FOCUS, A Leonine Business Of the 36 states holding gubernatorial elections, 26 of the seats were held by Republicans, whereas nine were held by Democrats and one Independent. Incumbent governors were running for re-election in 19 states, composed of 13 Republicans and six Democrats. Democrats were able to capitalize on voter frustration with the Trump administration to regain gubernatorial seats in seven previously Republican-led states – Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico and Wisconsin. Of the five Democratic vulnerable states – Colorado, Connecticut, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island – Democrats were able to maintain all corner offices.
In a surprising upset to Republicans, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach was defeated by Democrat Laura Kelly by a margin of five percent. Many are crediting Kobach’s pro-Trump stance on immigration policies and voter fraud theories as his downfall among new voters.
Democrats will now control 23 governor’s mansions to Republicans’ 25. The race in Georgia between Republican Secretary of State Brian Kemp and Democrat Stacey Abrams remains too close to call, though Kemp has declared victory. The Florida gubernatorial race also remains undecided.
Post-election Gubernatorial Party Affiliation
Alabama
Republican incumbent Gov. Kay Ivey defeated Democratic challenger Walter Maddox. According to The New York Times, Governor Ivey won with 59.6 percent of the vote. Governor Ivey had been the sitting lieutenant governor and took the governor’s office on April 10, 2017 after former Gov. Robert Bentley pleaded guilty to campaign finance charges and resigned, the Montgomery Advertiser reports. With her victory, Ivey is the first female Republican to win a gubernatorial race in the state’s history, AL.com reports.
Alaska
The contested gubernatorial race between former Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Begich and Republican Mike Dunleavy ended in the early hours of Wednesday morning with Dunleavy pulling ahead and then Begich conceding the race later in the day. Independent Gov. Bill Walker decided not to seek re-election in mid-October and supported Begich just weeks before the election. Unofficial election results can be found here with Dunleavy receiving 52 percent of the votes to Begich’s 43 percent. Dunleavy ran on a “Make Alaska Safe Again” platform, emulating a Trump like message by promising to cut taxes and spending while leaving the permanent fund untouched.
Arizona
Republican incumbent Gov. Doug Ducey cruised to winning a second term by a margin of 57 percent to 40 percent over his Democratic challenger, David Garcia. Garcia tried to tie himself to education funding and the teacher strike last year that led to 75,000 teachers demanding higher wages and increased school funding. Governor Ducey ran his campaign with a message of strengthening the boarders and touting the economy and friendly business environment, KTAR News reports.
Arkansas
Republican incumbent Gov. Asa Hutchinson has handily won re-election to a second four-year term, defeating his Democratic challenger Jared Henderson by over 30 points, reports KAIT. During the campaign, Governor Hutchinson stressed his work in maintaining the state’s growing economy. Due to term limits, this will be Hutchinson’s last eligible term as governor and he will be required to step down in 2022.
California
Democratic Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom has defeated his Republican opponent John Cox, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Unofficial results show that Newsom defeated Cox by a margin of 59.3 to 40.7 percent. Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown, who took office in 2011, is term-limited and could not seek re-election. Newsom’s campaign was largely focused on standing up to the Trump administration. During the campaign, he defended the gas tax and vehicle fee increases approved by the legislature and Governor Brown, which were unpopular among voters. In addition to the nation’s highest effective poverty rate, California has seen an affordable housing crisis and a rapid increase of homelessness in recent years. KGO San Francisco reports that Cox ran his ultimately unsuccessful campaign on a moderate platform in his bid to become the first Republican to win the governorship since Arnold Schwarzenegger was re-elected in 2006.
Colorado
Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper did not run for re-election because he was term-limited. Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Polis won the office against former Republican state treasurer Walker Stapleton by a margin of 6.8 percent, according to the secretary of state. Representative Polis is the first gay and Jewish governor in the nation; affordable healthcare-for-all was one of his primary campaign platforms.
