Nine Governors Elected in Historic Midterms

Voters in nine states elected new governors on Tuesday, producing a slate of historic firsts that includes the first Black woman governor and the first Native American woman to hold the office. The results mark a major shift in state leadership across the country.

Keisha Lance Bottoms of Georgia became the first Black woman elected governor in any state. The 56-year-old Democrat defeated Republican Rick Jackson to end a 20-year streak of Republican wins in the state. Bottoms previously served as mayor of Atlanta from 2018 to 2022 and later advised former President Joe Biden.

Deb Haaland of New Mexico will become the first Native American woman governor. The Democrat defeated Republican Gregg Hull to join the ranks of her state's leaders. Haaland, who is of Pueblo Indian descent, previously served in Congress and as the interior secretary under the Biden administration.

Latino representation increased in two major states. Xavier Becerra of California will become the first elected Latino governor of that state, succeeding Gavin Newsom after defeating Republican Steve Hilton. In Texas, Gina Hinojosa defeated incumbent Greg Abbott to become the first Latina governor of the state. Hinojosa is also the first Democrat to win the governorship in Texas in more than 30 years.

Florida and Wisconsin each elected their first Black governors. Byron Donalds, a Republican who served in Congress since 2021, defeated Democrat David Jolly in Florida. Donalds campaigned on affordability and promised to continue the conservative policies of outgoing Governor Ron DeSantis. In Wisconsin, Democrat David Crowley defeated Republican Tom Tiffany. Crowley, a Milwaukee County executive, had previously suspended his campaign during the primary before reentering with the support of Governor Tony Evers.

Three women claimed historic victories in Tennessee, Minnesota, and Ohio. Marsha Blackburn, a Republican, became the first woman to win a gubernatorial race in Tennessee after defeating Democrat Jerri Green. Her campaign focused on immigration, China, and government spending. Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat, defeated Republican Lisa Demuth to become the first woman governor of Minnesota. Demuth, the speaker of the Minnesota House, would have been her state's first female governor had she won.

Amy Acton, a Democrat, is poised to become the first woman and first Jewish governor of Ohio. She defeated Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in a race marked by intense advertising attacks. Acton previously served as the state's chief public health officer during the pandemic. Her victory makes her the first Democrat to hold the Ohio governorship in two decades.