Abbott concedes to Hinojosa in Texas

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has conceded the governor’s race in Texas, clearing the path for Democrat Gina Hinojosa in the ruby red Lone Star State.

Decision Desk HQ had yet to call the race as of 11:15 p.m. EST, but Hinojosa was leading by roughly 8 points with 80 percent of the vote in.

“There are still votes to be counted, but mathematically, we’re not going to be able to win this election,” Abbott told supporters. “I let Gina know that I would assist her and her team in a period of transition.”

Hinojosa is set to flip the Texas governor’s mansion for the first time in more than 30 years, depriving Abbott, who was backed by President Trump, a fourth term.

The stunning gubernatorial flip comes as Democrat James Talarico was projected to win the Texas Senate race against state Attorney General Ken Paxton (R).

Major forecasters looked to the Texas Senate race as a toss-up in the closing days of the cycle, with Talarico expected to benefit from Paxton’s controversy-laden campaign. Hinojosa, on the other hand, was seen as having a tougher fight to oust Abbott, who had outspent her.

But Democratic momentum in Texas and across the country changed the tides on Tuesday, helping deliver the party control of both the Senate and the House, plus a series of key gubernatorial upsets.

Hinojosa’s Tuesday night win bucks the DDHQ polling average that had her slightly behind the incumbent heading into Election Day.