Down-ballot devastation saw five gubernatorial races flip for the Democrats, including in one safe haven that presents electoral concerns ahead of the next presidential election.
Radicals are rejoicing as they wake up — or continue to revel — Wednesday morning following the absolute rout of Republicans across the country. Gubernatorial elections were not insulated from the blue tsunami as power was set to be handed over in five state capitals, including Texas.
Only a few hours after polls closed Tuesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) took to the stage at his campaign event to concede the race to Texas state Rep. Gina Hinojosa (D). The politician with a background as a civil rights lawyer stopped Abbott — who’d received an early endorsement from President Donald Trump — from securing a fourth term in Austin.
Greg Abbott concedes and says he called Gina to congratulate her! https://t.co/sVLNeNitQP
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 4, 2026
Along with state Rep. James Talarico’s (D) win over Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) for the U.S. Senate, Hinojosa’s victory, by more than seven points after most of the vote was counted, stood atop a blue swing for all statewide offices in Texas. Additionally, the state House flipped for Democrats in the Lone Star State as only the state Senate survived the bloodbath.
Flipping Texas has long been the Democratic Party’s white whale and could prove to be the greatest challenge for Republicans in the 2028 presidential race as the left will attempt to repeat its Election Night success to claim the critical 40 electoral votes.
Regarding the outcome, the president faulted Abbott in a Truth Social post that read, “If Greg Abbott, the Governor of Texas, hadn’t become a RINO in the last six months of his Political Life, he wouldn’t have lost. He went back to his original formula, and it wasn’t pretty!”
In addition to the dramatic outcome in Austin, former Atlanta mayor and Biden administration adviser Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) won the Georgia gubernatorial election over businessman Rick Jackson to take over in the Peach State following the end of Gov. Brian Kemp’s (R) term. Her victory marked the first time a black woman has ever been elected governor in the United States.
Term-limited Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) was set to be succeeded by former Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton (D), whom he’d appointed. She defeated businessman and failed 2024 presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy for the governor’s office in the Buckeye State in the wake of a controversial ad campaign and more than $80 million in spending.
During his concession speech, Ramaswamy revealed Acton didn’t answer his call, and he left a message.
Vivek Ramaswamy concedes.
“It is a tough night for us here in Ohio.”
He said he left Acton a voicemail and wished her well.
“It was a tough race. It was bitter, at times, in both directions.” https://t.co/vSr78upmYD
— Jake Zuckerman (@jake_zuckerman) November 4, 2026
Following the conservative efforts of retiring Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R), the MAHA-supported farmer and businessman Zach Lahn (R) was unable to defeat Iowa Auditor Rob Sand (D). Additionally, Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford (D) is set to succeed incumbent Gov. Joe Lombardo (R).
