Hinojosa taps education allies for transition team
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Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa speaks during a press conference at the LBJ School in Austin. Photo: Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images
Gov. Elect-Gina Hinojosa signaled Thursday that public education would be a priority for her administration, announcing a transition team that includes an anti-voucher Republican former state lawmaker and a former school board colleague.
Why it matters: The selections offer an early glimpse of how Hinojosa, a four-term Democratic state legislator, hopes to govern.
- Democrats won a majority of the Texas House but not the Senate.
Driving the news: Hinojosa unveiled the first members of her transition team during a press conference at the University of Texas' LBJ School, where she confirmed that her team is interviewing candidates to replace Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath.
- Hinojosa pledged during her campaign to fire Morath, who was appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2015 and oversees the Texas Education Agency, including the state's school accountability system and interventions in struggling districts.
- She has criticized the agency's handling of state takeovers of school districts and pledged to pause the state's A-F accountability system.
Friction point: Hinojosa's choice for education commissioner would need confirmation from the Republican-controlled Senate, and some Republicans have reportedly discussed efforts to limit the powers of the incoming governor and lieutenant governor.
- Asked about those efforts Thursday, Hinojosa urged lawmakers to respect the election results.
- "The people of Texas have spoken," she told reporters.
- "They want change, and I would hope that elected leaders from both parties don't get in the way of the progress we can make together to deliver for working people."
Zoom in: Her initial transition team includes leaders with Austin ties.
- Tamala Barksdale served alongside Hinojosa on Austin ISD's school board more than a decade ago.
- Labor leader Ryan Pollock is the Austin-based executive director of the Texas Building and Construction Trades Council.
- Joe Madden, former chief of staff to Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, will serve as executive director of the transition team, bringing experience in state government and emergency management.
The intrigue: Former state Rep. Ernest Bailes, a Republican who represented parts of East Texas, is also part of the team.
- Hinojosa described Bailes as one of her strongest allies on public education, pointing to his appointment as evidence of her commitment to bipartisan representation.
- Bailes opposed Gov. Greg Abbott's school voucher proposal in 2023 and later lost his Republican primary the next year to an Abbott-backed challenger.
What's next: Hinojosa said additional transition team appointments will be announced later as she prepares to take office in January.