invest in its children and educators? Will it honor the knowledge, histories, and voices of its diverse communities? And will its leaders recognize that strong public schools and universities are not simply public expenditures, but essential institutions of democratic life?
These are questions every Texan deserves to consider as we approach the November election. I encourage readers to learn more about Hinojosa's education priorities through her Teach the Vote Candidate Questionnaire.
In the video below, I share my own perspective on Gina Hinojosa's candidacy for governor and why voting her in holds great promise for the future of our democracy.