Connecticut
In one of the most competitive races this year, Greenwich city official, Democrat Ned Lamont, defeated Republican businessman Bob Stefanowski for the seat of governor, according to the Hartford Courant. Stefanowski conceded to his opponent on November 7, stating that Lamont had won fairly. The results are in line with recent polling, which showed Lamont in the lead despite the party’s concerns of the extremely low approval ratings of his predecessor, current Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy, who did not run for re-election. Lamont’s win is believed to be, in part, due to strong Trump opposition in the state and a weariness of Democrats to support a gradual phasing out of income taxes, which Stefanowski proposed to do if elected. The New York Times shows Lamont winning by a 1.3 percent margin with 95 percent of precincts reporting.
District of Columbia
Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser won her second term making her the first person to win re-election since 2002, reports The Washington Post. The results were not surprising as the voter pool is heavily Democratic and she did not face any Republican party opponent but instead was up against third party opponents: Green party candidate Ann Wilcox, Libertarian Martin Moulton and Independent Dustin Canter. The New York Times reported Bowser won with 79.4 percent of the vote and none of the third-party candidates reaching above 10 percent.
Florida
The governor’s race between former Republican congressman Ron DeSantis and Tallahassee Democratic Mayor Andrew Gillum remains undecided. Gillum had conceded the race on Tuesday night when DeSantis was ahead by a margin of 49.7 to 49.1 percent, as The New York Times reported at the time, but later retracted that concession after new information about the number of uncounted ballots surfaced. FOX 13 reports that DeSantis is now ahead by less than one-half of one percent, which should trigger an automatic recount. Unofficial counts from the Division of Elections can be found here.
DeSantis has the support of President Trump, who rallied for him in the final days of the campaign. A Florida Today profile lists his issues as embracing a free market with lower taxes, streamlined regulations and a smaller bureaucracy. He has said that he would have vetoed the gun measures the legislature approved in March. Gillum, who may be the most liberal candidate for governor in the state’s history, supports a $1 billion investment in public schools, which would be paid for by an increase in the corporate income tax and the legalization and taxation of marijuana. He also supports a $15 minimum wage and would seek an assault weapons ban.
Georgia
The gubernatorial race has not yet been called. As of Wednesday,The New York Timesreported that Republican Secretary of State Brian Kemp leads Democrat Stacey Abrams 50.4 percent to 48.7 percent, with absentee and provisional ballots yet to be counted. Under Georgia law, if no candidate receives 50 percent of the vote then a runoff election will be held on December 4.NBC Newsis reporting that Abrams has told her supporters that the race will indeed be going to a recount, though there has been no official confirmation yet and the situation remains fluid. As of Thursday morning, Kemp has declared victory and announced he will move ahead with the transition process, reportsThe Washington Post, while the Abrams campaign claims at least 100,000 ballots remain to be counted, which could push the contest to a runoff.
Hawaii
Democrat incumbent Gov. David Ige easily beat his Republican challenger, Rep. Andria Tupola, R-Kalaeloa/Ko Olina/Maili, to win a second term. The governor remains very popular in the deep blue state and was praised for his handling of the recent volcanic eruptions that destroyed homes and property. Voters seems to shrug off the accidental missile alert in early 2018 that was seen as a low point for Governor Ige’s administration, according to the Honolulu Civil Beat. Ige received 62 percent of the vote to Tupola’s 33.
Idaho
Idahoans voted by a decisive margin to replace their current longtime Republican Gov. C.L. Butch Otter, who declined to seek re-election this year, with their current Republican Lt. Gov. Brad Little. Little defeated Democrat Paulette Jordan 59 to 38 percent, the Idaho Statesman reports. Idaho is currently a Republican trifecta and has held this status since 1995.
Illinois
Democrat J.B. Pritzker has unseated Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner after one term, the Chicago Tribune reports. The New York Times reports that with 99 percent of districts reporting, Pritzker’s advantage over Rauner is 54 to 39 percent. The Northwest Herald reports that the race was characterized by monumental fundraising on both sides, with hundreds of millions of dollars changing hands. Pritzker, best known for owning the Hyatt hotel chain, largely self-funded his own campaign. He has never held elected office and does not have a legislative record, but he has said he supports raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour, the introduction of a public health insurance option and the legalization of marijuana. He also supports changing Illinois’ income tax rate from a flat tax to a graduated or progressive income tax featuring higher top marginal rates. Those tax changes would require an amendment to the Illinois Constitution, which could take years to implement. Pritzker will take control of a massive state government with $7.5 billion in unpaid bills and will have the benefit of a Democratic trifecta to help him implement his agenda.
