TX Gov-elect Gina Hinojosa's first presser since midterm win

[0:00] that large trustee on the AISD school board more than 10 years ago. [0:04] I'll leave. Excuse me. So sorry. When we worked together to cut the tax rate, balance the budget, [0:18] meet state accountability standards, and protect schools, Gina was brave, brilliant, commanding, [0:27] and full of heart. That is why it is no surprise to me today to be able to stand here and introduce [0:35] my good friend, governor-elect Gina Hinoza. It is an honor to be before you today. Now the fun part [0:58] starts. We have for months been meeting with experts, planning, and making sure that we were prepared [1:07] to govern. And here we are announcing our first leads for the transition team. Please understand [1:15] this is a transition for the whole state of Texas. And as such, we will have many opportunities for [1:21] people to weigh in with their ideas, send in resumes, making sure also that there will be waves of [1:28] announcing who will lead up this transition for Texas. Today, we start with the people with me here, [1:36] leaders who have, I've had the real pleasure and honor to work with over the years. You just heard [1:43] from Tamela Barksdale. She and I met on the school board and together we were allies in support of our [1:49] kids and public schools. And I'm just so thrilled that she will be a part of this effort, just like [1:55] she was a part of our campaign. You will also hear from Ryan Pollock, who is the head of the Texas [2:03] Building Trades Council. And this demonstrates my commitment to putting money in the pocket of [2:09] Texans, making sure that we have opportunities for good jobs and recruitment for hardworking Texans. [2:18] You will also hear from my former colleague, Ernest Bales, who is a champion for public schools, [2:24] a small business owner, a Republican, showing my commitment for this to be a transition that [2:30] truly represents all of Texas. We will have a bipartisan transition and we will have a bipartisan [2:39] administration and government in Texas. You will also hear from Joe Madden, who has many years helping [2:47] with the transition of government in Harris County. He has legislative experience, been very active [2:53] overseeing emergency management issues in Harris County, and I'm thrilled that he will be helping [3:00] to lead up this transition team. And now I'm happy to turn it over to Joe Madden. [3:13] Thank you, Governor-elect. It feels so good to say Governor-elect, you know, also. [3:17] My name is Joe Madden. I've worked in and around government for 23 years. [3:22] I'm deeply honored to serve as the executive director of this transition. [3:25] I was born and raised in Houston. I met my wife here on the UT campus, Hookum. [3:31] When I was in school here, I walked down the street to the Texas capitol as an 18-year-old, [3:34] got a job in the Texas house, and went to work fighting for public schools. That's how I started [3:39] my career in government. I spent years working in the capitol, trying to build public policy that [3:44] delivered for Texas families. Over the last eight years, I've had the fortune of working in Harris [3:50] County with Harris County governmental leaders. One of the things that I specialize in is transitions [3:55] and building governments that deliver on the promises that were made by these elected officials. [4:01] Through those roles, I also managed several different emergencies, pandemics, floods, fires, [4:06] explosions, and managed the multi-billion dollar budget. Texas is home. It's where I'm raising my kids. [4:14] It's where I'm lucky enough to coach baseball and softball. I'm doing this job for the governor-elect [4:20] to deliver on her promise to my kids and her promise to the kids all across the state of Texas. [4:26] We're going to deliver a vision for Texas that belongs to the people by the people. Thank you. [4:30] Good afternoon, y'all. My name is Ryan Pollack. I'm a union electrician, [4:42] member of IBEW Local 520 here in Austin, and I'm currently serving as the executive director of the Texas [4:48] Building Trades Council. Union trades workers like myself are so proud and grateful for governor-elect [4:53] Gina Hinojosa and for the good people of the state for wanting to fight for regular working Texans. [5:00] That's what Gina's done her entire career from her time as a labor attorney to fighting for better [5:05] wages for workers as a trustee at AISD to her time as my very own state rep. This is about an economy [5:12] that works for all Texans, and we do that by ensuring that working Texans get the high quality training [5:18] that they need to do the work that needs to be done, and so they're able to do that work safely [5:23] with dignity, and that allows them, their families, and their communities to thrive [5:28] so that regular working people have a future they can look forward to. Thank you. [5:32] Ernest Bales, a conservative Republican who is honored and proud to be here along our governor-elect. [5:48] I believe in Gina, and I have faith that we will be able to do good things for the state of Texas. [5:54] We will put partisanship aside. We will work together for what is best for the