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Election 2026: Southern States at the Ballot Box · Real State

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  This is Real State, a podcast from CSG South.
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  Join us as we talk with policymakers and public leaders shaping state-level decisions across the South
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  and explore how ideas move from policy to real impact.
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  Hello and welcome to Real Estate. I'm your host, Lindsey Gray.
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  Today we're doing something a little different.
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  Instead of sitting down with one of our Southern state leaders, we're stepping back to look at a significant moment in state government.
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  The 2026 midterm elections.
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  Yesterday, voters across the country went to the polls to choose governors, statewide executive officials, legislators, and to weigh in on constitutional amendments and other ballot questions.
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  And the results in our 15 Southern states are beginning to tell an interesting story.
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  Across the South, the results reflect both continuity and change.
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  Several states will welcome new governors, while others will see familiar state leaders return.
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  In our legislatures, some majorities remain in place, others have changed, and a few races are still being decided.
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  But before we get into those results, an important note, we're recording this on Wednesday afternoon, November 4th.
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  So some of the results we're discussing are still preliminary, and not all races have been called or certified.
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  Some margins may change as additional votes are counted, and the final legislative compositions will not be established until the remaining contests are resolved officially.
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  Our goal today isn't to interpret election results through a partisan lens.
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  It's to understand what voters have decided so far, where important questions remain, and what those outcomes may mean for the institutions and leaders responsible for governing our states.
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  So let's take a look at what we're seeing across the South.
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  Let's begin with the executive branch, where several Southern states are preparing for new governors.
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  While others have reelected incumbents or maintain their existing party leadership.
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  In Georgia, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Democrat will become the state's next governor, defeating Republican Rick Jackson.
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  This marks a change in party control of the governor's office, which Republicans have held for more than two decades.
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  Georgia also saw Democratic victories across several other statewide executive offices, including Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, and State Commissioners.
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  In Texas, Democratic State Representative Gina Hina-Hosa defeated Republican incumbent, Governor Greg Abbott, according to reported results, Democrats also won the Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General Contests.
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  These results mark changes in the executive leadership in two of the South's largest states, both of which have been governed by Republicans for decades.
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  The incoming administrations will enter office with new priorities and relationships to their respective legislatures.
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  Republican candidates also secured significant gublin tutorial victories across the South, including in states electing new governors.
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  And in Arkansas, where Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders won re-election.
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  In Florida, Republican Byron Donalds won the race to succeed term-limited Governor Ron DeSantis.
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  In Alabama, Republican Tommy Tubberville won the race to succeed Governor K.I.V.
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  In Oklahoma, Republican Mike Maisie was elected to succeed term-limited Governor Kevin Stitt.
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  In South Carolina, Republican Alan Wiltson won the governorship, succeeding Governor Henry McMaster, and in Tennessee, Republican Marsha Blackburn was elected Governor, succeeding Governor Bill Lee.
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  Other states, including Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia were not scheduled for Governor elections this year.
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  Now, a new governor is certainly significant, but the executive branch is only one part of the governing equation.
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  The other question is what happens in the legislature? And whether the governor will be working with a legislature controlled by the same party or won with divided leadership?
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  That's where some of the most important developments from Tuesday are emerging in the South.
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  Across the South, several states experienced changes in legislative party composition, even where control of the chamber itself did not change.
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  In North Carolina, Democrats have made gains to take control of the state House of Representatives for the first time since 2010, while Republicans are expected to retain the Senate.
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  That would create divided legislative control in Raleigh, North Carolina, and introduce a different negotiating environment for the General Assembly.
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  In Georgia, Democrats made significant gains in the state House, with preliminary reporting indicating a change in control. The final House composition requires confirmation, while Republicans have secured continued control of the state Senate.
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  In Texas, the state House remains one of the most consequential legislative outcomes still being watched.
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  The very projections suggest Democrats could take control for the first time in more than two decades, while Republicans are expected to retain the Senate.
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  These results matter not simply because of party changes, but because chamber control influences committee leadership, legislative calendars, budget negotiations, and the path legislation must take to reach a governor's desk.
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  In Florida, Republicans retain control of both legislative chambers. Democrats also gain seats in the House, changing the chamber's partisan composition slightly.
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  In Missouri, Republicans retained both chambers, while Democratic gains reduced the legislative margins, and according to preliminary projections, ended the party's two-thirds supermajority.
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  In South Carolina, Republicans maintain control of the House and the Senate, although Democratic gains in the House reduced the majority below the two-thirds threshold.
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  In Kentucky, Republicans retained their legislative supermajorities in both chambers, while Democrats increased their representation.
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  And in West Virginia, Republicans maintained substantial majorities in both chambers, and Democrats gained additional seats.
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  In Alabama, Republicans retained control of both chambers and maintained their supermajorities.
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  Plymminary results also indicate Democratic gains in three House districts in Alabama.
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  In Oklahoma, Republicans have retained both chambers and their two-thirds supermajorities, with at least one closely watched district remaining unresolved in the preliminary reporting, but it shouldn't change the composition.
