Democrats gained total control of at least five state governments on Tuesday, giving the party a level of power it hasn’t held in some of those places in years.
asserted
it → gain → years
The party won so-called trifectas — taking the governor’s office and both legislative chambers — in Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, according to The Associated Press.
uncertain
party → win → Press
In addition to sweeping control of both chambers of Congress, Democrats won a majority of governorships for the first time in 16 years, with Republicans long dominating at the state level.
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Republicans → win → level
Now, Democrats will have the ability to fundamentally change the local policy agenda, including in several presidential battleground states.
“This was the most significant night for state legislatures since the seismic Republican wave in 2010,” said Mandara Meyers, the executive director of The States Project, a Democratic-aligned group that works to build the party’s power in state legislatures.
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that → have → legislatures
The group was one of several to spend millions to boost Democratic gains in state legislative chambers.
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group → spend → chambers
In Wisconsin, Democrats clawed back full control of state government for the first time in 16 years, flipping the state Assembly and Senate while holding on to the governor’s mansion.
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Democrats → claw → mansion
Those gains were partly the product of the state’s new legislative maps that went into effect after the state Supreme Court struck down the previous Republican-drawn lines in 2024.
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Court → go → 2024
Democrats needed to flip two seats for a majority in the Senate and five in the Assembly but ended up with far more in both chambers.
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Democrats → need → chambers
In another key swing state, Pennsylvania, Democrats flipped far more than the three seats they needed in the state Senate to retake the chamber, while also expanding on what had been a one-seat edge in the state Assembly, handing the re-elected Gov. Josh Shapiro a powerful tool for his second term.
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what → flip → term
It’s Democrats’ first trifecta in Pennsylvania since 1993.
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It → ’ → 1993
Democrats also recaptured a trifecta in Michigan after losing it two years earlier, flipping control of the state House and padding their narrow majority in the state Senate.
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Democrats → recapture → Senate
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson won the race to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
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Benson → win → Whitmer
In Minnesota, Democrats built sizable majorities in both legislative chambers, having needed only to flip one seat in the state House and protect a one-seat majority in the state Senate.
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Democrats → build → Senate
Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar will be the state’s next governor, taking over for Gov. Tim Walz.
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Klobuchar → take → Walz
And in Nevada, Democrats held on to their existing control of both legislative chambers, while flipping the governorship blue with state Attorney General Aaron Ford’s win over GOP Gov. Joe Lombardo.
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Democrats → hold → Lombardo
Democrats could still gain another trifecta in Arizona, where they haven’t held full control of state government in 60 years.
uncertain
they → gain → years
State party leaders said they were on track to win both legislative chambers, though the AP has yet to project partisan control for either.
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AP → say → either
Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, meanwhile, won re-election.
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Hobbs → win → election
The party also made notable inroads in traditionally Republican states.
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party → make → states
In Texas, state Rep. Gina Hinojosa defeated GOP Gov. Greg Abbott, becoming the first Democratic governor to lead the state since 1995.
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Hinojosa → defeat → 1995
Republicans had enjoyed complete control over state government since 2003.
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Republicans → enjoy → 2003
As of Wednesday morning, Texas state Democrats had made significant gains in the state House, too — some state party leaders said control of the chamber was within reach — though the AP has not yet called control of that chamber.
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AP → make → chamber
Republicans maintained control of the state Senate, according to the AP.
uncertain
Republicans → maintain → AP
In Georgia, Keisha Lance Bottoms won the race for governor, flipping the office blue for the first time in 24 years, while Democrats made major gains in the state House.
asserted
Democrats → win → House
The AP hasn’t called control of the state House but has projected that Republicans will maintain control of the state Senate.
asserted
Republicans → call → Senate
Republicans had held a trifecta in Georgia since 2005.
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Republicans → hold → 2005
In addition, Democratic gubernatorial victories in Iowa and Ohio broke up total GOP control of state government there.
Democrats also flipped control of the North Carolina state House for the first time in 16 years, the AP projected, while narrowly falling short of a majority in the state Senate.
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AP → break → Senate
Elsewhere, Democrats said they made enough legislative seat gains to break Republican supermajorities in chambers in South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri and Ohio.
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they → say → Carolina
The Aporia
