Democratic candidates flipped control of governorships in Georgia, Iowa, Texas, and Ohio in the 2026 midterm elections, extending the party’s reach into traditionally Republican states. The victories include historic milestones, such as Keisha Lance Bottoms becoming the first Black female governor in U.S. history and Gina Hinojosa becoming the first Latina chief executive of Texas. Democrats also maintained power in key swing states like Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, while races in Arizona, Nevada, and Michigan remained competitive early Wednesday.
What the Right Is Saying
Republicans faced significant headwinds in this cycle, with the party entering the midterms holding a 26-24 advantage in governor’s offices that appeared to be at risk as votes were counted. The loss of Texas, a state President Donald Trump won by nearly 14 points in 2024, was described in early analyses as a shocking reversal for the GOP. In Ohio, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy lost to Democrat Amy Acton, succeeding Republican Mike DeWine.
Conservative strategists noted the difficulty of overcoming a "broadly toxic political climate" for Republicans, as described in the NBC News report. The party struggled to defend seats in deep red states like Iowa, where State Auditor Rob Sand defeated Republican Zach Lahn, ending two decades of Republican control of the governor’s mansion in a state Trump won by 13 points in 2024.
What the Left Is Saying
Democratic leaders characterized the results as a definitive rejection of Republican governance and a validation of their campaign strategies. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, chair of the Democratic Governors Association, stated that the wins marked "a new era of Democratic leadership in states across the country." He attributed the success to the party "competing and winning everywhere" and focusing on issues impacting Americans daily.
The party highlighted the symbolic importance of the victories, particularly in states like Texas, where the last Democratic governor was elected more than three decades ago. Democrats pointed to the election of three Black governors on the same night—Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia, Wes Moore in Maryland, and Republican Byron Donalds in Florida—as evidence of a changing political landscape, noting that there has never been more than one Black governor serving at a time before this election cycle.
What the Numbers Show
Thirty-six gubernatorial contests were on the ballot. Democrats flipped four seats: Texas, Georgia, Iowa, and Ohio. In Texas, Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa defeated three-term GOP Gov. Greg Abbott. In Georgia, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms defeated Republican Rick Jackson, flipping the office for the first time in 24 years. In Iowa, Rob Sand defeated Zach Lahn. In Ohio, Amy Acton defeated Vivek Ramaswamy.
Democrats held their seats in Wisconsin, where Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley defeated GOP Rep. Tom Tiffany, and in Pennsylvania, where Gov. Josh Shapiro won re-election by more than 20 percentage points. As of early Wednesday, races in Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, and Kansas remained tight. In Arizona, Gov. Katie Hobbs led Rep. Andy Biggs. In Nevada, AG Aaron Ford faced off against Gov. Joe Lombardo. In Kansas, state Sen. Cindy Holscher was locked in a contest with Republican Ty Masterson.
The Bottom Line
The results represent a significant shift in the balance of power among state executives, with Democrats gaining ground in states that had been firmly in the Republican column for years. The flip of Texas and Iowa is particularly notable given the margin of victory President Trump secured in those states in 2024. Attention now turns to the remaining uncalled races in Arizona, Nevada, and Michigan, which could further alter the partisan map of governorships heading into the next legislative sessions.