Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa on Thursday named the first leaders of her transition team and said she will build a bipartisan administration during her first news conference since defeating Gov. Greg Abbott.
Hinojosa, a Democrat, won 53% of the vote Tuesday. She will be the first Democrat to serve as Texas governor since Ann Richards, who left office in 1995.
“This is a transition for the whole state of Texas, and as such we will have many opportunities for people to weigh in with their ideas, send in resumes, making sure also that there will be waves of announcements,” Hinojosa said.
Joe Madden will serve as executive director of the transition. Also named were Ryan Pollock, a union electrician and executive director of the Texas Building Trades Council; Ernest Bailes, a former legislative colleague of Hinojosa’s; and Tamala Barksdale, who served with Hinojosa on the Austin ISD school board.
Asked why she is committing to a bipartisan team after a decisive win, Hinojosa said the approach reflects her campaign promises.
“I’m not going to be the governor for just Democrats; I’m going to be the Governor for all the people of Texas,” Hinojosa said.
Hinojosa said she has spoken with Abbott once since the election and that their staffs have been in contact.
“Greg Abbott has been gracious and made sure to make me understand that they are going to fully cooperate with this position and be helpful as they can,” she said. ”We are both committed to ensuring there is a smooth transition so that the people of Texas are taken care of.”
Hinojosa also said her team is actively interviewing candidates to replace the state’s education commissioner.
She said she hopes lawmakers in both parties will work with her.
“I would say the people of Texas have spoken,” she said. “I think it’s important that as elected leaders we respect what the people of Texas have said they want change.”
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