Unofficial Results: Democrats Win Governor's Races in Texas, Georgia, Nevada, Ohio and Iowa, Unseating GOP Governors Abbott and Lombardo
Unofficial results from Tuesday's midterms show Democrats taking five governorships Republicans held, and news outlets disagree about how many years it has been since the party last held a majority of the nation's governor's offices.
Five states, two sitting governors
Democrats won the governor's races in Texas, Georgia, Nevada, Ohio and Iowa on Tuesday, according to AP and NBC projections. Republicans held all five offices going in[1][14]. All five states also voted for Trump in 2024[1].
Only two of the losers were sitting governors. In Texas, state Rep. Gina Hinojosa beat Gov. Greg Abbott. She won 52.5% of the vote, a 6.5-point margin in reported results[3][4]. In Nevada, Attorney General Aaron Ford beat Gov. Joe Lombardo, 51.5% to 44.3% with 85% of votes counted[9].
The other three were open-seat contests. Amy Acton beat Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio, 52.0% to a 7.2-point margin. Rob Sand beat Zach Lahn in Iowa, 57.7% to 42.3% with 76% of precincts reporting. Keisha Lance Bottoms beat Rick Jackson in Georgia, 54.2% to 45.8% with 95% counted[6][7][8][11][12].
Every number here is unofficial. No state has certified results, and several were still counting when outlets published[9][8][11]. Some early tallies counted only four flips, before Nevada was called.
A majority that took 16 years to return
The results give Democrats a majority of governorships for the first time since 2010. Republicans led 26-24 before the vote. NBC and Stateline both report this[1][2].
Not every outlet uses the same clock. Some AP wording says "two decades," which doesn't match the 2010 baseline other outlets use[28]. Both phrases describe the same majority. They just start counting from different places.
Georgia shows the same drift. International Business Times wrote of "three decades" of Republican rule there[24]. AP and other outlets put the gap at more than two decades. The record doesn't support three.
The races also produced firsts. Hinojosa is the first Democrat elected Texas governor since Ann Richards, who won in 1990 and left office in 1995[3][5]. Ford will be Nevada's first Black governor[9][10]. Acton is Ohio's first elected woman governor, and Bottoms is the first Black woman elected governor in the U.S.[6][11]. Sand is the first Democrat elected Iowa governor in two decades[8].
Is it a verdict on Trump?
The fight is over what the night means, not who won. Democrats call it a national rebuke of Republican governing. Their lead example is Texas, which Trump won by nearly 14 points in 2024[23][1].
They also point to money. Abbott's campaign outspent Hinojosa by tens of millions of dollars and still lost[5][3]. Democrats say that shows voters, not spending, decided it. They cite five flips at once, plus gains in the House and Senate, as proof the shift was broad[23][14].
Trump rejects that reading. He told Fox News, "I don't view it as a hit on me." He also said, "We've had the greatest two years in the history of the presidency in terms of the economy"[15]. PBS reports he said Democrats "did a good job"[16].
He blames individual candidates. He wrote that if Abbott "hadn't become a RINO in the last six months of his Political Life, he wouldn't have lost." RINO means "Republican in name only." CNN reports he called the losses a "mood in the air" and rejected the idea that the Iran war or tariffs were mainly to blame[15][16].
Two facts that fit both stories
Trump's argument rests on a real pattern. The president's party usually loses ground in midterm elections. And three of the five flips came in open seats, where the Republican nominees weren't sitting governors[15][6][8][12].
Democrats' argument rests on a real pattern too. A "flip" only means the office changed parties. Beating a sitting governor is a stronger sign of voter rejection, and Democrats did that twice, in Texas and Nevada[3][9]. Losing the second-largest state by a wide margin goes beyond a typical midterm dip, they say[23].
Each side also has an incentive. Democrats want a national mandate and a recruiting story for red states. Trump wants to keep his hold on the party and protect his agenda for the last two years of his term[15].
The losses reach beyond the governor's races. CNN reports that several losing Republicans elsewhere were Trump's picks, including Ken Paxton in Texas and Mike Collins in Georgia. Both ran for Senate, not governor. Party critics now have an opening[15].
