Democrats secure control of five statehouses

Democratic candidates claimed total command of state governments in five states on Tuesday. The party took the governor's office and both legislative chambers in Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. This outcome grants the group a level of authority in those regions it has not held in years.

The Associated Press confirmed the trifectas in those five states. The results signal a major shift in state-level power. Democrats have not held a majority of governorships since 2010. This election cycle broke a long period of Republican dominance at the state level.

Mandara Meyers, executive director of The States Project, called the night a turning point for state legislatures. She described it as the most consequential result since the Republican wave of 2010. Her organization spent millions to support Democratic candidates in legislative races. Other groups also contributed funds to boost these efforts.

In Wisconsin, Democrats regained full control for the first time in 16 years. They flipped the state Assembly and Senate while keeping the governor's mansion. New legislative maps, approved by the state Supreme Court in 2024, aided these gains. Democrats needed to flip two Senate seats and five Assembly seats to reach majorities. They secured far more than that requirement.

Pennsylvania Democrats expanded their presence in both legislative chambers. They flipped more than the three Senate seats required to retake the chamber. They also grew their one-seat edge in the Assembly. This gives Gov. Josh Shapiro strong support for his second term. It is the party's first trifecta in Pennsylvania since 1993.

Michigan Democrats recaptured control of state government after losing it two years earlier. They flipped the state House and increased their majority in the Senate. Jocelyn Benson won the governor's race to succeed term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. In Minnesota, Sen. Amy Klobuchar won the governor's race. She will replace Gov. Tim Walz. Democrats built large majorities in both legislative chambers there.

Nevada Democrats kept control of both legislative chambers. They flipped the governor's office to blue. State Attorney General Aaron Ford defeated Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo. The party also made gains in traditionally Republican states. In Texas, state Rep. Gina Hinojosa defeated Gov. Greg Abbott. She is the first Democratic governor of Texas since 1995. In Georgia, Keisha Lance Bottoms won the governor's race, flipping the office blue for the first time in 24 years.