Last night, America watched as the Democratic Party clinched national victories and gained control of both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. But while headlines focused on federal results, control of state power shifted in the background. Here are the most consequential wins Democrats took home on the state level.
Arizona
Incumbent Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs defended her seat against Republican challenger Andy Biggs. Though this was predicted to be a tight race, the real upset happened down-ballot. After 60 years of control, Arizona Republicans lost the majority in both chambers of the legislature as Democrats are predicted to flip seven Senate seats and nine House seats.
Iowa
The Hawkeye State has been a Republican stronghold for the last few years but has sharply reversed course as Democrat Rob Sand ended Republican control of the governor’s office. Democrats also prevented a Republican supermajority, granting the new Governor significant veto power.
Ohio
The once Presidential-hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy lost the Ohio Governor’s race to Democrat Amy Acton. She will be the first Democratic governor in the mansion since 2006, though she will face divided government as Republicans maintain legislative control.
Georgia
Georgia voters elected a Democratic governor for the first time since 1998. Keisha Lance Bottoms will soon assume office, and Democrats appear to have also secured control of the Georgia House of Representatives, where they currently lead in 13 previously Republican-held districts.
Texas
Texas will have its first Democratic governor in three decades as Gina Hinojosa unseats incumbent Greg Abbott. The party also made significant gains in the state’s House of Representatives and appears to have taken control of the lower chamber for the first time since 2000.
Wisconsin
The presidential swing state already had a Democratic governor, but a reliably red legislature. However, as a new Democratic candidate won the governor’s seat, both chambers of the legislature also flipped blue, clinching the trifecta.
North Carolina
Before the election, North Carolina also had split control with a Democratic governor and a Republican legislature. The GOP was one seat away from a supermajority in the House but has lost control under a now Democratic majority.
The Michigan House, Minnesota House, and Pennsylvania Senate appear to have flipped blue, which gives the Democratic Party a trifecta in all three states. The Nevada governor’s seat also flipped blue, giving Democrats another trifecta. Democrats prevented Republican supermajorities in reliably red states, including Florida, South Carolina, Indiana, Missouri, and Kansas.
While Republicans took a significant blow this election season, conservative ideas did not. Voters continued to reject radical leftism, namely gender ideology, in ballot measures in deep-blue states like Colorado and Washington. (Those results will be examined separately) These state election results should not be interpreted as a sweeping endorsement of the Left’s agenda. They simply remind Republicans that candidate quality matters and show them that winning elections does not give politicians permission to abandon the principles they were elected to defend.
The Democratic Party shall also be warned. Voters have not forgotten what happens when government overreaches. COVID shutdowns, compelled speech, ideological mandates, and attempts to undermine parental authority are still fresh in Americans’ minds. If newly empowered lawmakers use their victories to erode parental rights, sideline constitutional protections, or force radical gender ideology on families, they should expect citizens to hold them accountable.
Concerned Women for America (CWA) will continue working in state legislatures across the country to defend our families, protect parental rights, and advance policies grounded in Biblical values and constitutional principles. We will hold lawmakers accountable, regardless of party, and stand with women and families.
