Democrats Surge as Black Candidates Make Election History
Wes Moore, Byron Donalds and Keisha Lance Bottoms won races, making the first time multiple Black governors will serve simultaneously.
- On Tuesday, Democratic Gov. Wes Moore, Republican Rep. Byron Donalds, and Georgia Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms won their respective gubernatorial races, marking the first time multiple Black governors will serve concurrently in U.S. history.
- Previously, the only elected Black governors in U.S. history were Moore, Deval Patrick in Massachusetts, and Douglas Wilder in Virginia, making this a significant expansion of concurrent representation.
- In an October interview with NBC News, Donalds called the history-making aspect of his candidacy "very special," noting that the result says more about Florida than about himself.
- Five additional Black major-party candidates remain on the ballot, including Attorney General Aaron Ford in Nevada, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley in Wisconsin, and state Rep. Jermaine Johnson in South Carolina.
- Competitive races continue for Rep. John James against Democrat Jocelyn Benson and Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, with potential for voters to elect more Black governors this year than the three who have already won.
53 Articles
53 Articles
First Native American, black governors elected in sweeping historic midterms
Going into Election Day, this midterm featured one of the most diverse slates of both Democratic and Republican candidates in recent years. Now it is shaping up to be a wave of historic leadership firsts across the country.
Keisha Lance Bottoms scripts history as first black woman Governor in US
African American candidates Keisha Lance Bottoms and Byron Donalds achieved historic victories in the 2026 US midterm elections, becoming the first African American woman governor (Georgia) and Florida's first African American governor, respectively. Their wins highlight significant milestones in representation and political history.
Louisiana Illuminator
In historic night, voters elect first Black woman, first Black Republican as governors
Those historic victories were called early during Tuesday’s high-stakes midterm elections, when Democrats hoped to claw back state power from Republicans, who have controlled a majority of governorships and state legislatures for the last 16 years.
Voters in both states marked an unprecedented milestone in simultaneously electing the first “black race” governors in their history
Following the completion of the elections in the US, it has been confirmed that for the first time in the country's history, more than one Black elected governor will serve the same term. This number could increase further with other candidates running in the elections. The Democratic victory in the midterm elections has led to a historic moment for the country.
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