Democratic governors-elect in Texas, Iowa and Georgia face GOP lawmakers on schools

Democrats won the governor's office in Texas, Iowa and Georgia on Nov. 3. In each state, schools were a big part of the campaign. Now the winners have to decide what they can do alone and what needs a Republican-run Legislature.

Texas: vouchers and a firing

Gina Hinojosa defeated Gov. Greg Abbott. She has promised to end the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program, which lets families use state money for private school tuition and homeschooling ¹. More than 118,000 students held active awards as of Aug. 28, and the state set aside $1 billion for the program ¹.

On tapeCNN · Nov 4

▶0:55

She also wants to end state takeovers of local school districts and the STAAR standardized test ¹. On election night she promised a quick move on the state's top school official ³.

In case you have not heard, on day one, I will fire Mike Morath

The governor appoints the education commissioner, but the Texas Senate must confirm the pick ³. Ending vouchers is harder. A Texas Tech professor said it is not something she can do "through executive action" ³. Hinojosa is scheduled to be sworn in Jan. 19, 2027 ³.

From Channel GOPKeisha Lance Bottoms on making history in GeorgiaKeisha Lance Bottoms · 184 plays · captioned, with the source named

Iowa: a Democrat with a Republican Legislature

Rob Sand, the state auditor, defeated Republican businessman Zach Lahn, according to an Associated Press race call. He is the first Democrat elected governor of Iowa since Chet Culver in 2006 ². Republicans have held the office since 2011 ².

Sand criticized Iowa's education savings account program, which uses public money to help families pay private school tuition, and called for more investment in public schools ². Lahn defended the program ². Sand takes office in January, and Republicans hold majorities in both the Iowa House and Senate ².

On tapeWFAA · Nov 6

▶2:15

Georgia: pay and school funding

Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman elected governor of Georgia ⁴. Her campaign said she won the most votes ever cast for a Georgia governor candidate ⁴. She also spoke with Gov. Brian Kemp, whose team is available for a transition ⁴.

She campaigned on raising teacher pay, improving reading skills and adding a poverty weight to the Quality Basic Education formula, which sets state school funding ⁴. During the campaign she promised to raise starting teacher pay to $60,000 a year and to end state income taxes for teachers ⁵. She also pledged to guarantee pre-K for every 4-year-old whose family wants it ⁵. Her campaign plan gave no total cost ⁵.

What happens next

A Texas analyst said the changes Hinojosa has proposed could be "a real change in regards to public education" ¹. The same analyst said ending vouchers and takeovers could be complicated by existing state law and would require working with lawmakers ¹. Replacing STAAR would probably require another form of accountability ¹.

That matters because campaign promises on schools often meet a budget fight. Replacing a commissioner is something a governor can start quickly. Pay raises, pre-K and funding formulas cost real money, and legislatures write the budget.

The Record

1. Aug 28, 2026More than 118,000 Texas students held active voucher awards, per the Comptroller's count ¹.
2. Nov 3, 2026Hinojosa, Sand and Bottoms won their governor's races ¹²⁴.
3. Jan 19, 2027Hinojosa is scheduled to be sworn in as Texas governor ³.

Free to reprint Republish this story on your site or in your newsletter

Any site, blog or newsletter may run this story free of charge. Keep the credit line and its link to the original, do not sell it, and edit only for length or house style (the full terms). Photos carry their own licenses, noted under each photo on this page, so use the text alone unless a credit says otherwise.

