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TEXAS
Greg Abbott

Trump calls Abbott a 'RINO' after Democrat flips Texas governor seat

Portrait of Mateo Rosiles Mateo Rosiles
USA TODAY NETWORK
Updated Nov. 4, 2026, 6:54 a.m. ET

President Donald Trump has weighed in on the results of the Texas gubernatorial election after a Democrat ousted the Republican incumbent.

In a social media post, Trump criticized Gov. Greg Abbott loss to Democratic challenger Gina Hinojosa on Nov. 3.

"If Greg Abbott, the Governor of Texas, hadn’t become a RINO in the last six months of his Political Life, he wouldn’t have lost. He went back to his original formula, and it wasn’t pretty!" Trump wrote.

Trump had been a supporter of Abbott during the election cycle, saying, "Vote for your governor, Greg Abbott," to Republicans at his Oct. 27 rally in Lubbock.

DUBUQUE, IOWA - NOVEMBER 01: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with reporters after landing at Dubuque Regional Airport in Air Force One on November 1, 2026 in Dubuque, Iowa.

However, Abbott conceded the election to Hinojosa after realizing he had no mathematical way to claim victory.

"I love our state. It's been an honor to serve, and know that we are leaving Texas in far better shape than it ever is. Together, we've accomplished a lot," Abbott said in Austin.

Hinojosa's victory also marks a historic moment for Texas Democrats, as she is the first Democrat elected to the seat since Ann Richards in 1990 and the first Latina to win the seat in the state's history.

Mateo Rosiles is the Texas Connect reporter for USA TODAY and its regional papers in Texas, based in Austin. Got a news tip for him? Email him at [email protected].

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