Four gubernatorial elections produced historic firsts, alongside the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate and the first Latina elected to Congress from Nebraska. Iowa voters also chose a Democratic governor and U.S. senator.
By Hola America News
Results reported Nov. 4, 2026. Race calls are projections, not official certification of the vote.
The 2026 election results produced six historic victories in the Nov. 3 midterm elections: Gina Hinojosa in Texas, Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia, Deb Haaland in New Mexico, Xavier Becerra in California, Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan and Denise Powell in Nebraska. The Associated Press projected all six Democrats as winners over Republican opponents.
Six historic winners in the 2026 elections
| Winner | Office | Historic milestone |
|---|---|---|
| Gina Hinojosa | Texas governor | First Latina elected governor of Texas |
| Keisha Lance Bottoms | Georgia governor | First Black woman elected governor in U.S. history |
| Deb Haaland | New Mexico governor | First Native American woman elected governor of a U.S. state |
| Xavier Becerra | California governor | First Latino elected governor of California |
| Abdul El-Sayed | U.S. Senate, Michigan | First Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate |
| Denise Powell | U.S. House, Nebraska District 2 | First Latina elected to Congress from Nebraska |
Gina Hinojosa elected Texas’s first Latina governor
Gina Hinojosa defeated Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who was seeking a fourth term. She became the first Latina elected governor of Texas and the first Democrat to win the office since Ann Richards, whose term ended in 1995. Abbott conceded and pledged to help with the transition, according to The Associated Press.
Raised in Brownsville near the U.S.-Mexico border, Hinojosa served on the Austin school board before joining the Texas House of Representatives in 2017. She campaigned on affordability, public education and concerns about the energy and water demands of expanding data centers.
Keisha Lance Bottoms elected first Black woman governor in the U.S.
Keisha Lance Bottoms defeated Republican Rick Jackson in Georgia, becoming the first Black woman elected governor of any U.S. state. She will also be Georgia’s first woman governor, according to The Associated Press.
Bottoms previously served as mayor of Atlanta. She will succeed Republican Brian Kemp, who could not seek another term under state law. Her victory gives Democrats the Georgia governorship for the first time since their 1998 election win. Republican Kemp had defeated Democratic nominee Stacey Abrams in the two previous gubernatorial elections.
Her campaign included proposals to expand Medicaid, increase Georgia’s minimum wage to $15 an hour and raise pay for teachers and other public employees. Those proposals would require policy decisions and, in some cases, action by state lawmakers.
Deb Haaland elected first Native American woman governor
Deb Haaland defeated Republican Greggory D. Hull in New Mexico’s governor race. A member of Laguna Pueblo, she will be the first Native American woman to govern a U.S. state. KUNM reported The Associated Press’s projection on Tuesday night.
Haaland previously represented New Mexico in Congress and served as U.S. secretary of the interior under President Joe Biden. Her appointment in 2021 made her the first Native American person to serve as a U.S. Cabinet secretary.
During the campaign, she emphasized affordability, a proposed public health insurance option and changes to New Mexico’s child welfare system. She will succeed Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who was term-limited.
Xavier Becerra elected California’s first Latino governor by popular vote
Xavier Becerra defeated Republican Steve Hilton and will succeed term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom in California. Becerra will be the first Latino elected governor of the state by popular vote, according to KQED.
California previously had a Latino governor: Romualdo Pacheco, who assumed the office through succession in 1875 and served for approximately 10 months. Becerra is the first Latino to win a direct election for the governorship, rather than the first Latino to hold the office.
Born in Sacramento to a Mexican-born mother, Becerra previously served in the U.S. House, as California attorney general and as U.S. secretary of health and human services. His campaign addressed health care, living costs and disputes between California and the federal government.
Abdul El-Sayed elected first Muslim U.S. senator
Democrat Abdul El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan’s U.S. Senate race, becoming the first Muslim elected to the chamber. The Associated Press called the race early Wednesday, Nov. 4. El-Sayed will succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters when the new Congress convenes in January.
El-Sayed, 42, is the son of Egyptian immigrants and a former public health official who has never held elected office. He previously sought the Democratic nomination for Michigan governor in 2018.
His campaign focused on Medicare for All, lowering household costs and reducing the influence of outside money in elections. His victory kept the open Michigan Senate seat in Democratic hands, according to Michigan Public and The Associated Press.
Denise Powell is Nebraska’s first Latina elected to Congress
Denise Powell won Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District, defeating Republican Brinker Harding and Libertarian Eric Michael Foreman. She will become the first Latina elected to Congress from Nebraska and the first woman elected to represent District 2, which includes Omaha and surrounding communities.
The Associated Press called the race for Powell on election night. The district had been represented by Republican Don Bacon, who did not seek reelection, and the result flips the seat to the Democratic Party.
Powell, a communications consultant who founded a political action committee supporting women candidates, focused her campaign on household costs and access to health care.
Iowa elects Rob Sand as governor and Josh Turek to the U.S. Senate
The same election produced major changes in Iowa. Democrat Rob Sand defeated Republican Zach Lahn for governor, becoming the first Democrat elected to the office since 2006. Democrat Josh Turek defeated Republican Ashley Hinson for the state’s open U.S. Senate seat.
Democrats also won three of Iowa’s four U.S. House districts. Christina Bohannan defeated Republican incumbent Mariannette Miller-Meeks in District 1, Lindsay James won the open District 2 seat, and Sarah Trone Garriott defeated Republican incumbent Zach Nunn in District 3. Republican Chris McGowan won District 4, according to Iowa Public Radio.
Republicans retained control of the Iowa Senate even as the governor’s office changed parties.
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