Democrats press to win a majority of governors' offices in midterms after power struggles with Trump
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Votes were being counted in high-profile contests for governor in Tuesday’s midterm elections, with Democrats hoping to take over a majority of executive office suites for the first time in two decades as they ride a wave of voter discontent over the economy, inflation, healthcare and the future of democracy.
Polls were closed in more than 25 states, including Georgia, Texas, Ohio and Florida, where the nation's most expensive governors' races were fought.
The number of states in play is surprisingly large, a reflection of President Donald Trump's poor approval ratings dragging on his party. Competitive races include those in heavily populated states; presidential battleground states such as Michigan and Wisconsin; and reliably red states such as Iowa and Ohio.
In Florida, Republicans hung onto control as U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds defeated Democrat David Jolly, a former Republican congressman-turned-independent who ran as a Democrat, in the nation’s third-most populous state and a GOP bastion for much of the past two decades.
In the weeks leading up to Election Day, Trump went to heavily Republican areas to headline rallies attended by GOP gubernatorial candidates looking for a boost.
All told, 36 states that are home to about 80% of the nation’s population were electing a governor Tuesday. In 19 states, the office is open. Heading into the elections, Democratic governors represented 60% of the nation’s population, but Republicans held 26 of the nation's 50 governors’ offices.
“Our goal is not just the majority of the population, but the majority of states,” Meghan Meehan-Draper, the executive director of the Democratic Governors Association, told The Associated Press.
Democrats last gained a majority of governorships in 2006, flipping six governors’ offices in the last midterm under a second-term Republican president. Republicans recaptured the majority four years later.
More states under Democratic leadership could mean more governors fighting — or ignoring — Trump's agenda.
Trump has tested the power of states, clashing primarily with Democratic-led states over call-ups of National Guard troops, immigration operations, conditions on federal aid and efforts to assert federal control over election requirements, including restricting mail voting.
Democrats' best opportunities to pick up a governor’s office were in Alaska, Georgia, Iowa and Ohio, where the incumbents are term-limited, and in Nevada, where state Attorney General Aaron Ford was challenging Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo.
Georgia and Alaska haven’t elected a Democratic governor since 1998. Iowa and Ohio haven’t elected one since 2006.
Republicans' best chance to capture an executive suite was in Kansas, a normally deep red state where Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly was term-limited.
Next on the GOP’s list was Wisconsin, where Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany took on Democrat David Crowley, after the Milwaukee County executive eked out a primary win.
Republicans also have an eye on Michigan's open governor’s office and on Oregon, where Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek was trying to fend off a second challenge from Republican state Sen. Christine Drazan.
Democrats felt like they had a chance in Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska.
Ohio’s race grabbed national headlines when Republican Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign created an ad featuring Democrat Amy Acton’s estranged mother criticizing her. Acton’s mother lost custody of her children decades ago after her husband, Acton’s stepfather, was indicted for raping Acton as a child.
The ad drew bipartisan rebukes, including from Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine. Conversely, Trump praised the ad and Vice President JD Vance, an Ohioan, defended it.
In Texas, where no Democrat has been elected to statewide office since 1994, Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa mounted a competitive challenge to third-term Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.
Hinojosa was seen as a long shot after she emerged from a primary with a fraction of Abbott’s cash total. In September, fellow Latino politicians and politicos wrote to the Democratic Governors Association to request $10 million in campaign aid, saying Hinojosa had made it a close race.
The DGA gave $1 million — far less than it spent in Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio and Wisconsin.
Notably, Abbott skipped Trump’s rally in Texas, a sign of the president's unpopularity.
Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York won reelection, and Democrat Xavier Becerra, a former U.S. health and human services secretary, was expected to cruise to victory in California.
Control of the executive branch was on the line in the six swing states from the 2024 presidential election: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
The winners could have substantial influence over election administration during the 2028 presidential election. That could be important, considering Trump’s interest in expanding federal control over elections.
Meanwhile, three Democratic governors who are considered possible presidential candidates in 2028 all won reelection: Wes Moore of Maryland, JB Pritzker of Illinois and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania.
Demonstrating a big margin of victory, fundraising prowess and the electoral strength to help other Democrats win sends a strong signal to donors and party activists, analysts say.
In Texas, Hinojosa was vying to become the first Latina governor, while Deb Haaland of New Mexico hoped to become the first Native American woman to lead a state.
More states were poised to elect Black governors, as well. Seven Black major party gubernatorial nominees were on ballots, in addition to Maryland’s Moore. In the past 250 years, only three elected governors have been Black.
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