2026 Elections Set Multiple Historic Firsts

Keisha Lance Bottoms is projected to become Georgia’s first woman governor and the first Black woman elected governor in the United States. Her victory would flip the governor’s office to Democrats; she campaigned on expanding Medicaid, homeowner tax relief and increased education funding. Georgia has not elected a Democratic governor since 1998.

Florida’s Byron Donalds is projected to become the state’s first Black governor. With Maryland’s Wes Moore projected to win re-election, Bottoms’ and Donalds’ victories would mean three Black governors serving at once, an unprecedented occurrence in U.S. history. They would represent different parties.

Other gubernatorial firsts include Deb Haaland, projected to become the first Indigenous governor in the country in New Mexico, and Texas Democrat Gina Hinojosa, projected to become that state’s first Hispanic governor. Ohio’s Amy Acton is projected to make history as its first woman elected governor and first Jewish governor.

The projected breakthroughs extend to Congress. New Hampshire Democrat Chris Pappas is set to become the first openly gay man elected to the Senate. Annie Andrews is projected to become South Carolina’s first elected woman senator, while candidates in Colorado, New Jersey, New York and Michigan are projected to make further representation firsts in the House.

Other projected winners include California’s Xavier Becerra, who would become the state’s first elected Latino governor. The results span both parties and state and federal offices, with several races also shifting control of governorships or Senate seats.

Historic Election Wins Expand Representation Across Government

The projected wins of Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia and Gina Hinojosa in Texas would put women in governorships long held by men and make each the first woman of color to lead her state. Bottoms would be the first Black woman governor in U.S. history; Hinojosa would be Texas’ first Hispanic governor.

These breakthroughs come with policy stakes. Bottoms campaigned to expand Medicaid, cut homeowner taxes and increase education funding. Hinojosa ran against Republican Greg Abbott after clashing with him on issues including abortion. Her projected win would end a long stretch of Republican control and make her the first Democrat elected Texas governor since 1990.

More projected firsts include Deb Haaland becoming the first Indigenous governor, Chris Pappas becoming the first openly gay man in the Senate, and Amy Acton becoming Ohio’s first woman governor. Democrats are also projected to win historic House seats in several states.

The results show voters choosing candidates who would broaden who holds public office. They also deliver meaningful setbacks to Republicans in races such as Texas’ governorship and New Hampshire’s Senate seat, where Democrats are projected to prevail.

Historic Candidates Win as Republicans Secure Key Governorships

Byron Donalds’ projected victory in Florida is a major Republican breakthrough: he would become the state’s first Black governor, and his win alongside Wes Moore’s projected Maryland re-election would bring the first simultaneous service of three Black governors in U.S. history. Donalds has emphasized affordability, public safety and support for President Donald Trump’s agenda.

The historic outcomes are not confined to one party. Democratic Keisha Lance Bottoms is projected to become Georgia’s first woman governor and the first Black woman elected governor nationwide. Democrats are also projected to win Texas’ governorship with Gina Hinojosa, who would become the state’s first Hispanic governor.

Other projected firsts include Deb Haaland in New Mexico, Chris Pappas in New Hampshire’s Senate race and Amy Acton in Ohio. The wins reflect a varied electorate: candidates with distinct party affiliations and policy priorities are breaking barriers in state and federal offices.

Republicans can point to Donalds’ win as evidence that voters chose a candidate who ran on lowering costs, keeping streets safe and advancing Trump’s agenda. At the same time, projected Democratic victories in Georgia and Texas would hand those parties control of governorships and mark sharp changes in both states.