Americans went to the polls on Tuesday, November 3, and by Wednesday the shape of the next two years in Washington and in dozens of statehouses had become clear.
Democrats secured majorities in both chambers of Congress, a shift from the Republican-controlled Congress that had been in place since the start of the current term. At the state level, Democrats flipped six governor's offices that had been held by Republicans: Alaska, Georgia, Iowa, Nevada, Ohio, and Texas. No governorship changed hands in the other direction. One more race, in Kansas, remained too close to call as final votes were counted, with the Democratic candidate holding a narrow lead in a state that had been Democratic-held going into the election.
Several races drew particular attention. In Nevada, Democrat Aaron Ford defeated incumbent Republican Governor Joe Lombardo. In Ohio, Democrat Amy Acton won the governorship, meaning the state will have its first female governor. In Texas, Democrat Gina Hinojosa won the governor's race, which will make her the state's first Democratic governor in a generation and its first Latina governor. Incumbents held on in several other states: Katie Hobbs was reelected governor of Arizona, Tina Kotek was reelected in Oregon, and Josh Shapiro won reelection in Pennsylvania with just over 60 percent of the vote. In New Mexico, Deb Haaland, a former U.S. Interior Secretary, was elected governor.
Midterm elections, held two years into a president's term, have historically tended to go against the party holding the White House, and this year's results followed that pattern. Reaction from abroad was measured. China's Foreign Ministry described the elections as an internal American matter and said Beijing would continue to seek constructive relations with Washington, while South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said the results reflected the preferences of American voters.
The Kansas governor's race should be finalized in the coming days, and attention now turns to how a Congress split between the parties in the White House and the new Democratic majorities will approach upcoming budget and policy fights.
Did either party flip control of the Senate or House?
Yes, Democrats won majorities in both chambers of Congress in Tuesday's elections.
Which governor's races flipped parties?
Six states moved from Republican to Democratic governors: Alaska, Georgia, Iowa, Nevada, Ohio, and Texas.
Were any incumbent governors reelected?
Yes, including Katie Hobbs in Arizona, Tina Kotek in Oregon, and Josh Shapiro in Pennsylvania.