Five Black Governors Win 2026 Seats

The 2026 midterm elections concluded with a historic result: five Black men and women won governorships. This group will begin serving in 2027, setting a new record for the number of Black governors serving at the same time.

The winners include four Democrats and one Republican. Democrats Keisha Lance Bottoms won in Georgia, Wes Moore in Maryland, David Crowley in Wisconsin, and Aaron Ford in Nevada. Republican Byron Donalds won in Florida. This outcome breaks the previous record of two Black governors serving simultaneously.

Before this election cycle, only three Black Americans had ever been elected governor in the United States. L. Douglas Wilder won in Virginia, Deval Patrick won in Massachusetts, and Wes Moore previously served in Maryland. Moore returns to his previous seat after winning again in the 2026 vote.

The five new and returning governors come from different political parties and geographic regions. Their administrations will oversee major state functions, including education, economic development, healthcare, and public safety. While their policy priorities differ, the 2026 results mark a peak in Black political representation at the state level.