Democrats flipped the governorships in three traditional Republican strongholds Tuesday, with female candidates winning in Georgia, Ohio and Texas.
Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms ended more than two decades of Republican control in Georgia to become the first Black female governor in U.S. history.
And in a stunning upset, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who won reelection by double digits in 2022, lost to Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa. Prior to Tuesday, no Democrat had been elected to any statewide office in the Lone Star State since 1994.
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In another early flip Amy Acton won Ohio’s gubernatorial election Tuesday, defeating Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in a major political upset.
The former state health director, became the first woman elected governor in Ohio history, delivering Democrats a significant victory in a state that has increasingly shifted toward Republicans. President Trump carried Ohio by more than 11 percentage points in the 2024 election.
Mr. Ramaswamy released an ad featuring Ms. Acton’s estranged mother accusing the candidate of lying about her childhood, which drew widespread condemnation.
Heading into Election Day, Republicans held 26 governorships compared to 24 for Democrats. Their victories in Ohio, Georgia and Texas gave the party control of at least 27 governorships come January, as none of their incumbents is considered highly threatened.
With 36 governorships on the ballot Tuesday night, that Democratic number could go higher as several close races in Republican-held Nevada and Iowa had yet to be called late Tuesday night.
Tuesday night got off to a strong start for Democrats, who quickly racked up victories in reliably blue states, securing early wins as they sought to expand their control of governors’ mansions nationwide.
Democratic Govs. Wes Moore of Maryland, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Maura Healey of Massachusetts, Kathy Hochul of New York and JB Pritzker of Illinois all secured additional terms. In addition, Democrat Helena Buonanno Foulkes won in Rhode Island, succeeding outgoing Gov. Dan McKee, a Democrat.
The races in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Illinois have national implications because the winning governors have been widely discussed as potential presidential candidates in 2028.
The GOP also barely held on in ruby-red Florida, where Trump-backed Rep. Byron Donalds won the race to succeed Gov. Ron DeSantis. He will become Florida’s first Black governor.
Democrats also scored victories in Connecticut and Colorado, two states they were widely expected to win. In Connecticut, Gov. Ned Lamont won a third term, becoming the first governor in state history to be elected to three consecutive terms. Democratic Attorney General Phil Weiser won in Colorado, extending Democratic control of the Colorado governor’s office, which the party has held since 2007.
Republicans held onto governors’ mansions in Arkansas and Wyoming on Tuesday, with Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders winning a second term and state Sen. Eric Barlow capturing the open seat in Wyoming. The victories expand Republican control over two states Mr. Trump carried overwhelmingly in the 2024 election.
The stakes in the governors’ races extend well beyond individual states. A Democratic majority would give the party a larger platform to challenge Mr. Trump’s policies during the final two years of his presidency and strengthen the profiles of some governors ahead of the 2028 presidential election.
It also would give Democrats a position of strength as they prepare for upcoming battles on redistricting, election integrity, abortion restrictions and immigration enforcement.
Democrats are also expected to reclaim the House of Representatives and possibly the Senate.
The changing landscape underscores the difficulties Republicans are facing as they try to hold on to state power amid voter frustration over the economy and Mr. Trump’s job performance.
Other key governors’ battles were too close to call late Tuesday night.
In Alaska, the governor’s race includes three GOP candidates and one Democrat because of the state’s ranked-choice system. It’s possible the Republicans split the vote, handing victory to Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins.
In Nevada, Republicans hope to keep the governor’s mansion as incumbent Joe Lombardo tries to fend off a challenge from Democrat Attorney General Aaron Ford. Polls have been mixed, with some showing Mr. Lombardo with a small lead while others show Mr. Ford ahead. The Cook Political Report rated the race a toss-up.
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