Before Texas’ Governor-elect, Gina Hinojosa, made history in the stunning blue wave that swept the state the country in 2026, she spent long years in the Texas State legislature fighting for vulnerable people across the state.
A labor and civil rights lawyer by trade, Hinojosa made her first appearance in the state house in 2017, when she was elected to represent District 49 of the Texas House of Representatives, an area which includes parts of Austin.
During her time in the Texas House, Hinojosa routinely ranked among the most liberal Democrats on a slate of issues. We’ve collected and categorized those rankings below.
General
- 2021: A ranking on ideology and partisanship in the 87th Texas Legislature from Rice University ranked Hinojosa as the 4th most liberal member of the 2021 Texas State House.
- 2021: The Texas Tribune ranked Hinojosa amongst the top five (of 67) most liberal Democrats in the state House, per her voting record.
- Lt. Governor-Elect Vikki Goodwin was also ranked in the top 10 per the same publication.
- 2023: The Texas Tribune ranked Hinojosa amongst the top ten (of 64) most liberal Democrats in the state House, per her voting record.
- Jon Rosenthal (Texas’ new Railroad Commissioner), Senator-elect James Talarico, and Lt. Governor-Elect Vikki Goodwin, were all also ranked in the top 15 per the same publication.
- 2025: The Texas Tribune again ranked Hinojosa amongst the top ten (of 62) most liberal Democrats in the state House, per her voting record.
- Soon-to-be Railroad Commissioner Jon Rosenthal and Lt. Governor-Elect Vikki Goodwin were also both ranked in the top 15 per the same publication. Senator-elect James Talarico was ranked in the top 30.
Climate
- Per a 2025 report from the Sierra Club’s Lone Star chapter, “For the third session in a row, Rep. Hinojosa voted for the Sierra Club position on every vote we included in our scorecard. While she had an excused absence for the vote on SB 1253, she voted in favor of its successor – SB 14 – during the second special session. Hinojosa has rarely voted the wrong way on energy, water, or other environmental issues, and has been a solid and reliable vote for many years.” (Emphasis added.)
- The same report assigned Hinojosa a “100” score.
- Lt. Governor-elect Vikki Goodwin also received a score of “100” from the Sierra Club. The organization noted, “In every single session since she first arrived at the legislature, Rep. Goodwin has voted with the Sierra Club. No other representative or senator who has been there as long as she can say that. As it appears this was her last session as a State Rep, we hope whoever succeeds her takes up the mantle of environmental champion in House District 47 – because that’s who she is.”
LGBTQ+ and Healthcare
- Gina Hinojosa was given a “0” by the Texas Values “Faith & Family Scorecard,” a conservative Christian outfit that was against the repeal of Texas’ criminalization of homosexual conduct and routinely advocates against the right to access an abortion and other life-saving healthcare.
- Equality Texas, a political advocacy group advocating for the rights of LGBTQ+ Texans, gave Hinojosa a score of “A+” in 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2025, and was listed on their “Honor Roll” in 2025.
- Jon Rosenthal also received a score of “A+” from the organization in 2019, 2021, 2023, and 2025.