Why governors matter past election night
Governors sign or veto state budgets and laws. They appoint officials. In many states they also shape how elections are run and how district maps are drawn[2]. So a governing majority gives a party power long after the news cycle moves on.
Democrats now hold that power in five more states. But they may have to govern alongside legislatures that are still Republican-controlled.
Republicans have their own bright spot. They held Florida, where Byron Donalds became the nation's first elected Black Republican governor[25]. The Georgia Republican Party conceded quickly: "We respect the will of Georgia's voters, and we hope those elected will serve all of Georgia"[13]. A search found no Republican Governors Association statement on the five flipped races, though the group did post statements on other Nov. 4 results.
Same night, different headlines
Outlets framed the night differently. AP's headline said Democrats captured governorships "in rebuke to Republicans," in its own voice, not attributed to anyone[14]. NBC called Hinojosa's win a "stunning result"[1]. CNN stated in its own voice that Trump "began" the Iran war and that his tariffs "drove up prices"[15].
Al Jazeera went furthest. It called the night a "historic routing" and a "stunning rebuke" of Trump, folding five state races into one national story[16].
Right-leaning outlets mostly stayed with single states. The Washington Examiner ran a plain result headline on Ford's win[19]. Fox News used the phrase "blue wave" but credited Ford's "blistering campaign," which points to the candidate, not the president[17][18]. The Dallas Express paired Georgia's flip with Florida's hold[21].
What's still open is the count. Final margins in Nevada, Iowa and Georgia can move, and certification is still ahead. Whether this is a verdict on the president or a run of candidate-by-candidate losses is the argument both camps will keep making.
Summary
Democrats won the governor's races in Texas, Georgia, Nevada, Ohio and Iowa in Tuesday's midterm elections, according to AP and NBC projections. Republicans held all five offices going in[1][14]. In Texas, state Rep. Gina Hinojosa beat Gov. Greg Abbott. She is the first Democrat elected governor of Texas since Ann Richards, who won in 1990 and left office in 1995[3][5]. In Nevada, Attorney General Aaron Ford beat Gov. Joe Lombardo[9]. In the other three states, the Democrats beat Republicans who were not the sitting governor. Those were Amy Acton over Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio, Rob Sand over Zach Lahn in Iowa, and Keisha Lance Bottoms over Rick Jackson in Georgia[6][8][12]. All five states voted for Trump in 2024[1].
NBC News and Stateline report that the results give Democrats a majority of governorships for the first time in 16 years. Republicans had led 26-24 before the vote[1][2]. Some AP wording says "two decades," which does not match the 2010 baseline other outlets use[28]. All of these numbers are unofficial. Several states were still counting when outlets published their vote shares[9][8][11].
The main dispute is what the results mean, not who won. Democrats and many U.S. and overseas outlets describe the night as a national rebuke of President Trump. AP used the word "rebuke" and Al Jazeera called it a "historic routing"[14][16]. Trump rejects that reading. He told Fox News, "I don't view it as a hit on me." He blamed individual candidates and called Abbott a "RINO," meaning "Republican in name only"[15][16]. Republicans did hold Florida, where Byron Donalds became the nation's first elected Black Republican governor[25].
The Event
On Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, voters in Texas, Georgia, Nevada, Ohio and Iowa elected Democratic governors, according to AP and NBC News projections[1][14]. Some early outlet tallies counted four flips (Texas, Georgia, Ohio, Iowa) before Nevada's sitting-governor race was called. Two Republican governors lost: Greg Abbott of Texas and Joe Lombardo of Nevada[3][9]. Democrats also won open or non-incumbent contests in Ohio, Iowa and Georgia[6][8][12]. Vote counting was still going on in several states when the results were called. No state has certified results yet[9][8][11].
Undisputed Facts
- Gina Hinojosa (D) defeated Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in Texas, with 52.5% of the vote and a 6.5-point margin in reported results[4][3].
- Amy Acton (D) defeated Trump-backed Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio, with 52.0% and a 7.2-point margin. She is the first woman elected governor of Ohio[6][7].
- Rob Sand (D) defeated Republican Zach Lahn in Iowa, with 57.7% to 42.3% at 76% of precincts reporting. He is the first Democrat elected Iowa governor in two decades[8].
