Gilberto Hinojosa won reelection as chairman of the Texas Democratic Party on Saturday, defeating two challengers who sought to tap into members’ simmering frustrations over a lack of progress in the state, especially after their disappointing 2020 election.
Hinojosa, who first took over leadership of the state party in 2012, was up against Kim Olson, a former statewide and congressional candidate, as well as Carroll Robinson, chairman of the Texas Coalition of Black Democrats.
Hinojosa’s victory took two rounds of voting at the party’s convention Saturday in Dallas. After the first round, Robinson bowed out and backed Hinojosa, who then got 58% on the second ballot to 40% for Olson.
In his victory speech, Hinojosa recognized both his challengers, saying he listened and learned from their campaigns.
Hinojosa had argued he had grown the party immensely over the past decade, putting Democrats in a position to capture statewide office as soon as November. But his challengers said he has had enough time to deliver on turning Texas blue.
“Ten years ago, you elected me to be your chair, and I promised you that we would rebuild this party,” Hinojosa said in his final pitch to delegates. “Well, I’ve made good on our promise. We are now the biggest battleground state in the United States.”
See here and here for some background. I didn’t have a strong preference in this one, I just wanted us to come out of the election without hating each other. The story says the contest was basically amicable, so well done there. Hinojosa has said this will be his last term, and that’s fine as well. Let’s move on to November.
No one should be allowed to lose as much as Hinojosa has and keep their job.
That said, thank goodness Olson didn’t beat him. She is a powderkeg, and not the good kind.