Democrats Win Governorships in Texas, Georgia, Iowa and Ohio

Democrats won governorships in Texas, Georgia, Iowa and Ohio on Tuesday, taking control of offices held by Republicans in four states. They also won in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, while races in Arizona, Nevada and Michigan remained tight early Wednesday, according to NBC News.

In Texas, Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa defeated three-term Republican Gov. Greg Abbott despite a large spending disadvantage. She will become the state’s first Latina governor and its first Democrat elected to the office in more than three decades. Donald Trump carried Texas by nearly 14 percentage points in 2024.

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms defeated Republican Rick Jackson in Georgia, giving Democrats the governorship for the first time in 24 years. Bottoms will become the first Black woman to serve as governor of a U.S. state. The Guardian described Jackson as a billionaire and reported that Republicans had controlled both the governorship and state legislature for more than 20 years.

Bottoms was one of three Black gubernatorial candidates elected Tuesday, alongside Democratic Gov. Wes Moore in Maryland and Republican Byron Donalds in Florida. NBC News reported that no more than one Black governor has served at the same time before. According to The Guardian, Donalds narrowly defeated David Jolly, a former Republican who ran as a Democrat, to become Florida’s first Black governor.

In Iowa, State Auditor Rob Sand defeated Republican Zach Lahn, becoming the first Democrat elected governor there in two decades. Trump won the state by 13 points in 2024. Democrat Amy Acton beat Republican businessman Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio, succeeding Republican Gov. Mike DeWine. Acton is the first woman elected Ohio governor and the first Democrat elected to the office since 2006, The Guardian reported.

Wisconsin elected Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who defeated Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany to succeed Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. Crowley will be the state’s first Black governor. In Pennsylvania, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro won re-election; NBC News reported that his margin exceeded 20 percentage points. The Guardian identified Stacy Garrity as his opponent.

The Guardian also reported Democratic victories for Gov. Kathy Hochul in New York, Deb Haaland in New Mexico and Xavier Becerra in California. Haaland will be the first Native American woman elected governor of a state, while Becerra will be California’s first elected Latino governor, according to the newspaper.

Republicans entered Tuesday’s elections with a 26-24 advantage in governorships, and 36 states held gubernatorial contests. Democrats were seeking their first majority of governorships since the 2006 midterms, The Guardian reported.

NBC News identified Arizona, Nevada and Michigan as states with tight governor’s races early Wednesday. Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs led Republican Rep. Andy Biggs in Arizona, while Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford faced Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo in Nevada. NBC also reported a tight contest in Kansas between Democratic state Sen. Cindy Holscher and Republican Ty Masterson.

“This incredible milestone marks a new era of Democratic leadership in states across the country,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, chair of the Democratic Governors Association, said in a statement.