Gina Hinojosa has set a condition for working with Elon Musk. Texas’ Democratic governor-elect, who campaigned against a proposed SpaceX land deal, says his companies must operate on terms that protect Texans’ interests. Her comments come as she seeks a pause on decisions involving state land near the company’s Starbase rocket launch site.“We can have a strong working relationship with Elon Musk and his companies,” Hinojosa said in an interview with CNN after her election victory. “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.” Her remarks leave room for cooperation while maintaining her objections to how the state handles Musk’s business interests.
What Gina Hinojosa said during her campaign
Hinojosa had criticised outgoing Republican Governor Greg Abbott over the proposed SpaceX transaction, arguing that public land should be protected.“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,” she said in an October campaign press release. After winning the election, she asked the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to hold off on further action during the transition.“This morning I was pleased to talk to the executive director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife to confirm that this issue was not on today’s agenda and to request that no action be taken out of respect for this transition,” Hinojosa said at her first post-election press conference.
What the SpaceX land proposals involve
The state has considered separate transactions involving Boca Chica State Park, near SpaceX’s Starbase facilities in southern Texas. In March 2024, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission authorised negotiations to exchange approximately 43 acres of parkland for about 477 acres near the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge. The department’s announcement described the larger parcel as land for a new state park.A separate August 2025 decision authorised the sale of four non-contiguous parcels, or plots that do not border each other, totalling about 1.9 acres. SpaceX wanted the lots for more employee housing, according to commission records. Department staff determined that these parcels had limited conservation and recreation value because they were located within an existing subdivision.
How Elon Musk responded
Musk defended Texas’ business environment in a post on X. He wrote, “SpaceX and Tesla have prospered in Texas, because we were not constantly operating under an oppressive and extractive state government.”“As California became increasingly difficult, due to extreme taxes and overregulation, we moved our major domestic expansions and HQ to Texas,” he added.However, Hinojosa’s transition team did not answer Fox News Digital’s questions about whether her position on the SpaceX negotiations had changed or what conditions could prevent the smaller land sale.