Gina Hinojosa stops by UTRGV during her One Fight Tour to encourage early voting throughout Texas

On Monday, District 49 state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, who is challenging republican incumbent Greg Abbott, stopped by the UTRGV Edinburg campus during her One Fight Tour.

Hinojosa touched on several topics during her speech, but the most recurring theme was the importance of early voting.

“You gotta go tell everybody in your family to go and show up and vote. We gotta make a change,” she said.

Hinojosa said things are crazy because politicians do not fear the voters and don’t think they will turn out.

“It is a new day when voters, especially young voters, turn out and vote their numbers,” she said. “It will get us back on track, because then the politicians will start doing right by us. So I’m asking people to know their worth and defend it.”

Attendees clap at the Gina Hinojosa event earlier today at the UTRGV Ballroom on the Edinburg campus. Klaus Mireles, an English sophomore, said they feels like Hinojosa’s movement is strong and is well connected with her audience.
Mariajose Garza/Pulse

Hinojosa’s One Fight Tour focuses on one thing: Does Texas belong to the people or Billionaires?

She said earlier this week she filed a lawsuit against Gov. Greg Abbott and Travis County, demanding he release secret emails between himself and Elon Musk.

“I think Abbott is embarrassed that he sold out the people of Texas, and that’s why he does not want us to see those conversations,” Hinojosa said.

She said Abbott has a written agenda to sell Boca Chica Beach to Musk two days after the election.

“Our beaches are enshrined in our Texas Constitution as being free and open to the people of Texas,” Hinojosa said.

Another pillar of her campaign is the promise of eliminating the STAAR test and firing commissioner of education Mike Morath to better the Texas education system.

In regards to college and universities in Texas, Hinojosa has heard there is a fear on campuses about free ideas.

Gina Hinojosa speaks at the UTRGV Ballroom earlier today on the Edinburg campus. “You gotta go tell everybody in your family to go and show up and vote. We gotta make a change,” Hinojosa said.
Mariajose Garza/Pulse

“Our college campuses are the place where we should be having those debates, those discussions, and academic freedom is important to me,” she said. “And as governor, I will insist upon it. I will make sure that UTRGV gets the resources it needs to provide a world-class education here in the valley.”

Klaus Mireles, an English sophomore, said the event made them feel invigorated.

“It felt like the movement is very strong, and I think she connected well with her audience,” Mireles said. “I think she really connected with the identity of being from the Rio Grande Valley and feeling sort of insignificant in government.”

They said people who look from the outside in when looking at the Valley deem it as not important and not worth being from.

“Seeing her going for governor and seeing so many people be excited and believe that it can be possible is definitely a fresh political phase,” Mireles said.

Gina Hinojosa speaks to Pulse at the UTRGV Ballroom earlier today on the Edinburg campus. Hinojosa said college campuses should be places where free ideas and flow of debates should be able to happen. “Academic freedom is important to me and as governor, I will insist upon it,” she said.
Mariajose Garza/Pulse

Jacquelne Areoono, a computer science junior, said Hinojosa makes her feel represented.

“Obviously I feel more represented compared to Greg Abbott, you know?  I didn’t feel any hope when Greg got in office,” Areoono said.

Compared to past rallies, Hinojosa is encouraging students to vote early with urgency. She said this election is about standing up and defending our worth.

“Don’t hesitate. Go do it.  It is easy. It is your power. It is your right,” Hinojosa said.