Midterms coverage: Live results | Stories around the countryStay connected: NPR Politics Podcast | NPR Politics newsletter | NPR app Voters in nine states made history on Tuesday with their choices for governor. Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, who won her race to be Georgia's next governor, will be the country's first Black woman elected governor of any state. The 56 year old served as mayor of Atlanta from 2018-2022, then served as an adviser to former President Joe Biden.
Her defeat of Republican billionaire healthcare executive Rick Jackson makes Lance Bottoms the first Democrat to win a governor's race in the state in more than two decades. New Mexico's Deb Haaland, who is of Pueblo Indian descent, will be the first Native American woman governor. The Democrat, who defeated Republican Gregg Hull, served in Congress before becoming Interior secretary under Biden.
She made history in each of those roles, too — as one of the first Native American women elected to Congress and the first Native American cabinet secretary. Democrat Xavier Becerra will be the first elected Latino governor of California when he takes office, while Democrat Gina Hinojosa will be the first Latina governor of Texas. Becerra, a former California attorney general and former member of Congress who served as U.S. secretary of Health and Human Services in the Biden administration, will succeed Gov.
Gavin Newsom after handily defeating Republican Steve Hilton, a political outsider. Hinojosa, a Texas state representative, defeated incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, one the country's most influential governors and an ally of President Trump.
Hinojosa's win follows a demographic shift in the state, which has seen a surge in its Latino population. Hinojosa will be Texas' first Democratic governor in more than 30 years. Voters in Florida and Wisconsin elected the first Black governors in their states —.
Republican Byron Donalds in the Sunshine State and Democrat David Crowley in the Badger State. Donalds, who had the backing of President Trump and a hefty election war chest, beat Democrat David Jolly by campaigning on affordability and promising to continue the conservative politics of outgoing Republican Gov. Donalds has been in Congress since 2021 and served two terms in the state legislature.
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