Iowa
Republican incumbent Gov. Kim Reynolds defeated Democrat Fred Hubbell and was elected to her first full term in office by a margin of three percent of the vote, the AP reports. Governor Reynolds was only just elevated to the position last year after former Republican Gov. Terry Branstad was appointed ambassador to China. Governor Reynolds is the first female elected governor of Iowa and her primary campaign focus was strengthening the workforce, reports the Des Moines Register.
Kansas
Republican Gov. Jeff Coyler lost the Republican nomination for governor to Secretary of State Kris Kobach. Secretary Kobach in turn lost his bid against Democratic Sen. Laura Kelly by a margin of five percent, according to the secretary of state. One of Senator Kelly’s primary goals is to roll back the tax cuts that were implemented under former Republican Gov. Sam Brownback, primarily to help with school funding, according to her campaign site.
Maine
Democratic Attorney General Janet Mills defeated Republican businessman Shawn Moody and became the first woman elected as Maine governor, The Portland Press Herald reports. Republican Gov. Paul LePage, who had held the office since 2011, was term-limited. Governor-elect Mill won the race with 50 percent of the vote compared to Moody’s 43 percent. Mills campaigned on Democratic issues such as access to abortion, protecting the environment, Medicaid expansion and has pledged to continue working to address the opioid crisis.
Maryland
Republican incumbent Gov. Larry Hogan easily cruised to victory over former NAACP CEO and Democrat Ben Jealous. Hogan, who won with 56.2 percent of the vote compared to Jealous’ 42.8 percent, becomes the first Republican governor to be re-elected in the state since the 1950’s. Hogan enjoyed a significant fundraising advantage outspending Jealous three to one, including about $9 million in television advertising. During the contentious campaign, Hogan touted the state’s strong economy and a bi-partisan deal to lower health-care costs while Jealous sought to highlight a lack of school funding and bring attention to the state’s opioid epidemic, The Baltimore Sun reports. While voters overwhelmingly backed Hogan they also backed Democratic supermajorities in both the House and Senate setting up yet another few years of divided government.
Massachusetts
Republican incumbent Gov. Charlie Baker, who has held the office since 2015, won re-election against Democratic challenger Jay Gonzalez, budget chief for former Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick. Boston.com reports that Governor Baker is popular in the state and maintained a lopsided fundraising edge. Baker has pledged to continue a bipartisan approach with the Democratic leaning state government.
Michigan
Democrat Gretchen Whitmer has defeated Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette in the race to replace term-limited Republican Gov. Rick Snyder by a vote of 52.9 to 44.2 percent. According to the Chicago Tribune, Whitmer sought to portray herself as a bi-partisan problem solver noting that she worked with Governor Snyder to expand Medicaid. Whitmer also pledged to fix the state’s infrastructure, including roads and drinking water systems. Schuette has called for an income tax cut and sought to link Whitmer to tax increases imposed by former Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm. Schuette was endorsed by President Donald Trump but did not receive the endorsement of current Governor Snyder. This marks the 10th time in the last 11 elections that the party opposite the President has won the election.
Minnesota
Six-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Tim Walz beat Republican Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson to become the next governor. They were running in an open field and Walz, who had led in the polls, came out with a quick lead and took 53 percent of the vote to Johnson’s 42 percent to win the election. MPRNews reports that in his acceptance speech, Walz touched on many of the issues he campaigned on, including making jobs, access to healthcare and education funding as his top priorities.
Nebraska
Republican incumbent Gov. Pete Ricketts won re-election for another four years over Democratic challenger and former state Sen. Bob Krist by a margin of 59 percent to 41 percent, NET Nebraska reports. Governor Ricketts promoted the state’s strong economy on the campaign trail while Krist’s main issue was lowering property taxes.
