New Texas governor-elect strikes conciliatory tone toward Musk after campaigning against SpaceX deal
Texas’ Democratic Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa is striking a more conciliatory tone toward Elon Musk after campaigning against a proposed SpaceX land deal, saying she can work with his companies if they operate "on our terms.""As Governor, I’ll protect our land and our livelihoods – not sell out to the highest bidder – because Texans deserve a leader who puts the people first," Hinojosa said in a campaign press release in October.But having won her election, her tone has shifted.TED CRUZ SAYS 'BLUE TSUNAMI' TOOK OVER TEXAS AFTER DEMOCRATS SWEPT STATEWIDE RACESState Representative Gina Hinojosa, a Democrat from Texas and then-gubernatorial candidate, speaks during a campaign event with State Representative James Talarico, a Democrat from Texas and U.S.Senate candidate, not pictured, at the Stubbs - Waller Creek Amphitheater in Austin, Texas, U.S., on Monday, Nov.
2, 2026.(Jordan Vonderhaar/Bloomberg via Getty Images)The governor-elect has hinted that she might be rethinking her relationship with Musk, underscoring the shifting considerations many Democrats critical of business titans are making as they prepare to govern and secure growth and investments for their constituencies."We can have a strong working relationship with Elon Musk and his companies," Hinojosa said in an interview with CNN on Thursday, just two days after election night."But it has to be on our terms.
It cannot be just running over the people of Texas, and that’s what changes now that I will be governor."Hinojosa’s public land concerns center on Boca Chica State Park, a coastal reserve spanning 1,000 acres at the southernmost point of Texas.The park sits just a short distance from SpaceX’s Starbase, one of its rocket launch sites.A possible land sale to Musk has been in the works for some time.A Cameron County Commission agenda notice from 2024 raised a prospect presented by SpaceX: a land swap.
Texas would give 43 acres of Boca Chica to SpaceX in return for 477 acres in the nearb...