Gina Hinojosa, who is running for governor in Texas, experienced a challenging interview on the Walton & Johnson radio show, where her past endorsements of police funding cuts were brought into question.
The hosts challenged Hinojosa about her previous support for budget cuts to police departments. In her defense, she claimed she had not supported such measures, but the hosts pointed to her past social media comments and voting history related to reallocating police funds.
In August 2020, the Austin City Council decided to redirect around $150 million from the police budget, effectively reducing its funding by about a third, with the money allocated to other community services.
At that time, Hinojosa, serving as a state representative, backed this decision. She voiced on social media, “Tell me how it makes sense to punish #ATX for diverting some police to other public safety priorities when ATX SPENDS MORE PER/CAPITA ON POLICE THAN ANY MAJOR CITY IN TX (more than Ft. Worth)? & WILL STILL BE SPENDING MORE THAN MOST.”
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CONFRONTED: Democrat gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa denies defending Austin's $150 million police budget cut…then her own statements and voting record is read back to her.
Incredible interview this morning on @WaltonNJohnson pic.twitter.com/B5I9x1OVlU
— Brandon Waltens (@bwaltens) October 30, 2026
During the 2021 legislative session, Hinojosa opposed House Bill 1900, which was later enacted by Governor Greg Abbott. This law imposed penalties on large cities that reduced police funding. Additionally, records show she co-authored a bill aimed at limiting qualified immunity for law enforcement officers and voted against a 2023 proposal for armed security in public schools.
Her campaign has attempted to clarify her position, branding some social issues as “distractions” and denying ever voting to defund the police.
Abbott’s campaign has publicly criticized her record, labeling her a “Defund-the-Police radical” and mentioning her opposition to HB 1900. In response, Hinojosa has released ads featuring police officers asserting that Abbott claims to support them “on camera” yet undermines local funding in private, citing his actions regarding state grants to cities affected by immigration policies.