Nevada
Democrat Steve Sisolak has been chosen to become the first Democratic governor in the state in over two decades after he defeated Republican Attorney General Adam Laxalt by a vote of 48.8 to 45.9 percent. Sisolak, who faced a tough primary fight against fellow Clark County commissioner Chris Giunchigliani, confronted Laxalt over his desire to repeal the Commerce Tax and for his opposition to Medicaid expansion. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Laxalt tried to play to Republican fears that Sisolak would turn the state into a more liberal state like California. The race featured a slew of high-profile endorsements with former President Barack Obama, former Vice President Joe Biden and former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid all backing Sisolak. Adam Laxalt had received the endorsement of President Trump but popular out-going Gov. Brian Sandoval did not endorse him. The race saw record spending with Sisolak spending $13.5 million and Laxalt spending $10 million, far more than the $9.1 million in combined spending in 2014.
New Hampshire
Republican incumbent Gov. Chris Sununu, who was first elected in 2016, has won a second term defeating Democratic challenger Molly Kelly 53 to 46 percent, reports WMUR. With both the Senate and the House, as well as the executive council, now projected to be within Democratic control, Sununu will face difficultly implementing his policy priorities.
New Mexico
Voters elected Michelle Lujan Grisham as the first Democratic Latina governor in history. She beat out Republican U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, who is a member of the House Freedom Caucus. Her campaign focused on increasing education funding and pushing for a higher minimum wage. She rebuked President Trump’s aggressive immigration stance and will likely end cooperation with his administration’s move to send troops to the boarder, Vox reports. She won by securing 56 percent of the votes to Pearce’s 43 percent.
New York
Democratic incumbent Gov. Andrew Cuomo has defeated his opponent, Dutchess County executive Republican Marc Molinaro, as predicted, winning his third term as the state’s governor, amNewYork reports. Governor Cuomo’s win means that Democratic incumbent Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul was also elected for a second term, as the two offices run on the same ticket in the state. The New York State Board of Elections reports Cuomo won the race by nearly a 22 percent margin over his opponent. Cuomo’s victory speech on election night largely focused on being the antithesis of President Trump, as the end of his campaign has placed him farther on the left than he had been a year ago on issues such as marijuana legalization and criminal justice reform.
Ohio
Republican Attorney General Mike DeWine defeated former Democratic Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Richard Cordray by a five percent margin for the office of governor, the Springfield Sun-News reports. The seat was open as current Republican Gov. John Kasich could not seek a third consecutive term. DeWine and Cordray previously ran against each other for the seat of attorney general in 2010, where incumbent DeWine won by a two percent margin in a GOP wave election, Vox reports. Despite polls prior to the election showing Cordray in the lead by a 2.4 percent average and a tough race, Republicans were able to maintain control of this seat, which they have held for 24 of the last 28 years.
Oklahoma
Republican businessman Kevin Stitt won the election to replace term-limited Republican Gov. Mary Fallin. Stitt beat out Democrat and former state Attorney General Drew Edmondson 54.34 percent to 42.22 percent, according to unofficial results from the state Election Board. Stitt ran as a political outsider with a mission to clean up state government.
Oregon
Democrat incumbent Gov. Kate Brown has won a second term, according to The Oregonian, defeating Rep. Knute Buehler, R-Bend, by a margin of 49.4 to 44.5 percent. Unofficial results can be found here. Brown was appointed as governor in 2015 and was elected to maintain the position in 2016, defeating her Republican opponent by eight points. The secretary of state’s Governor’s Records indicate that the last time voters elected a Republican governor was in 1984. Buehler and Brown competed against one another in the 2012 secretary of state election, which Brown won by eight percent. Governor Brown ran her campaign on what she considers to be her main accomplishments as governor, including raising the minimum wage, the adoption of a mandatory paid sick leave program and increasing education funding. Her campaign has also contrasted itself with Buehler on abortion rights and healthcare.
Pennsylvania
Democratic incumbent Gov. Tom Wolf has defeated former Republican state Sen. Scott Wagner, reports the New Hope Patch. Shortly after the polls closed, Wolf was the projected winner. Given Wolf’s lead in recent polls, it is unsurprising he will maintain the corner office. With 99 percent of the precincts reporting, Wolf received 58 percent of the vote, while Wagner received 41 percent and third-party candidates receiving one percent, respectively.