- Aaron Ford (D) defeated Gov. Joe Lombardo (R) in Nevada, with 51.5% to 44.3% at 85% counted. He will be Nevada's first Black governor[9][10].
- Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) defeated Republican Rick Jackson in Georgia, with 54.2% to 45.8% at 95% counted. She is the first Black woman elected governor in the U.S.[11][12].
- Republicans held a 26-24 edge in governorships before Election Day. NBC and Stateline report that Democrats have now clinched a majority for the first time since 2010[1][2].
- The Georgia Republican Party said: "We respect the will of Georgia's voters, and we hope those elected will serve all of Georgia"[13].
- Republican Byron Donalds won the Florida governor's race. He is the nation's first elected Black Republican governor[25].
The Pressure
Strip away the moralizing and blame. What structural realities persist regardless of which narrative wins?
- The midterm penalty
- The president's party usually loses ground in midterm elections. That pattern is the basis of Trump's argument that the results were not personal. Democrats counter that losing Texas, which Trump won by nearly 14 points two years ago, goes well beyond a normal midterm loss[23][15].
- What a 'flip' does and does not mean
- A 'flip' means the office changed parties. It does not mean a sitting governor lost. Here only two did: Abbott and Lombardo[3][9]. In Ohio, Iowa and Georgia, Democrats beat Republican newcomers[6][8][12]. This matters for both sides' arguments. Beating a sitting governor is a stronger sign of voter rejection. An open-seat loss fits Trump's 'bad candidate' argument better.
- Control of state power
- Governors sign or veto state budgets and laws and appoint officials. In many states they also shape how elections are run and how district maps are drawn. So a governing majority gives a party power well after election night. Democrats have not held that majority since 2010[2].
Material realityFive states that Republicans led will have Democratic governors next year. One is Texas, the second-largest state[1]. Democrats now hold most governorships for the first time since 2010[2]. The vote shares reported so far are unofficial. The counts in Nevada (85%), Iowa (76% of precincts) and Georgia (95%) were partial when published, so final margins can change[9][8][11]. The results still need official certification. Two pieces of evidence cut against the idea that money decided these races. Abbott outspent Hinojosa by tens of millions of dollars and still lost[5][3]. And at least two winners, Ford in Nevada and Bottoms in Georgia, won by more than 7 points in partial counts[9][11].
Narrative as a weaponTwo camps are shaping how people read these results. Democrats and much of the national and foreign press frame the five flips as one national verdict on Trump, citing the Iran war, tariffs and prices[14][15][16]. Trump frames them as a string of individual candidate failures, even turning on Abbott, a former ally, as a 'RINO'[16][15]. Right-leaning outlets mostly cover the races one state at a time and point to Republican bright spots like Florida[19][21]. That avoids a national verdict. Watch the numbers each side picks. 'Sixteen years' and 'two decades' describe the same majority with different baselines. And 'three decades' for Georgia goes beyond what other reports support[2][28][24].
How Each Side Sees It
Each major actor’s view — how it frames things, its underlying incentive, and how it’s materially affected. Tap a side to read it.
Frames it asDemocrats argue that voters in Trump-won states chose their candidates in races the party had lost for decades. Texas, which Trump won by nearly 14 points in 2024, is their lead example[23][1]. Their candidates won while being outspent, so they say the result reflects voters, not money. CBS and NPR report that Abbott's campaign outspent Hinojosa by tens of millions of dollars[5][3]. Their central claim is that voters rebuked Republican governing in general, not just weak candidates. As evidence, they point to five flips at once plus the House and Senate[23][14].
WhyTurn the results into a national mandate and build a recruiting story for future races in red states. Governors also matter for redistricting and for running elections, so control of these offices outlasts any one news cycle[2].
Impact on themDemocrats gain executive power in five more states, including the second-largest, and a majority of governorships for the first time since 2010[1][2]. They also inherit the burden of governing with legislatures that may still be Republican-controlled.
Frames it asTrump argues the losses were not a verdict on him. He told Fox News, "I don't view it as a hit on me." He also said, "We've had the greatest two years in the history of the presidency in terms of the economy"[15]. He blames individual candidates, and PBS reports he also said Democrats "did a good job." He wrote that if Abbott "hadn't become a RINO in the last six months of his Political Life, he wouldn't have lost"[16][15]. CNN also reports that he called the losses a "mood in the air" and rejected the idea that the Iran war or tariffs were mainly to blame[15]. His argument rests on a real pattern: the president's party usually loses ground in midterm elections. It also fits the three flips in open seats, where the Republican nominees were not sitting governors.
