On Tuesday, November 3, several states across the country held off-year elections. Voters headed to the polls to cast their votes for state and local races and several ballot measures. A summary of key state election results is below.
Republicans prevailed in the Kentucky and Mississippi gubernatorial races. Kentucky businessman Matt Bevin defeated Attorney General Jack Conway for the governor’s mansion and Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant defeated Democrat Robert Gray and Reform candidate Shawn O’Hara.
Democratic Attorney General Jim Hood won reelection defeating former federal prosecutor Mark Hurst. In Kentucky, Democrat Andy Beshear – son of Governor Steve Beshear – beat Republican State Senator Whitney Westerfield in the Attorney General race by a razor thin margin.
Virginia Republicans held their control of the Senate, 21-19, following a handful of heavily contested, expensive and high profile Senate elections. Virginia House Democrats netted one seat, but in an otherwise overwhelmingly Republican-controlled House. House Republicans expanded their majority in the Mississippi House. New York Republicans kept control of the Senate. New Jersey Democrats picked up three seats in the General Assembly – creating the largest majority in 36 years.
Of note, in the special legislative elections held yesterday, Maine Republicans won two open House seats, Democrats picked up a House seat in Missouri, Pennsylvania Republicans kept a Senate seat that was vacated earlier this summer by a Democrat, increasing their majority to 31-19, and Washington State Republicans picked up a House seat, narrowing the margin of control in the House to 50 Democrats – 48 Republicans.
In addition, Louisiana will hold a runoff election November 21 for its gubernatorial and attorney general race and 14 legislative seats; Louisiana held its primary election October 24.