Rhode Island
Democratic incumbent Gov. Gina Raimondo has won re-election to a second four-year term, according to the Providence Journal. Governor Raimondo won her second term in what The Boston Globe called “one of New England’s craziest campaigns,” beating out five other competitors and garnering 53 percent of the vote. Her nearest competitor, Republican Allan Fung, received 37 percent. Raimondo focused her campaign on continuing to improve the state’s economy, as well as the state’s investments in infrastructure and job training during her tenure.
South Carolina
Republican incumbent Gov. Henry McMaster won election to his first full term, reports The Post and Courier, after inheriting the office from former Gov. Nikki Haley, who stepped down to become U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Governor McMaster defeated his Democratic opponent and state Rep. James Smith by 12 points. In his victory speech, Governor McMaster promised, “economic growth and prosperity unlike anything we’ve ever seen.”
South Dakota
The governor’s mansion will remain in Republican hands after polling showed a tighter race that could have broken for the Democrats in this deep red bastion, reports the Argus Leader. Republican and former U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem defeated Democrat Billie Sutton by nearly three points to hold onto the state for the GOP, which has held the governorship since 1978.
Tennessee
Republican businessman Bill Lee defeated his opponent, former Democratic Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, for the seat of governor, WREG 3 reports. Lee’s win by a 20 percent margin will keep the seat safely in the hands of Republicans, as expected, following the end of current Republican Gov. Bill Haslam’s term, which is limited. Lee, in contrast to his opponent, has stated he promises to fix the state’s healthcare system, which he says may take a few decades to do, and would lobby the state’s legislature to vote against Medicaid expansion if lawmakers were vying for such policy.
Texas
Republican incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott won re-election, as expected. Unofficial results have Governor Abbot receiving 55.85 percent of the vote to Democratic challenger Lupe Valdez’s 42.45 percent. Governor Abbott far out raised the former Dallas sheriff. U.S. News & World Report reports that Abbott’s agenda for the next four years will likely include efforts to restrict abortions and immigration crackdowns.
Vermont
Republican incumbent Gov. Phil Scott won the race with 55 percent of the vote, defeating Democratic challenger Christine Hallquist, VPR reports. Governor Scott will be forced to work across the aisle in his second term as Democrats and Progressives increased their hold on the legislature to a veto-proof majority. Scott, who has held the position since 2017, vetoed numerous bills last session, including the budget and a bill that would have raised the minimum wage to $15 by 2024, the Burlington Free Press reports.
Wisconsin
Democratic challenger Tony Evers defeated Republican incumbent Gov. Scott Walker by a narrow margin of 49.55 percent of the vote compared to Walker’s 48.47, Wisconsin Public Radio reports. Governor Walker was seeking a third term and had won two general elections and a recall election since 2010. Evers is the current state Superintendent of Public Instruction and cites his 2017 re-election with over 70 percent of the vote as a reason for deciding to run for governor, The Cap Times reports.
Wyoming
Republican Gov. Matt Mead, who was first elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2014, was prevented from seeking a third term due to term limits. According to the Casper Star Tribune, Republican Mark Gordon won in a sweeping victory, claiming 67 percent of the vote between four candidates including against Democrat Mary Throne. Gordon has focused on reducing the size of government, including government spending and defending conservative values, such as maintaining the second amendment.
Attorneys General Races
The position of state attorney general has garnered greater attention on the political scene in the past decade. This is due in part to like-minded attorneys general working together more often, especially when it comes to challenging the federal government, reports The Washington Post. Attorneys general elections were held in 30 states and the District of Columbia; prior to the election, Republicans held 18 of the offices up for election and Democrats held 12. In Colorado, Michigan, Nevada and Wisconsin – each of which had open seat contests – the offices flipped from Republican control to Democrat (although Wisconsin Republican incumbent Attorney General Brad Schimel has yet to concede the race). No attorney general offices currently held by Democrats were flipped by Republicans, according to the National Association of Attorneys General.
Post-election Attorneys General Party Affiliation
Alabama
Republican incumbent Attorney General Steve Marshall defeated Democrat Joseph Siegelman,AL.com reports. Attorney General Marshall was appointed to the position on February 10, 2017 by former Republican Gov. Robert Bentley following the resignation of Luther Strange to take a seat in the U.S. Senate. Marshall won the race with 58.9 percent of the vote, according to The New York Times.
