Arizona, Texas, and Georgia: Democrats Seize State Power in Historic Midterm

Democratic forces achieved a commanding victory across the American South and West on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, as the party secured full control of state governments in at least six states where they previously shared power with Republicans. In Arizona, the Associated Press confirmed that Democrats won control of both state legislative chambers and retained the governor's office, giving the party its first trifecta in the state since 1966. This marks a dramatic reversal for a state that has been a Republican stronghold for decades, with the party now holding the governor's office in at least 28 states nationwide as results continue to be tallied.

The win in Arizona is particularly notable because Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs had vetoed more than 540 measures passed by the Republican-led Legislature on policies including taxes, immigration, and voting laws during her first term. With her party now controlling both chambers of the legislature, Hobbs has stated she is looking to address water issues and affordability, as well as take on fraud and abuse in the state's school voucher program. The Associated Press noted that Republicans had held the Arizona House for 60 years and the Senate since the early 1990s, making this shift one of the most significant structural changes in the state's political history.

In Texas, Democrats won control of the state House, which Republicans had held since 2003, and elected Gina Hinojosa as the state's first Democratic governor since Ann Richards in 1994. Hinojosa's victory makes her Texas' first Latina governor and the first member of her party to hold the office in more than 30 years. While Republicans held onto the state Senate, the shift in the lower chamber and the governor's office represents a major gain for Democrats in a state that has been a primary target for federal immigration enforcement under the current administration.

The impact of these state-level victories was felt immediately in local policy. In Houston, Mayor John Whitmire, a Democrat, signed an order directing police to limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Whitmire called the shift a direct result of Democrats reclaiming power in Texas for the first time in decades. Under the new directive, Houston police should contact U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement only if a person is arrested on a charge subject to jailing or if ICE issues an administrative warrant. This policy change comes after the Trump administration's immigration crackdown in Houston sparked protests following an ICE officer fatally shooting a Mexican homebuilder this summer.

Another historic win occurred in Georgia, where voters elected Keisha Lance Bottoms as the state's first Democratic senator in more than two decades. Bottoms, the former Atlanta mayor, also became the first-ever Black woman governor in the country. Her campaign focused on lowering costs and expanding healthcare, themes that resonated with voters nationwide who are frustrated with high prices and the war in Iran. The Associated Press reported that more than 59 million people had already cast ballots before Tuesday, surpassing early-voter turnout from the 2022 election cycle.

National results indicate that Democrats took full control of both statehouse chambers and governors' offices in the battleground states of Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Wisconsin, in addition to Arizona and Texas. The National Council of State Legislatures says the election is likely to end up as the one with the most legislative seats and chambers changing parties since the 2010 election, when Republicans took over governments across the country amid the Great Recession. As of 4:00 PM ET on November 6, Democrats had won 22 of the 36 gubernatorial races, with five changing party control from Republicans to Democrats.

Republican candidates had poured significant resources into this campaign, with outside groups and independent committees spending at least $2 billion in the battle for the U.S. Senate alone. According to the nonpartisan watchdog group OpenSecrets, Republican-affiliated groups spent roughly 60% more than Democratic-aligned groups, but that financial advantage did not prevent them from losing at least seven Senate seats. In the U.S. House, Democrats picked up at least 43 seats, resulting in a majority of at least 250-157 as of the latest tallies. This net loss of at least seven Senate seats places this year’s elections in the top 20% of election years in terms of seat swings against a president’s party.

The Democratic gains were not limited to traditionally competitive states. Democrats won control of the Texas House and flipped the lower chambers of the legislatures in Maine and North Carolina, as well as both chambers in New Hampshire, where Republican Kelly Ayotte was reelected. In New Hampshire, the change in the legislature contrasts with the governor's office, where Ayotte retained her seat. The Associated Press noted that the count could grow as results are tallied in additional states, with two states remaining undecided in the trifecta status as of the latest reports.

Connecticut Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy, who has been a leading voice on immigration and gun policy, was discharged from the hospital after suffering a small hemorrhagic stroke last weekend. Murphy said he will miss several weeks of votes in the Senate as he recovers in a rehabilitation facility, noting that doctors are encouraged by the progress he has made. His recovery comes at a critical time as Democrats prepare to take control of the Senate, where they have a 54-44 majority as of the latest results. Three other Senate Democrats have had strokes in recent years, including Sens. Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico, Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania.