Edition · Wed 04 Nov 2026
Politics Desk
A Night of Firsts: Georgia Elects a Black Woman Governor as New Faces Reshape American Politics
Keisha Lance Bottoms made history in Georgia, Byron Donalds in Florida and Deb Haaland in New Mexico, as voters elevated a new and strikingly varied generation of leaders.
By Rachel · Edited by Chanan Zevin - Chief Editor and Head of Desks
Published
History in Atlanta
For more than two centuries, no American state had elected a Black woman as its governor. On Tuesday, Georgia did. Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta, defeated the Trump-endorsed Republican Rick Jackson and became the first Democrat to win the governorship in 28 years.
History in Atlanta
Ms. Bottoms, who was considered as a running mate by President Joe Biden in 2020 and later served in his administration, campaigned on expanding Medicaid, property tax relief for homeowners and more money for schools. Her victory also has a strategic dimension: if Senator Jon Ossoff ever leaves the Senate to run for president, a Democratic governor would choose his replacement.
Firsts on both sides
Before this year, only three Black Americans had ever won a governor's race, and never had more than one served at the same time. Four Black candidates won on Tuesday. In Florida, Representative Byron Donalds became the first Black Republican elected governor in the country's history, after running with Mr. Trump's full endorsement.
Firsts on both sides
In Wisconsin, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, a Democrat, won the race to succeed Governor Tony Evers in a crucial battleground state. Maryland Governor Wes Moore won a second term.
Firsts on both sides
In New Mexico, Deb Haaland, the former interior secretary, became the first Native American woman elected governor. In New Hampshire, Chris Pappas became the first openly gay man elected to the Senate, and in Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed became the first Muslim senator. Annie Andrews became the first woman elected to the Senate from South Carolina.
A new bench for Democrats
The results gave Democrats a deep bench of potential stars. In Texas, Gina Hinojosa unseated Governor Greg Abbott. In Iowa, Rob Sand won the governorship. In Indiana, Beau Bayh was elected secretary of state. In Kentucky, a former aide to Governor Andy Beshear, Zach Dembo, flipped a Republican-leaning House district.
A new bench for Democrats
The class of newcomers, from South Carolina to Ohio to Texas, could hardly be more varied, ranging from a pastor in Kansas to a pediatrician in South Carolina and a progressive public health expert in Michigan.
The 2028 shadow
Several Democrats who may seek the White House in 2028 had good nights. Governors JB Pritzker of Illinois and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania cruised to re-election. "We climbed one mountain tonight, but we are sitting at the base of another," Mr. Pritzker told supporters.
The 2028 shadow
Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona declined to say whether the results made a presidential run more likely. "I think of it as a big win for the American people," he said. For now, the new faces of American politics are being sworn in to state capitols, and the race for what comes next has quietly begun.