Arizona
Republican incumbent Attorney General Mark Brnovich beat his Democratic challenger January Contreras by winning 53 percent of the vote to her 46 percent, according to ABC 15. This race had attracted national attention as Brnovich is part of a 20-state attempt to try and repeal parts of the Affordable Care Act.
Arkansas
Republican incumbent Attorney General Leslie Rutledge has won re-election to a second four-year term after defeating her Democratic challenger Mike Lee, reports local news station KATV. In her campaign, Rutledge vowed to continue supporting the Trump administration’s regulatory rollbacks and continue fighting against “federal overreach”.
California
Democrat incumbent Attorney General Xavier Becerra has defeated Republican Steven Bailey by 61 to 39 percent of the vote, according to unofficial election results. Becerra was appointed to the position by Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown in 2016. According to the Voter’s Guide published by the secretary of state, Becerra’s key issues include gun control, regulation of the petroleum and financial industries and prosecution of gang-related criminal activity.
Colorado
Republican Attorney General Cynthia Coffman did not run; she made an unsuccessful bid for the Republican nomination for governor earlier this year. Republican George Brauchler, the district attorney for the 18th Judicial District lost to Democrat Phil Weiser, a law professor and former dean at the University of Colorado Law School, by a margin of 2.8 percent, according to the secretary of state. According to The Denver Post, Professor Weiser supported Proposition 111, the ballot measure that will cap interest rates for payday loans. The ballot measure was approved by 77 percent of voters, reports the Coloradoan.
Connecticut
Democratic state Rep. William Tong has secured the office of attorney general by a narrow victory over his opponent, Republican state prosecutor Sue Hatfield who conceded Wednesday morning, the Hartford Courant reports. While Tong had been favored prior to the election, the race proved to be closer than expected, with Tong leading by close to a five percent margin with 94 percent reporting, according to The New York Times. Tong is the first Asian-American attorney general in the state, keeping the office in the hands of Democrats as it has been since 1954 and replacing current Democratic Attorney General George Jepsen, who is retiring. During the race, Tong portrayed himself as the state opposition of President Trump’s administrative policies, specifically advocating for immigrant rights, as he is the son of Chinse immigrants.
Delaware
Democratic Attorney General Matt Denn did not seek a second term. Democrat Kathy Jennings, the former chief deputy attorney general, handily won her race against Republican Bernard Pepukayi with over 61 percent of the vote, reports Delaware Online. Both candidates ran on platforms primarily focused on criminal justice reform.
District of Columbia
Democratic incumbent Attorney General Karl Racine easily reclaimed his position with 93 percent of the votes, reported WTOP. Racine’s campaign website listed juvenile justice reform, tenants’ rights, consumer protection, wage theft and pushing back against the Trump administration as key platform issues.
Florida
Republican Ashley Moody won the race for attorney general over challenger Democrat Sean Shaw. Moody, a circuit court judge, will replace term-limited Republican Attorney General Pam Bondi. According to the Tallahassee Democrat, Moody campaigned on boosting law enforcement, protecting religious freedoms and taking on activist judges. Although the race was rated as a tossup, Moody received 52.26 percent of the vote to Shaw’s 45.95 percent, according to unofficial results.
Georgia
Republican incumbent Attorney General Chris Carr won election to his first full term, after being appointed to the position in 2016 by Republican Gov. Nathan Deal. WXIA reports that Attorney General Carr narrowly defeated his Democratic challenger Charlie Bailey to retain his seat. Carr is expected to continue leading the state in ongoing litigation against the Affordable Care Act.
Idaho
Republican incumbent Attorney General Lawrence Wasden was elected to his fifth term, beating Democrat Bruce Bistline by a comfortable 66 to 34 percent. The Idaho Statesman reports that he is the state’s longest-serving attorney general.
Illinois
Democratic Sen. Kwame Raoul has defeated Republican Erika Harold in the attorney general race, reports the Chicago Tribune. He will succeed Democratic Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who did not seek another term. The focus of Raoul’s campaign was standing up to the Trump administration, and his platform also emphasized sexual assault, domestic violence and gun crime.
