Democrats Win Full Control in Six States, Including Arizona’s First Trifecta Since 1966

Democrats won full control of state government in at least six states where they previously shared power with Republicans, the Associated Press reported, after the news organization called enough legislative races on Friday to confirm the final flips. The six states are Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Nevada and Wisconsin.

In Arizona, the result ended a wait of six decades. Democrats won both chambers of the state Legislature and retained the governor’s office, giving the party its first trifecta in the state since 1966. Republicans had held the Arizona House for 60 years and the Senate since the early 1990s. Gov. Katie Hobbs won reelection over Republican Rep. Andy Biggs, and if results hold as ballots are tallied, Democrats will finish with a 20-10 supermajority in the Senate and a 37-23 advantage in the House.

In her first term, Hobbs vetoed more than 540 measures passed by the Republican-led Legislature, on taxes, immigration and voting laws. She has said she plans to address water issues and affordability and to take on fraud in the state’s school voucher program.

The other five states

In Michigan, Democrat Jocelyn Benson defeated Republican John James for governor, 54.4 percent to 43.8 percent, and Democrats won 60 seats in the state House to 46 for Republicans, with a 22-14 edge in the Senate. In Minnesota, Democrat Amy Klobuchar defeated Republican Lisa Demuth, 55.5 percent to 42.6 percent, and Democrats won the House 77-55 and the Senate 37-26. In Nevada, Democrat Aaron D. Ford beat Gov. Joe Lombardo, 51.5 percent to 44.3 percent, while Democrats kept control of the Legislature.

In Pennsylvania, Democrats already controlled the House and Gov. Josh Shapiro won reelection. Their breakthrough came in the Senate, which they won for the first time in nearly 50 years, taking a 26-24 majority. In Wisconsin, Democrat David Crowley defeated Republican Tom Tiffany for governor with 54.1 percent of the vote, and Democrats flipped both chambers, winning full control of state government for the first time in 16 years.

Texas and the wider map

The gains reached beyond the six trifecta states. Democrats won control of the Texas House, which Republicans had held since 2003, and elected Gina Hinojosa as the state’s first Democratic governor since George W. Bush defeated Ann Richards in 1994. Republicans kept the Texas Senate. Democrats also flipped the lower chambers in Maine and North Carolina and both chambers in New Hampshire, where Republican Kelly Ayotte won reelection as governor.

Democrats will hold the governor’s office in at least 28 states, with results still pending in Alaska and Kansas. The party flipped at least 10 legislative chambers that were under Republican control, and likely two more, bringing its total of state trifectas to 22. The National Conference of State Legislatures said the election is likely to end up as the one with the most legislative seats and chambers changing parties since the 2010 election. Democrats will start next year with more states under their control than at any time since the early 1980s.

What the new majorities do with their power is the next question. In Pennsylvania, Democrats have outlined priorities that include raising the minimum wage, providing new money for mass transit and legalizing marijuana. “We are going to be fiscally responsible, fiscally conscious,” state Sen. Jay Costa said this week. “We’re going to make sure that we’re being thoughtful going forward because, you know, we don’t want to just have a majority for two years. We want to stick around a little while.”

Reporting based on coverage by the Associated Press and Governing.