Nine states elect historic governors in 2026 midterms: firsts across race, gender, and party

These 9 Candidates for Governor Just Made History

Voters in nine states made history on Tuesday by electing governors who will break long-standing barriers. From Atlanta to Albuquerque to Austin, the November 3, 2026 midterm results delivered a wave of firsts that cuts across party lines and geography, NPR reported.

Bottoms and Haaland Set National Precedents

Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms made the most sweeping entry into the record books, becoming the country’s first Black woman elected governor of any state when she won Georgia’s race. The 56-year-old former Atlanta mayor, who served from 2018 to 2022 and later served as an adviser to former President Joe Biden, defeated Republican billionaire health care executive Rick Jackson. Her victory also ended a more than two-decade drought for Democrats in Georgia governor’s races, making her the first Democrat to win the office in the state in over 20 years.

In New Mexico, Deb Haaland will become the first Native American woman to serve as governor. A Democrat of Pueblo Indian descent who defeated Republican Gregg Hull, Haaland previously served in Congress and as Interior Secretary under Biden, becoming the first Native American cabinet secretary and one of the first Native American women elected to Congress.

These candidates made history in the 2026 midterm elections

Latino Representation Expands in California and Texas

Democrat Xavier Becerra will be the first elected Latino governor of California when he takes office, succeeding Gavin Newsom after handily defeating Republican Steve Hilton, a political outsider. Becerra, a former California attorney general and former member of Congress who served as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Biden administration, now takes the helm of the nation’s most populous state.

In Texas, state representative Gina Hinojosa defeated incumbent Republican Governor Greg Abbott—one of the country’s most influential governors and an ally of President Trump—to become the first Latina governor of Texas and the first Democrat to hold the office in over 30 years. Hinojosa’s victory comes amid a demographic shift in the state, where the Latino population has surged. She spoke during her election night watch party at Assembly Hall on November 3, 2026 in Austin, NPR reported.

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Florida and Wisconsin Elect First Black Governors

Republican Byron Donalds is set to become Florida’s first Black governor after defeating Democrat David Jolly. With the backing of President Trump and a hefty election war chest, Donalds—who has been in Congress since 2021 and served two terms in the state legislature—campaigned on affordability and promised to continue the conservative politics of outgoing Republican Governor Ron DeSantis.

In Wisconsin, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley defeated Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany to become the first Black governor in the Badger State. Crowley, who campaigned on his record as a “deal maker” who can work across the political aisle, overcame a significant financial disadvantage—Tiffany’s campaign massively outspent Crowley’s. Crowley had actually suspended his campaign during the primary but reentered it with the support of outgoing Governor Tony Evers after the candidate he backed dropped out.

These 9 candidates for governor just made history : NPR — Photo: europesays.com

Three States Elect Their First Women Governors

Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn became the first woman to win a gubernatorial race in Tennessee, defeating Democrat Jerri Green and multiple independent candidates. Though long a favorite for the race, her victory was narrower than expected, with her campaign focusing on curtailing immigration, confronting China, and cutting wasteful government spending.

Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar will become the first woman to be governor of Minnesota when she assumes office in January, defeating Republican Lisa Demuth, the speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives. Demuth, like Green in Tennessee, would also have been the first woman governor of her state.

Wisconsin election: Crowley defeats Tiffany in governor's race

Among the larger surprises of Tuesday’s vote, Democrat Amy Acton appears set to become Ohio’s first woman elected governor and the state’s first Jewish governor. Acton, formerly the state’s chief public health officer during the pandemic, defeated Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in a race whose final weeks were dominated by vicious mudslinging and an attack ad that garnered national criticism. She will be the first Democrat to serve in the office in two decades. Acton had rallied with former President Barack Obama at Cleveland Public Auditorium on October 24, 2026.

Several—like Blackburn in Tennessee or Acton in Ohio—won by margins or under circumstances that suggest their mandates may be contested.