Byron Donalds and Keisha Lance Bottoms Win Historic Governorships
Byron Donalds became Florida's first Black governor and Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman governor in U.S. history during the 2026 midterms.
The 2026 U.S. midterm elections produced historic results for Black candidates, with four winning gubernatorial races. Byron Donalds, a Republican endorsed by Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis, became the first Black governor of Florida and the first Black Republican elected to a governorship nationwide after defeating Democrat David Jolly with 50 percent of the vote.
In Georgia, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman elected governor in U.S. history and the first woman to lead the state. Other gubernatorial victories included Democrat David Crowley in Wisconsin, who defeated Republican Tom Tiffany, and Democrat Wes Moore, who won re-election in Maryland. In Nevada, Democrat Aaron Ford remains in a close race against Republican Governor Joe Lombardo.
In Florida, Republican Senator Ashley Moody retained her seat by defeating Democrat Angie Nixon with 50.8 percent of the vote. Florida voters also approved Amendment 3 with 62 percent support, which expands property tax homestead exemptions starting in 2027. While Republicans maintained their hold on Florida's top offices, Democrats flipped control of both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate nationwide.
