Texas House Flip: Education Vets Take Control of State Budget
Democratic candidates with public school backgrounds won key races, positioning them to challenge the $1 billion voucher program and state mandates.
By Marta Gray ·
Gina Hinojosa, a former Austin ISD school board president, won the Texas gubernatorial race alongside a slate of Democratic candidates with direct ties to public education. The victories in the November 2026 election placed educators in the statehouse, shifting legislative power away from the Republican majority that passed a $1 billion private school voucher law in 2024.
Hinojosa campaigned on the promise to fire Texas Education Agency commissioner Mike Morath, who was appointed by former Governor Greg Abbott in 2016. Morath oversaw state takeovers of underperforming districts, a move Hinojosa criticized during a San Antonio campaign stop. She pledged to pause the A-F accountability system and end the STAAR test, a standardized exam she described as deeply flawed.
The Democratic wave extended to the state House, where education professionals secured seats in previously solid Republican districts. In Texas House District 121, Zack Dunn defeated incumbent Marc LaHood with 54% of the vote. LaHood had supported the voucher initiative in 2024, but Dunn positioned himself as a critic, calling the program a scam that diverted funds from public institutions. The Northside district had not elected a Democrat since 1981.
Kristian Carranza flipped District 118 back to Democratic control with 61.69% of the vote. She defeated Jorge Borrego, who helped draft the voucher plan while at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Carranza, a former teacher, stated she would call for an audit of the voucher program if elected. Adrian Reyna, a union leader in San Antonio Independent School District, won District 125 with 67.53% of the vote, replacing retiring State Rep. Ray Lopez.
Despite the state-level wins, local school finance measures faced setbacks. Voters in several districts rejected bond proposals and tax increases, including four measures in Northside ISD. The district serves about 96,000 students. Melina Espiritu-Azocar, president of the Northside AFT, noted that while the local losses were disappointing, the election of Hinojosa and a new legislature offered renewed hope for stable funding.
Katherine Fischer, executive director of Texas Majority PAC, said vouchers will likely be a top priority for the new House. The chamber previously directed $7.7 billion to public schools, though district officials argued those funds came with strict mandates that increased costs. State Rep. Diego Bernal, a veteran member of the House Public Education Committee, expects the new majority to focus on school finance, accountability, and revisiting the voucher law.
The Texas State Teachers Association welcomed the new members, including Michelle Williams, who unseated Charles Cunningham in District 127. TSTA President Linda Estrada stated the group aims to repeal or limit the private school voucher law and reduce time spent on standardized testing. The new delegation includes multiple union leaders and former classroom teachers who will now shape state policy from the legislature.