Iowa
Democratic incumbent Attorney General Tom Miller breezily won his 10th term with 77 percent of the vote, according to The New York Times. He was running unopposed until July but faced a late challenge by Libertarian Marco Battaglia. Miller has won every race he has run for attorney general, with the exception of his very first race in 1974. He has held the office uninterrupted since 1995. One of Miller’s primary focuses has been on consumer protection.
Kansas
Republican incumbent Attorney General Derek Schmidt won re-election for a third consecutive term by a margin of 18 percent over his challenger, Democrat Sarah Swain, according to the secretary of state. Schmidt focuses on fighting federal overreach, human trafficking and elder abuse, reports The Topeka Capital-Journal.
Maryland
Democratic incumbent Attorney General Brian Frosh easily secured re-election, defeating Republican Craig Wolf by 64 percent to 35 percent, The Baltimore Sun reports. The race focused on President Trump, with Frosh touting his efforts to sue the administration over everything from the travel ban, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and the president’s repeal of environmental regulations. In his second term Frosh is likely to continue fighting the federal government and may pursue a case against opioid manufacturers.
Massachusetts
Democratic incumbent Attorney General Maura Healey retained the seat she has held since 2015. MassLive reports that Healey had a decisive lead against challenger Republican Jay McMahon, a defense attorney. Healey has said that she will continue to work for universal health care, environmental protections, gun control and battling the opioid epidemic.
Michigan
Democrat Dana Nessel has defeated Republican House Speaker Tom Leonard in the race to replace outgoing Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette by a vote of 48 to 46 percent. Libertarian Lisa Lane Giola received two percent of the vote and Independent Chris Graveline received one percent. Nessell, a former Detroit area prosecutor who served as co-counsel in the historic and successful same-sex marriage lawsuit, has stated that her priorities will be to replace Flint water crisis special prosecutor Todd Flood, shut down the Line 5 oil pipeline and would stop defending certain lawsuits over unemployment benefits that are now pending in the state Supreme Court, Click On Detroit reports.
Minnesota
U.S. Democratic Rep. Keith Ellison overcame abuse allegations and beat former state Republican Rep. Doug Wardlow by 100,000 votes in a tight contest to win the attorney general race, The Washington Post reports. Ellison ran his campaign on a message that he would use the office to challenge the Trump administration when possible, take on big business and fight to protect women’s rights.
Missouri
There was no election for attorney general in 2018, however, Republican incumbent Attorney General Josh Hawley was elected to the U.S. Senate, defeating Democratic incumbent Claire McCaskill. A successor will be appointed by Republican Gov. Michael Parson.
Nebraska
Republican incumbent Attorney General Doug Peterson ran unopposed, according to the Lincoln Journal Star. His office has a focus on consumer protection, human trafficking and Medicaid fraud.
Nevada
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford defeated Assistant Attorney General Wes Duncan in one of the closest attorney general elections this cycle. Ford received 47.2 percent of the vote compared to 46.8 percent for Duncan, who conceded the race early Wednesday morning. According to the Las Vegas-Review Journal, the race was one of the more bitter and expensive races of the cycle, with both candidates spending in excess of $2 million. In the run-up to the election, Ford stated he would make criminal justice reform a priority to help bridge divides between the police and communities of color, reports KUNR.
New Mexico
Democratic incumbent Attorney General Hector Balderas was re-elected to a second term in a three-way race against two lesser-known candidates, Republican Michael Hendricks and Libertarian A. Blair Dunn, Las Cruces Sun News reports. Balderas will continue leading his office on key issues such as civil rights, cyber security and the opioid crisis.
New York
New York City public advocate Democrat Letitia James claimed the seat of attorney general over her opponent, Republican attorney Keith Wofford, the Democrat & Chronicle reports. According to the New York State Board of Elections results, James defeated Wofford by over a 25 percent margin, becoming the first African American woman to be elected for a statewide office in New York. James had been leading in the polls by 14 percent prior to the election and had been the favorite to replace prior Democratic Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who had resigned in May 2018 due to domestic abuse allegations, since his temporary replacement, Democrat Barbara Underwood, was not running for office. James has vowed to uphold the office’s strong stance against President Trump, specifically acting against Trump’s immigration and climate change policies.
