Iowa and Nevada flip blue as Democrats take a majority of governors' mansions
At least 27 Democratic governors in 2027, the AP reported, up from 24.
Democrats will run most of the country's state governments for the first time in two decades. The party will hold at least 27 governorships in 2027, its first majority since it last won one in 2006, the Associated Press reported Wednesday. Before Tuesday, Republicans held 26 of the 50.
The newest flips came in Iowa and Nevada. In Iowa, Democrat Rob Sand beat Republican Zach Lahn. In Nevada, Attorney General Aaron Ford unseated Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo. NBC News projected both races for the Democrats, and its tracker showed Sand ahead 55.5% to 44.5% with 99% of the expected vote counted and Ford ahead 51.7% to 44.2% with about 87% counted, as of 11:45 a.m. Eastern, according to NBC's governor results.
A map that turned over
Iowa and Nevada join three flips we've already covered. Gina Hinojosa beat Gov. Greg Abbott in Texas despite being outspent 5-to-1 on ads, Amy Acton defeated Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio, and Keisha Lance Bottoms flipped Georgia. Iowa, Ohio and Texas are all states where Republicans have controlled state government for years, the AP noted. In Texas, Ohio and Georgia, the wins break Republican control of state government.
Democrats also held key seats. NBC projected wins for Gov. Katie Hobbs in Arizona, Gov. Josh Shapiro in Pennsylvania, Jocelyn Benson in Michigan's open race, and David Crowley in Wisconsin's open race. Deb Haaland won New Mexico.
Republicans kept Florida, where Rep. Byron Donalds beat former Rep. David Jolly to succeed Gov. Ron DeSantis, the AP reported.
Still counting
Kansas, where Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is term-limited, was Republicans' best chance to take a seat from Democrats, the AP reported. NBC's tracker showed the Democrat, Holscher, at 50.3% and the Republican, Masterson, at 49.7% with about 98% of the expected vote counted and no projection as of 11:45 a.m. Eastern. Alaska's open race was also still being counted.
What this means for working people
Governors sign or veto the state laws that set minimum wages, sick leave and workplace safety rules, and they run the agencies that pay unemployment benefits and enforce wage laws. A Democratic governor facing a Republican legislature can veto bills that roll back worker protections.
The new governors will also shape how states push back on Washington. Trump has clashed with Democratic-led states over National Guard deployments, immigration operations, conditions on federal aid and election rules, including mail voting, the AP reported. The governors elected Tuesday will be in office when those states run the 2028 presidential election.
Sources
- Democrats win governorships in Texas and other GOP-controlled states in rebuke to Republicans (Associated Press via PBS NewsHour)
- U.S. Governor Midterm Elections 2026 Live Results (NBC News)
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