Beyond the question of which party holds power, Tuesday's elections produced an unusually large number of candidates who made history simply by winning.
In Florida, Republican Byron Donalds won the governor's race to succeed term-limited Governor Ron DeSantis, making him the first African American governor of Florida and the first African American governor elected anywhere in the Deep South. In Texas, Democrat Gina Hinojosa's win made her both the first Democrat elected governor of Texas in a generation and the first Latina to hold the office. In Ohio, Democrat Amy Acton will become the state's first female governor. In Georgia, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta, was elected governor. In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed was elected to the United States Senate.
News outlets covering the results noted that candidates from both major parties made history this cycle, a reflection of how competitive and closely watched many of this year's races were, from governor's mansions to open Senate seats. Deb Haaland's election as governor of New Mexico added to the list: Haaland, who previously served as U.S. Interior Secretary, returns to elected office after a stint in the cabinet.
These results do not change the headline numbers on party control, but they matter because governors and senators set policy and build political careers that extend well beyond a single term. Many of the winners named above will take office at the start of next year, and all now face the practical work of building administrations and legislative relationships in states or a Senate chamber reshaped by Tuesday's results.
Who will be Florida's next governor?
Republican Byron Donalds, who will be the first African American governor of Florida and the first elected in the Deep South.
What historic first happened in the Texas governor's race?
Democrat Gina Hinojosa became the state's first Latina governor and its first Democratic governor in a generation.