North Dakota
Republican incumbent Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem secured his sixth term over his opponent, former state legislative aide and private practice attorney Democrat David Clark Thompson, according to the U.S. News & World Report. Stenehjem is popular among constituents; coming in with a 35 percent lead against Thompson. His priorities have been drug enforcement, the elimination of domestic violence and consumer protection in the form of establishing the state’s Do No Call list, according to his campaign site.
Ohio
Republican state auditor David Yost claimed the office of attorney general over his opponent, Democratic former U.S. Attorney for the northern district of Ohio Steve Dettelbach, The Columbus Dispatch reports. Both candidates had run on platforms that support health care policy reform, NBC News reports. Yost won by nearly a five percent margin over his opponent, defying polls prior to the election which had shown Dettelbach in the lead by six percent.
Oklahoma
Republican incumbent Attorney General Mike Hunter won re-election against Democrat attorney Mark Myles. Hunter won with 64.04 percent to Myles’ 35.96 percent, according to unofficial election results. Attorney General Hunter was appointed attorney general in February 2017 to succeed Scott Pruitt. According to Tulsa World, Hunter has stated his commitment to consumer protection and has filed suit against opioid manufacturers.
Rhode Island
Former U.S. Attorney Peter Neronha has won election as attorney general, beating out his closest competitor Independent Alan Gordon, by a nearly 60-point margin, according to The New York Times. Neronha will take over from fellow Democrat Peter Kilmartin, who did not run for re-election due to term limits. In his campaign, Nehronha promised to fight the ongoing opioid epidemic and public corruption, reports WPRI.
South Carolina
Republican incumbent Attorney General Alan Wilson will remain the state’s top law enforcement official for four more years after defeating Democratic challenger Constance Anastopoulo, according to Fox Carolina. The victory marks Attorney General Wilson’s third consecutive term in the position, which he initially won in 2010. During the campaign, Wilson came under fire for alleged ethics violations, while also campaigning on a platform to root out and prosecute public corruption.
South Dakota
In the race for the state’s open attorney general seat, Republican Jason Ravnsborg defeated Democrat Randy Seiler, reports the Argus Leader. “It’s a good day for South Dakota. It’s a bad day for drug dealers,” said the attorney general-elect in his victory speech; during the campaign he has promised to be tough on crime.
Texas
Republican incumbent Attorney General Ken Paxton won against Austin attorney Democrat Justin Nelson. Paxton, who has held the seat since 2014, received 50.5 percent of the vote to Nelson’s 47.01 percent. My San Antonio reports that this was the closest of all statewide races, outside of the race for U.S. Senate. Paxton had a pending trial for felony charges for securities fraud. The National Association of Attorneys General highlights some of Paxton’s work in the position as launching a new unit targeting human traffickers and protecting Texas sovereignty on environmental, health care, religious freedom and immigration issues.
Vermont
Democratic incumbent Attorney General T.J. Donovan defeated Representative Janssen Willhoit, R-St. Johnsbury, receiving over 70 percent of the vote, VPR reports. Attorney General Donovan has held the seat since 2017 and campaigned on combating the opiate crisis, defending the environment, reforming the criminal justice system and advocating for consumers and small businesses, according to the Burlington Free Press.
Wisconsin
Democratic challenger Josh Kaul, a former federal prosecutor, appears to have defeated Republican incumbent Attorney General Brad Schimel, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. As of Thursday morning, the Associated Press has not called the race, but election results showed Kaul leading by more than 20,000 votes. Kaul has declared victory but Attorney General Schimel has said he will not concede until municipal and county canvasses are complete and all military ballots are accounted for, WKOW reports. Kaul is a Madison attorney and former federal prosecutor. Schimel was elected in 2014 by a margin of six percentage points, Wisconsin Public Radio reports. Part of Kaul’s platform was increasing consumer protections. Kaul has said Wisconsin has not taken enough action enforcing consumer protection and has mentioned cases other states have pursued relating to student loan companies accused of committing consumer protection violations and the need to go after for-profit colleges for misleading marketing,Wisconsin Public Radioreports.
Source: FOCUS, a Leonine Business. 11.9.2018. Leonine Public Affairs is based in Montpelier, Vermont.leoninepublicaffairs.com.Through a special arrangement with Leonine, Vermont Business Magazine republishes Leonine's reports on vermontbiz.com.