<h2>Democratic governors-elect in Texas, Iowa and Georgia face GOP lawmakers on schools</h2> <p><em>By The GOP Files Campaign Desk. This article first appeared on <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/democratic-governors-elect-in-texas-iowa-and-georgia-face-gop-lawmakers-on-schools">The GOP Files</a> on Sunday, November 8, 2026.</em></p> <p>Democrats won the governor&#39;s office in Texas, Iowa and Georgia on Nov. 3. In each state, schools were a big part of the campaign. Now the winners have to decide what they can do alone and what needs a Republican-run Legislature.</p> <h2>Texas: vouchers and a firing</h2> <p>Gina Hinojosa defeated Gov. Greg Abbott. She has promised to end the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program, which lets families use state money for private school tuition and homeschooling . More than 118,000 students held active awards as of Aug. 28, and the state set aside $1 billion for the program .</p> <p>She also wants to end state takeovers of local school districts and the STAAR standardized test . On election night she promised a quick move on the state&#39;s top school official .</p> <blockquote><p>In case you have not heard, on day one, I will fire Mike Morath</p><p>&mdash; Gina Hinojosa, Texas governor-elect, Democrat</p></blockquote> <p>The governor appoints the education commissioner, but the Texas Senate must confirm the pick . Ending vouchers is harder. A Texas Tech professor said it is not something she can do &quot;through executive action&quot; . Hinojosa is scheduled to be sworn in Jan. 19, 2027 .</p> <h2>Iowa: a Democrat with a Republican Legislature</h2> <p>Rob Sand, the state auditor, defeated Republican businessman Zach Lahn, according to an Associated Press race call. He is the first Democrat elected governor of Iowa since Chet Culver in 2006 . Republicans have held the office since 2011 .</p> <p>Sand criticized Iowa&#39;s education savings account program, which uses public money to help families pay private school tuition, and called for more investment in public schools . Lahn defended the program . Sand takes office in January, and Republicans hold majorities in both the Iowa House and Senate .</p> <h2>Georgia: pay and school funding</h2> <p>Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman elected governor of Georgia . Her campaign said she won the most votes ever cast for a Georgia governor candidate . She also spoke with Gov. Brian Kemp, whose team is available for a transition .</p> <p>She campaigned on raising teacher pay, improving reading skills and adding a poverty weight to the Quality Basic Education formula, which sets state school funding . During the campaign she promised to raise starting teacher pay to $60,000 a year and to end state income taxes for teachers . She also pledged to guarantee pre-K for every 4-year-old whose family wants it . Her campaign plan gave no total cost .</p> <h2>What happens next</h2> <p>A Texas analyst said the changes Hinojosa has proposed could be &quot;a real change in regards to public education&quot; . The same analyst said ending vouchers and takeovers could be complicated by existing state law and would require working with lawmakers . Replacing STAAR would probably require another form of accountability .</p> <p>That matters because campaign promises on schools often meet a budget fight. Replacing a commissioner is something a governor can start quickly. Pay raises, pre-K and funding formulas cost real money, and legislatures write the budget.</p> <p><em>Read the original, with every source linked, at <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/democratic-governors-elect-in-texas-iowa-and-georgia-face-gop-lawmakers-on-schools">thegopfiles.com</a>. Republished under The GOP Files' <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/republish">free republishing terms</a>.</em></p> <img src="https://thegopfiles.com/api/rp/democratic-governors-elect-in-texas-iowa-and-georgia-face-gop-lawmakers-on-schools.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border:0;width:1px;height:1px">

Copy the HTML Paste it into your editor's HTML view. The one-pixel image at the end tells our newsroom the story ran; it stores no reader data.

Sources

1. FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth, “Gina Hinojosa education agenda: What could change for Texas schools?” (2026-11-05). fox4news.com/news/texas-governor-gina-hinojosa-school-vouche
2. KAXE (AP race call), “Democrat Rob Sand wins Iowa governor's race, ending GOP control of the office” (2026-11-03). kaxe.org/news/2026-11-03/democrat-rob-sand-wins-iowa-governo
3. CBS Austin, “What can Gina Hinojosa deliver on public education?” (2026-11-04). cbsaustin.com/news/local/what-can-gina-hinojosa-deliver-on-p
4. Atlanta News First, “Bottoms reflects on roots after historic win as Peach State's next governor” (2026-11-04). atlantanewsfirst.com/2026/11/04/bottoms-reflects-roots-after
5. Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Keisha Lance Bottoms and Rick Jackson both say they'll raise teacher pay” (2026-08-01). ajc.com/education/2026/08/keisha-lance-bottoms-and-rick-jack

Found an error? Tell the newsroom. Corrections are noted at the top of the story.