Nine States Elect Historic Governors in Sweeping Midterm Results

Voters in nine states selected new governors on Tuesday, electing candidates who will hold firsts in American politics. The results include the first Black woman, first Native American woman, and first Latino governor in the United States. Democrats also secured control of executive offices in states that have not elected a Democratic governor in decades.

Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former Atlanta mayor, defeated Republican Rick Jackson to become Georgia's next governor. At 56, she will be the first Black woman to serve as a state chief executive. Her victory marks the first time a Democrat has won the Georgia governor's race in more than 20 years. Bottoms previously served as an adviser to former President Joe Biden.

In Texas, state representative Gina Hinojosa unseated incumbent Greg Abbott, a key ally of President Trump. Hinojosa becomes the first Latina governor of Texas and the state's first Democratic governor in over 30 years. Her win aligns with a rising Latino population in the state. In California, Xavier Becerra, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, will become the first elected Latino governor after defeating Republican Steve Hilton.

New Mexico's Deb Haaland, of Pueblo Indian descent, defeated Republican Gregg Hull. She will be the first Native American woman governor, following her time as Interior Secretary and a member of Congress. In Florida, Byron Donalds won the Republican nomination for governor, becoming the first Black governor of the state. He defeated Democrat David Jolly while campaigning on affordability and continuing the policies of outgoing Governor Ron DeSantis.

Wisconsin voters chose David Crowley, the Milwaukee County executive, over Republican Tom Tiffany. Crowley becomes the state's first Black governor. He campaigned on his experience as a dealmaker who works across political lines. In Ohio, Democrat Amy Acton defeated Vivek Ramaswamy to become the state's first female and first Jewish governor. She will be the first Democrat in the office in two decades.

Tennessee and Minnesota also elected their first women governors. Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn defeated Democrat Jerri Green in Tennessee, focusing her campaign on immigration and government spending. In Minnesota, Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar defeated Republican Lisa Demuth, the House speaker. Klobuchar will assume office in January, joining the other new governors in a reshaped map of state leadership.