Ten States Elect Historic Governors, Including First Black Woman and First Latino California Leader
Election results confirmed new milestones for racial and gender representation across the nation, with Democrats flipping several key states and Republicans holding their own in others.
By Yuna Patel ·
Voters in ten states chose new governors on Tuesday who will serve as the first of their kind in American history.
Keisha Lance Bottoms of Georgia will become the first Black woman to hold the office of governor. The 56-year-old Democrat defeated Republican Rick Jackson to win the race. She served as mayor of Atlanta from 2018 to 2022 and later advised President Joe Biden. Her victory marks the first time a Democrat has won a governorship in Georgia in more than two decades.
Deb Haaland of New Mexico will be the first Native American woman to serve as governor. The Democrat beat Republican Gregg Hull in the general election. Haaland previously served in Congress and as the secretary of the interior under President Biden. Her election follows a trend of historic firsts in her public service career, including becoming one of the first Native American women elected to Congress.
Xavier Becerra and Gina Hinojosa will join the group of firsts as the first elected Latino governor of California and the first Latina governor of Texas, respectively. Becerra, a former health and human services secretary, defeated Republican Steve Hilton to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom. Hinojosa defeated incumbent Republican Greg Abbott, a longtime ally of President Trump. Hinojosa’s win represents the first Democratic governorship in Texas in over 30 years, a shift that aligns with the state’s growing Latino population.
Three other states elected their first Black governors on Tuesday. Byron Donalds won in Florida, Aaron Ford won in Nevada, and David Crowley won in Wisconsin. Donalds, a Republican congressman, defeated Democrat David Jolly by campaigning on affordability and continuing the policies of outgoing Governor Ron DeSantis. Ford, the state attorney general, unseated Republican Governor Joe Lombardo. He will be the first Black governor of a state west of the Mississippi River. Crowley, the Milwaukee County executive, defeated Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany despite a significant spending gap. Crowley cited his experience as a deal maker who works across party lines.
Women also broke barriers in three additional states. Marsha Blackburn became the first woman elected governor of Tennessee after defeating Democrat Jerri Green. Her campaign focused on immigration, China, and government spending. Amy Klobuchar will become the first woman governor of Minnesota when she takes office in January. She defeated Republican Lisa Demuth, the speaker of the state house. Amy Acton won in Ohio, becoming the first woman and first Jewish person elected to the post. She defeated Vivek Ramaswamy in a race marked by heavy negative advertising. Acton served as the state’s chief public health officer during the pandemic and is the first Democrat to win the office in two decades.
