Democrats Win 28 Governorships and Retake Both Chambers of Congress
Midterm results show a historic shift, with key states like Texas and Ohio flipping to the party.
By Bianca Shevchenko ·
Democrats secured at least 28 governorships in the midterm elections held last Tuesday. This outcome gives the party control of a majority of statehouses for the first time in decades. The victory extends to the federal level, where the party took command of both the House of Representatives and the Senate by wide margins.
The results marked a major departure from recent trends in several traditionally Republican states. Texas, Kansas, and Iowa all flipped to the Democrats in Senate races. These are the first times in decades that those states have voted for a Democratic candidate for that office. Gubernatorial races in GOP strongholds such as Georgia, Ohio, and Texas also fell to Democratic candidates.
Party leaders pointed to mid-decade redistricting as a key factor in the outcome. Eric Holder, chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, stated that Republican efforts to draw favorable districts backfired. He noted that candidates lost in districts specifically designed for their success. "The redistricting efforts that [Republicans] had didn't just fail, they were dismantled," Holder said.
Abdul El-Sayed made history in Michigan by becoming the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate. He attributed his victory to his opponent, Republican Mike Rogers, focusing on El-Sayed's faith and name rather than policy issues. El-Sayed said he agreed with President Trump's scheduled end to roughly $4 billion in annual military aid to Israel. He also acknowledged a lack of support from some Jewish and Black voters, saying there is always more work to do to build relationships.
Stacey Abrams, founder of Fair Fight Action, said the party has been building toward this outcome since 2010. She expressed pride in Keisha Lance Bottoms, who became the first Black woman elected governor in United States history. Abrams said the Democratic wins for governor, attorney general, secretary of state, and in the state house provide an opportunity to restore rights lost in the South over the last 20 years.
Ken Martin, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, called the election the biggest win for his party in more than a century. He said voters issued a mandate to address affordability, health care, and systems that benefit wealthy Americans. Martin said his candidates ran for a positive vision rather than against their opponents. "Our candidates across the board ran for something, not against something," he said.
Pollster Margie Omero described the results as a direct reflection of voter distrust of Washington leaders. She noted that contested races consistently broke toward Democrats despite high Republican spending during the campaign season. "Voters really wanted to send a real clear message, and they couldn't have been any clearer than what we heard last night," Omero said.