WhyKeep his hold on the Republican Party and protect his policy agenda going into the final two years of his term[15].
Impact on themCNN reports that several losing Republicans in other races were Trump's hand-picked choices, including Ken Paxton in Texas and Mike Collins in Georgia. That gives party critics an opening[15]. Trump now faces Democratic majorities in Congress[23].
Frames it asState parties conceded quickly and focused on governing after the vote. The Georgia GOP said it respects "the will of Georgia's voters"[13]. Republicans can also point to wins. They held Florida, and Byron Donalds became the nation's first elected Black Republican governor[25][21]. For them, the loss is about this one cycle and these candidates, not a lasting realignment. This review found no Republican Governors Association statement on the five flipped races. The RGA did post statements on other Nov. 4 results.
WhyKeep donors and voters engaged, avoid a damaging blame fight between Trump allies and traditional Republicans, and rebuild for 2028[13].
Impact on themRepublicans lose five governorships, including two sitting governors. They also lose their majority of governor's offices, which they had held since 2010[1][2].
Frames it asForeign coverage, led by Al Jazeera, treats the governor's races as part of one national verdict on Trump. It calls the night a "historic routing" and a "stunning rebuke"[16]. From abroad, the main question is whether Trump's foreign policy, including the Iran war and his tariffs, will face more limits at home[16][15].
WhyCountries affected by U.S. trade and war policy want to judge how strong Trump will be for the rest of his term[16].
Impact on themGovernors have little say in foreign policy. Foreign governments may still see the results as a sign of weaker domestic support for the White House[16].
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The Bias Ledger average rating 4
The same story, as framed by outlets across the spectrum, ordered least to most biased. The bias score (1 = straight, 10 = heavily spun) is an AI assessment of that framing — click an outlet to see its track record. The tell is the word choice or omission that reveals the angle.
| Outlet | Vantage | Bias | How they frame it | The tell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Examiner | U.S. right | 2 | Democrat Aaron Ford ousts Lombardo in Nevada gubernatorial race | A plain result headline with no national framing. Treating the race as a single-state story is itself a choice, because it plays down the five-state pattern. |
| NBC News | U.S. center-left | 3 | Democrat Gina Hinojosa takes down Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in stunning result; Democrats clinch a majority of governorships for first time in 16 years | "Stunning" and "takes down" add drama. But the 16-year majority claim states its baseline (since 2010) and can be checked. |
| Associated Press | U.S. center | 4 | Democrats capture governorships in Texas, other GOP-controlled states in rebuke to Republicans | "In rebuke to Republicans" appears in the headline in AP's own voice, not attributed to anyone. Some AP copy says Democrats won a majority 'for the first time in two decades.' NBC and Stateline date the last Democratic majority to 2010, 16 years ago. |
| CNN | U.S. center-left | 4 | Trump reacts to Republican losses and declines to take blame | The story says in its own voice that the Iran war is one Trump "began" and that his tariffs "drove up prices." Those are causal claims stated without attribution. The quotes themselves are reported straight. |
| Fox News | U.S. right | 4 | Midterm blue wave floods with Democrat gains in Texas, House and Congress; Dem AG pulls off upset of sitting Republican governor after blistering campaign | Fox names the 'blue wave' openly. But its Nevada story credits the Democrat's 'blistering campaign,' which points to candidates rather than a national verdict on Trump. It uses "Democrat" as an adjective, a common right-leaning usage. |
| Dallas Express | U.S. right (Texas conservative digital outlet) | 5 | 2026 Governor Results: Georgia Flips, Florida Holds | Pairs a Republican loss with a Republican win, which makes the night look balanced. That happens in a Texas outlet on the night the Texas governor lost. |
| Al Jazeera | Qatari state-funded | 5 | Democrats deliver a historic routing to Republicans in US midterms | "Historic routing" and "stunning rebuke" are the outlet's own verdict words. It folds state races into one story about Trump. |