kids of the [5:59] state of Texas. We will be able to take care of education, and we will support and listen to the [6:05] people, and that is why I'm honored to be part of this transition, and I look forward to good things [6:10] to come for the state of Texas. Thank you, and I think it should be noted in furtherance of my commitment [6:23] to making sure that this is a transition that is reflective of all Texans is that we both have an [6:30] Aggie and a Longhorn leading up this effort. I'm happy to take questions. I'm very excited about [6:37] this historic day, and I'm excited about building a government that is working for the people of [6:43] Texas to deliver. Thank you. Okay, I'm going to call on. We only have time for a few questions. [6:50] Could we get WFAA if you're not ready? Adam, go ahead. [6:54] Governor-elect, some would say that with the way the voters turned out for all the Democratic candidates, [7:02] they gave you a mandate. Why commit to having a bipartisan transition team elected? [7:09] Because this is about my campaign promises, what I ran to create as governor. We are forging a new way [7:17] forward. People are tired of the divisions, of the fighting, tired of the culture wars. This is a time to [7:24] come together in a way that is about just delivering for the people of Texas. Ernest Bales, Representative [7:32] Ernest Bales and myself, were close allies delivering for our public schools. In fact, [7:38] I count him as one of my best allies for public schools. That is his commitment. There is really [7:43] little light between our positions on public education, and as such, he serves as a tremendous [7:51] leader on this transition team. And look, there are lots of issues with whom my good allies are [8:00] Republicans. So I'm just about delivering for people. This is not about being a Democratic [8:06] administration. I'm not going to be the governor for just Democrats. I'm going to be the governor [8:12] for all the people of Texas. Thank you. Thank you. Javier with KRGB. How are you? [8:20] I just wanted to talk to you about, you know, the importance of the people of value, also the [8:28] importance of, you know, Boca Chica Beach is really important to a lot of the people in the valley. There [8:35] has been a lot of things said about selling that to SpaceX. How important is it for you to kind of [8:42] protect that, protect that, protect that, and, you know, let that or protect that and have that show [8:48] people to rule around that? It's such an important resource. The valley is so important to me as the [8:53] place I am from, and I will never forget it. And so you should know that this morning I was pleased to [8:59] talk to the executive director of Texas Parks and Wildlife to confirm that this issue was not on [9:05] today's agenda and to request that, um, no action be taken in respect out of this transition. Thank you. [9:12] Um, uh, Kayla with Tripp. Hi. Thank you for that question. Greg Abbott has been gracious and, um, [9:27] made sure to make me understand that they are going to fully cooperate with this transition and be [9:32] helpful as they can. We are both committed to ensuring there is a smooth transition so that the [9:38] people of Texas are taken care of. Thank you. Lauren. Hi. Here's what I would say. The people [10:07] of Texas have spoken. And I think it's important that as elected leaders, we respect what the people [10:14] of Texas have said. They want change. And I would hope that elected leaders from both parties don't [10:22] get in the way of the progress we can make together to deliver for working people. That is our obligation [10:28] as leaders in this state. And I look forward to working with Republican leaders in the legislature. [10:33] Thank you. Over here. Since was that, did you just have the one call? I've had the one call, [10:44] but our teams have been speaking. Okay. Thank you. On the education commissioner, you said that you'll [10:49] replace Mike Morat. Can you give us an update on where that the replacement process stands? I mean, [10:54] do you have a shortlist at this point? Are you talking with people? What does that look like? [10:57] We are actively interviewing people for that position. Thank you. [11:03] Okay. Yeah. [11:09] I'm sorry. [11:12] Yes, you are. [11:15] Okay. [11:15] One of the preventing you came out of this. [11:17] One of the reasons [11:19] I think you're in the corner of this. [11:20] One of the reasons [11:21] that you're going away, [11:23] one of the reasons [11:23] that you're not going to do [11:25] either. [11:25] One of the reasons [11:27] Y también es importante que tenemos aquí líderes quienes son ayudándome para hacer un nuevo gobierno que está trabajando para la gente de Texas y así estoy enseñando ahora. [11:46] Thank you, guys. [11:48] Thank you. [11:50] And I'll just give a quick update for you all. [11:53] Thank you all again for being here. [11:55] For the press, we are in the process of setting up a new email distro for inquiries related to the transition. [12:01] We hope to have that up and running soon. [12:03] But for now, press at junifertexas.com for all the requests, and we're working through them as quickly as we can. [12:09] Thank you, guys.