The first results of the governor elections held this Tuesday in the United States show a provisional advantage for the Democratic Party in the number of races called, although it is still too early to determine whether that difference will translate into a change in the territorial balance between the two major parties. At 9:06 p.m. Eastern time of the United States—3:06 a.m. in peninsular Spain—the Democrats totaled 13 projected victories compared with nine for the Republicans.
The figure, however, does not equate to the final distribution of governorships in the country. The 22 called results are part of the 36 elections held this year and, at that moment, neither of the two parties had managed to take a governorship from the other.
The most relevant developments were in the states where the partial count pointed to a possible change of administration, especially Georgia, Ohio and Texas, all of them governed by Republicans before election day.
Georgia, Ohio and Texas: Democrats lead the count in states governed by Republicans
In Georgia, the Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms reaches 56% of the votes against 44% for Republican Rick Jackson, with 71% of the votes counted. This is one of the most relevant partial results of the night, since a victory by the former mayor of Atlanta would allow her party to regain a governorship that Republicans have controlled since 2003.
In Ohio, Amy Acton obtains 54% against 43% for Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, with 47% of the vote counted. The former director of the Ohio Department of Health is competing for a governorship that the Republican Party has controlled since 2011.
Kansas also stands out, where the Democrat Cindy Holscher adds 62% against 38% for Republican Ty Masterson, with 36% of the votes counted. In this case, however, a Democratic victory would not imply a change of party, since the governorship is already in the hands of Laura Kelly.
In Texas, the Democrat Gina Hinojosa leads the count with 57% of the votes against 42% for Republican governor Greg Abbott, when 40% has been counted. The result is still partial, but the dispute takes on special importance due to the state’s political and economic weight, which has been under Republican governments for decades.
Florida, one of the tightest races of the night
The choice for governor of Florida offers another of the narrowest results of the day. With 98% of the vote counted, Republican Byron Donalds gets 50% versus 49% for Democrat David Jolly, a reduced margin in a state where Republicans have consolidated their electoral dominance in recent years.
Donalds aims to succeed Ron DeSantis, while Jolly, a former Republican congressman who later joined the Democratic Party, is trying to win back for the opposition a governorship it has not won since 1994.
Although the count is well advanced, the narrowness of the result means it is necessary to wait for a declaration before considering the contest settled.
New York and Colorado, among the latest projected victories
Among the most recent declarations are those of Kathy Hochul in New York, who secures reelection, and Phil Weiser in Colorado, who keeps for Democrats the state’s governorship. In Wyoming, Republican Eric Barlow has also been proclaimed the winner.
To these victories are added the Democratic reelections of Josh Shapiro in Pennsylvania, JB Pritzker in Illinois, and Wes Moore in Maryland, which allow the party to defend some of its most important governorships.
Michigan and Iowa remain pending
In Michigan, the Democrat Jocelyn Benson leads the count with 57% against 41% for Republican John James, with 14% of the votes counted. Her victory would allow the governorship that Gretchen Whitmer is leaving to be retained.
In Iowa, Rob Sand gets 75% against 25% for Republican Zach Lahn, although the count barely reaches 5%, so this margin still offers a very limited picture of the final result.
Attention is also directed to Nevada, Arizona, and Wisconsin, where the progress of the count will make it possible to complete the map of governorships and determine whether Democrats manage to reduce or reverse the Republicans’ territorial advantage.