| International Business Times | UK commercial digital outlet | 5 | Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms Flips Georgia Statehouse To Shatter Three Decades of Republican Rule | "Shatter" adds drama. "Three decades" also overstates the record: AP and other outlets say Democrats last held the office more than two decades ago. |
References
- Democrats clinch a majority of governorships for first time in 16 years — NBC News · U.S. center-left network news (Comcast-owned)
- Democrats set to win majority of governorships for the first time in 16 years — Stateline · Nonprofit state-policy news (States Newsroom, funded by donors incl. left-leaning foundations)
- Democrat Gina Hinojosa wins race for Texas governor, ousting Greg Abbott — NPR · U.S. public radio, center-left audience; publicly and donor funded
- Texas Governor Election Results 2026: Gina Hinojosa Wins — MultiState · Government-affairs consultancy serving corporate clients; results aggregator
- Hinojosa defeats Abbott, makes history as Texas' first Democratic governor in decades — CBS Texas · U.S. center network local affiliate (Paramount-owned)
- Acton defeats Ramaswamy to become Ohio's first elected woman governor — Axios · U.S. center digital news (Cox Enterprises-owned)
- Ohio Governor Election Results 2026: Amy Acton Wins — MultiState · Government-affairs consultancy serving corporate clients; results aggregator
- Democrat Rob Sand wins election to become Iowa governor, AP projects — Iowa Capital Dispatch · Nonprofit state news (States Newsroom)
- Democrat Aaron Ford unseats GOP Gov. Joe Lombardo in Nevada governor's race — NBC News · U.S. center-left network news (Comcast-owned)
- Democrat Aaron Ford defeats Joe Lombardo, becoming Nevada's first Black governor — FOX5 Las Vegas · Local commercial TV (Gray Media)
- Keisha Lance Bottoms Beats Rick Jackson, Becomes First Black Woman Governor — Newsweek · U.S. commercial digital magazine, mixed lean
- Bottoms defeats Rick Jackson, turning Georgia governor's office blue — The Hill · U.S. center political news (Nexstar-owned)
- Republicans acknowledge losses in Georgia — Yahoo News · Commercial aggregator carrying wire/partner copy
- Democrats capture governorships in Texas, other GOP-controlled states in rebuke to Republicans — Associated Press · U.S. center wire service (nonprofit cooperative)
- Trump reacts to Republican losses and declines to take blame — CNN · U.S. center-left cable news (Warner Bros. Discovery)
- Democrats deliver a historic routing to Republicans in US midterms — Al Jazeera · Qatari state-funded international broadcaster
- Midterm blue wave floods with Democrat gains in Texas, House and Congress — Fox News · U.S. right cable news (Fox Corp.)
- Aaron Ford wins Nevada governor race, becomes first Black governor — Fox News · U.S. right cable news (Fox Corp.)
- Democrat Aaron Ford ousts Lombardo in Nevada gubernatorial race — Washington Examiner · U.S. conservative (Clarity Media, Anschutz-owned)
- Democrat Amy Acton Defeats Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio Gubernatorial Race — Townhall · U.S. conservative (Salem Media)
- 2026 Governor Results: Georgia Flips, Florida Holds — Dallas Express · Texas conservative digital outlet (owned by GOP donor Monty Bennett)
- Donald Trump Reacts to Disastrous Midterms For GOP, Blames Candidates — Newsweek · U.S. commercial digital magazine, mixed lean
- Midterm Election Day recap: Democrats flip Senate and House in stunning victory — CNBC · U.S. center business news (Versant)
- Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms Flips Georgia Statehouse To Shatter Three Decades of Republican Rule — International Business Times · UK commercial digital outlet, traffic-driven
- In historic night, voters elect first Black woman, first Black Republican as governors — Stateline · Nonprofit state-policy news (States Newsroom, funded by donors incl. left-leaning foundations)
- Gina Hinojosa wins Texas governor's race, first Democrat in over 30 years — KPRC Click2Houston · Local commercial TV (Graham Media)
- Gina Hinojosa defeats Gov. Greg Abbott, ending decades of Republican control of Texas governor's office — KUT · Austin public radio, center-left audience
- Democrats press to win majority of governors' offices in midterms after power struggles with Trump — Associated Press · U.S. center wire service (nonprofit cooperative)