Gubernatorial elections in the USA: the results at a glance

In 36 states, new governors were chosen in the US midterm elections on Tuesday. It is the most powerful office in a federal state, comparable to a prime minister in Germany. An overview.

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Republican DeSantis wins Florida gubernatorial election

According to forecasts, Republican Ron DeSantis won the gubernatorial election in the US state of Florida as expected. The 44-year-old incumbent prevailed against his Democratic opponent Charlie Crist in the vote in the populous state in the south-east of the country, according to forecasts by the TV stations CNN, Fox News and NBC.

Florida’s popular DeSantis – who was elected governor in 2018 by a narrow margin – has always been well ahead of Crist in polls. DeSantis is considered a possible presidential candidate for 2024 and the biggest Republican competitor to ex-President Donald Trump. Florida is considered a so-called swing state in which voters sometimes prefer the Republicans and sometimes the Democrats.

Democrat Shapiro wins gubernatorial election in key state of Pennsylvania

According to forecasts, Democrat Josh Shapiro will become the new governor of the US state of Pennsylvania. According to forecasts by the TV channels NBC and Fox News, the previous Attorney General of the key state with around 13 million inhabitants won against the Republican and ardent Trump supporter Doug Mastriano (58).

Shapiro’s campaign focused, among other things, on protecting democracy. Meanwhile, state Senator Mastriano spread Trump’s untruths about the stolen 2020 election. In the past, he spoke out against corona measures and is a strict anti-abortion opponent.

Pennsylvania is considered a so-called swing state in which voters sometimes prefer the Republicans and sometimes the Democrats. In the 2020 presidential election, the state was one of the most contested.

Republican Kemp defends Georgia governorship

According to forecasts, Republican Brian Kemp has defended his position as governor of the important US state of Georgia. The 59-year-old won against his Democratic competitor Stacey Abrams (48), according to forecasts by the TV channels NBC and CNN.

Georgia won the 2020 presidential election with a razor-thin majority to eventual President Joe Biden. Kemp and his administration withstood subsequent pressure from then-President Donald Trump, who refused to accept defeat and called for support for his falsehoods about voter fraud.

Republican Abbott re-elected governor of Texas

According to forecasts, Republican Greg Abbott has won the gubernatorial election in the US state of Texas as expected. The 64-year-old incumbent won the vote against his Democratic opponent Beto O’Rourke (50), according to forecasts by the TV channels Fox News and NBC.

A victory in conservative Texas, the second largest US state, was always likely for Abbott, who was supported by ex-President Donald Trump, and he was always able to keep O’Rourke at a distance during the election campaign. According to surveys, Abbott and the Republicans were credited with more expertise on the most important issues for voters – above all migration on the border with Mexico and the economy. The incumbent has ruled the state since 2015 and has recently been involved in politics on the right-wing fringe. He is considered a possible candidate for the presidential nomination for 2024.

Democrat Healey is making history in Massachusetts

Democrat Maura Healey becomes the first openly lesbian governor in the United States. Massachusetts’ Attorney General defeated Republican Geoff Diehl, a former member of the New England House of Representatives, on Tuesday. During the election campaign, Diehl had the support of ex-President Donald Trump.

With Healey’s victory, the Massachusetts governorship is back under Democrat control. The popular Republican Charlie Baker had ruled there for eight years, but decided against running for office again.

Healey is also the first woman elected to the governorship of Massachusetts. With her triumph, she also ended a negative series known as the “curse of the attorney general”: Since 1958, all previous attorney generals who had reached for the governorship in Massachusetts had failed with their campaigns.

Trump’s ex-spokeswoman Sanders elected governor of Arkansas

Former spokeswoman for ex-President Donald Trump, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, has won the Arkansas governorship. Sanders defeated Democrat Chris Jones on Tuesday in her Republican home state, where her former boss Trump continues to be held in high esteem. The former White House press secretary was considered a favorite. Also running was Liberal candidate Ricky Dale Harrington.

Former Gov. Mike Huckabee’s daughter raised record-breaking campaign donations for Arkansas. In the election campaign, she focused primarily on national issues and promised to fight President Joe Biden and the “radical left” as governor.

Illinois’ Governor Pritzker re-elected

In the US state of Illinois, the Democrat J.B. Pritzker remains governor. The billionaire businessman was reelected to a second term on Tuesday, losing to Republican challenger Darren Bailey, a member of the Illinois Senate and supporter of ex-President Donald Trump. During the campaign, Pritzker’s message that Bailey was “too extreme” for Democratic-majority Illinois apparently caught on.

Ivey wins in Alabama

In Alabama, Republican Gov. Kay Ivey also secured a second term. She won against Democrat Yolanda Flowers, who became the first black woman to win a major party nomination for the governorship of the Southern state. Ivey repeated Trump’s lies about alleged election fraud in the 2020 presidential election and aired a campaign spot in which she pulls a gun out of her purse.

Governor Newsom confidently defends office in California

According to forecasts, the Democratic Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, has confidently defended his office. The 55-year-old defeated Republican Brian Dahle (57) in the election, according to predictions by TV stations CNN and Fox News. The largest US state with almost 40 million people is a stronghold of the liberals, Newsom’s victory was never in danger. He is considered one of the democratic hopes and possible presidential candidate.

Governor Kathy Hochul beats Republicans in New York

According to forecasts, the Democrat Kathy Hochul has won the gubernatorial election in the US state of New York. The 64-year-old Hochul was victorious against Republican Lee Zeldin in the state with almost 20 million people, according to forecasts by the TV stations NBC and ABC. This had caught up in polls in recent weeks. Hochul took office last year after the resignation of scandal-plagued Andrew Cuomo. She was previously its lieutenant governor.

Many governors confirmed in office

In Rhode Island, Democrat Daniel McKee was re-elected to his first full term, the AP news agency count showed. Republican Henry McMaster was confirmed in office in South Carolina, his party colleague Mark Gordon in Wyoming and Republican incumbent Kim Reynolds in the desert state of Iowa.

Ohio Republican Mike DeWine was also re-elected. Republican Kristi Noem was confirmed in office in South Dakota, Republican Governor Greg Abbott in Texas and her party colleague Brad Little in Idaho. In California, Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom won re-election. In Minnesota, Democrat Tim Walz was confirmed in office as governor.

In Nebraska, Republican Jim Pillen was elected governor and in Hawaii, Democrat Josh Green was elected governor.

First black governor in Maryland

In Maryland, bestselling author and Democrat Wes Moore defeated Republican Dan Cox. Moore will become the first black governor of the state on the US east coast, the previous Republican incumbent Larry Hogan was not allowed to run again because of a term limit.

In New Mexico, the Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham was re-elected governor, in Maine her party colleague Janet Mills was also able to do so, in New York the Democratic governor Kathy Hochul. Democrat Ned Lamont won re-election in Connecticut.

Democrat Whitmer remains governor of Michigan

According to forecasts, Democrat Gretchen Whitmer has been re-elected governor of the US state of Michigan. This was reported by the US news agency AP based on vote counts and surveys of voters. The 51-year-old defeated candidate Tudor Dixon (45), who was supported by ex-President Donald Trump, in the vote on Tuesday.

Whitmer was shortlisted for Joe Biden as a running mate prior to the 2020 election. For many Republicans, it is seen as an enemy. Among other things, they accuse her of having damaged the economy with corona measures. In 2020, two men who plotted Whitmer’s kidnapping were arrested.

RND/dpa/AP