Zwiener wins Hays County race by 40 points
The margin nearly tripled from 2024 as the district's population surged by 26%.
By John Ferrari ·
Erin Zwiener secured a decisive victory over Tennyson Moreno in the race for House District 45. Zwiener's margin of victory was nearly three times larger than her 13.5 percentage point lead in the 2024 election. This result extends her tenure in the state legislature for a fifth term.
The district encompasses most of Hays County, a region that has experienced rapid demographic changes. The population increased by 26% between 2020 and 2025. More than 63,000 residents moved to the area, drawn by affordable housing, natural scenery, and proximity to Austin and San Antonio via Interstate 35. Zwiener held a structural advantage, as the district favored Democratic candidates in most major 2024 contests.
Moreno, a marketing professional and vice chair of the San Marcos Airport Advisory Board, entered politics after arriving at Texas State University in 2020. He joined Turning Point USA, where late founder Charlie Kirk encouraged his political involvement. Moreno left school to pursue office. Zwiener credited the strength of the statewide ticket for her win.
"I think more people in the district see and appreciate my work, but I can't overstate the power of [U.S. Senate candidate] James Talarico's work and [Texas candidate for governor] Gina Hinojosa and all the other candidates up and down the ballot," Zwiener said. She described the election year as one where voters rejected 32 years of Republican leadership.
The candidates offered different approaches to the area's rapid expansion. Zwiener proposed giving counties greater authority to reject development projects when roads or water supplies cannot clearly support them. Moreno identified growth without infrastructure as a primary challenge. He supports desalination research, water system upgrades, and incentives for lower-cost starter homes.
