Gina Hinojosa announces transition team after historic Texas governor win

The transition of power in Austin is underway after Gina Hinojosa's win Tuesday night ousted incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott.

To put this in perspective, this will be the first transition in state leadership in over a decade.

Abbott succeeded Rick Perry in January of 2015.

This coming January, governor-elect Gina Hinojosa, the state representative from Austin, will become the first Democrat since Ann Richards in the 1990s and the first Latina to hold the office.

Thursday afternoon, Hinojosa announced her transition team.

Joe Madden from Houston is the executive director of the team

Other leaders include Ryan Pollock, a union trades worker, and Ernest Bailes, a former state representative and Republican.

In their remarks, public education, which was one of Hinojosa's top campaign priorities, was front and center.

"I'm doing this job for the governor-elect to deliver on her promise to my kids and her promise to the kids of the state of Texas," said Madden.

"We will work together for what is best for the kids of the state of Texas," Bailes said. "We will be able to take care of education. And we will support and listen to the people."

"Rep. Bailes and myself were close allies delivering for our public schools," said Hinojosa. "In fact, I count him as one of my best allies for public schools. That is his commitment. There is really little light between our, positions on public education, and as such, he serves as a tremendous leader in this transition team, on this transition team."

On election night, the governor-elect said she would fire Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath on her first day in office.

When asked about that at the news conference on Thursday, she would only say they are actively interviewing people for that position.

Hinojosa's inauguration as governor will happen on Jan. 19.