Amy Acton wins Ohio governor's race

Democratic candidate Amy Acton defeated Republican Vivek Ramaswamy on Tuesday to become the next governor of Ohio. Acton will make history in three ways upon taking office. She is the first woman elected to the position. She is the first Jewish person to hold the office. She is the first Democrat to win the race in two decades.

The victory marks a sharp shift in state leadership after a contentious final stretch of the campaign. The race was defined by aggressive advertising and national attention on a specific attack ad that drew widespread criticism in the final weeks. Acton served as the state's chief public health officer during the pandemic.

Her win is part of a wider trend in gubernatorial races across the country. Voters in nine states elected candidates who are making history based on their gender, race, or party affiliation. These results signal a major realignment in local and state power as the midterm elections conclude.

In Texas, Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated incumbent Republican Governor Greg Abbott. Hinojosa, a state representative, becomes the first Latina governor of the state. Her victory ends a thirty-year streak of Republican governors in Texas. The win aligns with demographic shifts in the state, which has seen a surge in its Latino population.

California voters also chose a new historic leader. Democrat Xavier Becerra defeated Republican Steve Hilton to become the first elected Latino governor of the state. Becerra previously served as California attorney general and as U.S. secretary of Health and Human Services. He succeeds Gavin Newsom after a clear victory over a political outsider.

In Georgia, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms won the governor's race against Republican Rick Jackson. Bottoms becomes the first Black woman elected governor of any state. She served as mayor of Atlanta from 2018 to 2022 and later advised former President Joe Biden. Her win makes her the first Democrat to take the office in the state in more than two decades.

New Mexico elected Democrat Deb Haaland as its next governor. Haaland, who is of Pueblo Indian descent, becomes the first Native American woman to serve as governor. She previously served in Congress and as Interior secretary under President Biden. In both previous roles, she broke barriers as one of the first Native American women to serve in those positions.

Florida voters elected Republican Byron Donalds as their first Black governor. Donalds defeated Democrat David Jolly with the backing of President Trump and a large war chest. He campaigned on affordability and a promise to continue the conservative policies of outgoing Governor Ron DeSantis. Donalds has served in Congress since 2021 and previously held two terms in the state legislature.

Wisconsin elected Democrat David Crowley as its first Black governor. Crowley, the Milwaukee County executive, defeated Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany. Tiffany's campaign outspent Crowley's significantly. Crowley had briefly suspended his campaign during the primary but reentered with the support of outgoing Governor Tony Evers after his initial endorsement dropped out. He campaigned on his record as a deal maker.

Other states saw women break into the governor's office for the first time. In Tennessee, Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn defeated Democrat Jerri Green. In Minnesota, Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar defeated Republican Lisa Demuth, the speaker of the state House. Klobuchar will assume office in January. Both women become the first female governors of their respective states.