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  In Arkansas, Republicans retained control of both chambers, with some Democratic gains in the House.
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  In Tennessee, Republicans maintained control of both legislative chambers, with preliminary results showing Democrats flipped six House seats.
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  Meanwhile, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Virginia did not hold regularly scheduled state legislative elections this November, meaning their existing legislative majorities were not subject to a statewide general election.
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  Of course, elections aren't only about choosing people to serve in public office.
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  In several Southern states, voters also made direct decisions about constitutional amendments and other ballot measures, many of which address significant questions about government authority, taxation, public safety, and individual rights.
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  In Alabama, voters approved four constitutional amendments, including measures addressing school system consolidation, procedures for filling a lieutenant governor vacancy, student-led prayer, and the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools, and the performance of the National Anthem during the school week.
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  In Arkansas, voters approved measures involving voter citizenship requirements, firearms related constitutional provisions, and infrastructure financing.
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  A proposal involving economic development districts was narrowly rejected in the preliminary returns.
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  In Florida, voters considered proposals involving property taxes and the state's budget stabilization fund.
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  A measure expanding the homestead exemption passed, while proposals concerning the stabilization fund and certain agricultural property exemptions did not receive the required 60% approval.
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  In Louisiana, voters approved seven of ten proposed constitutional amendments.
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  Those measures address topics ranging from property tax exemption and gubernatorial term limits to criminal justice, drinking water infrastructure, and restrictions on certain foreign property ownership.
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  In North Carolina, voters approved three constitutional amendments addressing income tax limitations, voter identification requirements, and the authority of lawmakers to establish limits on local property increases.
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  In Tennessee, voters approved constitutional amendments involving pretrial detention in certain criminal cases, restrictions on state property tax, and additional constitutional protections for crime victims.
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  In Virginia, voters approved three constitutional amendments involving reproductive rights, marriage recognition, and voting rights.
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  What's particularly important about these measures is that some take effect through constitutional change while others may require further legislative or administrative action.
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  For state policy makers, that means the election may settle one question while beginning another. How to implement what voters approved.
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  Now let's step away from the individual results and consider the bigger picture. Across Southern states, I see three important institutional questions emerging as we look towards 2027.
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  First is the relationship between governors and legislatures. As new and returning leaders prepare for 2027, they will establish legislative priorities, organize their teams, and begin the work of developing budgets and considering policy proposals.
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  Some states may have divided government while others will continue operating with one party controlling the executive and legislative branches.
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  Neither arrangement by itself tells us what policies will ultimately be enacted, but it does help explain the process those policies will need to navigate in order to get over the finish line.
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  Second is the composition of our state legislatures. Across the south, some chambers will welcome new majorities, while others will continue to work on the policy.
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  Others will continue under their existing leadership with both returning and newly elected members. Each legislature will establish its priorities, organize its committees, and prepare for the work ahead.
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  And regardless of party composition, the legislative process will continue to pin on relationships, institutional knowledge, and responsibilities entrusted to all elected members.
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  Third is the transition from election outcomes to governing priorities. As lawmakers prepare for the next legislative cycle, many of the issues they will face are already familiar, education, workforce development, infrastructure, energy, health care, and public safety, economic development, and their responsible management of state resources.
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  Those issues don't disappear or begin a new with an election. What changes is the leadership, the policy approaches under consideration, and the legislative environment in which decisions are made.
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  And that's where the work of governing really begins. I want to close our election overview with one more perspective. One that's especially important to the work at CSG South.
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  Although we've discussed these results state by state, the South is not a single political or governing environment. Our 15 states have different constitutions, legislative structures, election calendars, executive powers, policy priorities, and the list goes on. Some legislatures meet annually, others meet biennily, some have different requirements for passing budgets, overriding vetoes, or amending their constitutions.
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  And those differences matter. What works procedurally in one state may not translate directly to another state. But the opportunity to learn from one another remains. As new leaders take office and returning lawmakers prepare for another legislative cycle, there will be opportunities to exchange ideas, examine policy outcomes, and understand how different states are approaching shared challenges and opportunities.
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  That's one of the reasons organizations like CSG South exist. We bring together state leaders across party lines, across branches of government, and across state boundaries to connect, inform, and inspire the exchange of ideas.
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  And as we move into 2027, that work will remain as important as ever.
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  And to our listeners, thank you for joining me for this special election edition of Real State. As a reminder, the results we've discussed reflect the information available as of Wednesday afternoon of 24/26. Some contests remain unresolved and official certifications are still ahead.
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  What remains constant is the responsibility of public institutions to serve the people of their states. That's the part of the story we'll continue to follow here on real state. Not simply who won an election, but what happens next in our Southern states.
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  For more conversations about leadership, public policy, and the issues shaping state government across our Southern region, visit csgself.org.
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  I'm Lindsey Gray. Let's keep it real.
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  Thank you for joining us today on real states, where we keep it real about what really matters.
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