Just over one week has passed since the 2026 midterm elections. Here are some names you should recognize before discussing politics with your extended family at the Thanksgiving dinner table.
Tennessee:
Governor
Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn, who was endorsed by President Donald J. Trump, is Tennessee’s first female governor. In a tight race, Blackburn defeated Democrat Jerri Green, winning 45.49% of the vote.
No Tennessee governor has won with less than 50% of the vote in at least a century according to the Tennessean.
Several independent candidates also ran in the race. David Hatley received 9.30% of the votes, while Lauren Pinkston received 1.25%
U.S. Senate
Bill Hagerty, the Republican incumbent, won Tennessee’s U.S. Senate race with 55.08% of the vote. This will be his second term after being elected to the U.S. Senate in 2020.
Before serving as a U.S. senator, Hagerty served as a U.S. ambassador to Japan and as Tennessee’s commissioner of economic and community development. His closest competitor in this year’s election was Democratic nominee Marquita Bradshaw, who also ran against him in 2020.
U.S. House of Representatives
Incumbent Diana Harshbarger won Tennessee’s 1st Congressional District, which covers 11 counties in East Tennessee.
Harshbarger defeated Democrat Kristi Burke, winning 67.41% of the vote. She was first elected to Congress in 2020.
Readers can find their U.S. representative through the U.S. House of Representatives representative finder.
Outside Tennessee:
California Governor
Democrat Xavier Becerra won California governor’s race and will become the state’s first elected Latino governor.
Florida Governor
Republican Byron Donalds’ victory in the governor’s race makes him Florida’s first Black governor.
Georgia Governor
Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms won Georgia’s governor’s race, becoming the first Black woman elected governor in U.S. history. A former mayor of Atlanta, Bottoms is also Georgia’s first Democratic governor since 1998.
Nevada Governor
Democrat Aaron Ford won Nevada’s governor’s race, becoming the state’s first Black governor.
New Mexico Governor
Democrat Deb Haaland, a former congresswoman and U.S. interior secretary, won New Mexico’s governor’s race to become the nation’s first Native American woman governor.
Ohio Governor
Democrat Amy Acton became the first woman elected governor in Ohio.
Texas Governor
Democrat Gina Hinojosa won Texas’ governor’s race, becoming the state’s first Latina governor.
Wisconsin Governor
Democrat David Crowley won Wisconsin’s governor’s race and will become the state’s first Black governor.
Michigan U.S. Senate
Democrat Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan’s U.S. Senate race in a competitive contest against former Rep. Mike Rogers, becoming the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate.
Minnesota U.S. Senate
Democrat Peggy Flanagan’s win in Minnesota makes her the first Native American woman elected to the U.S. Senate.
New Hampshire U.S. Senate
Democrat Chris Pappas won the U.S. Senate race in New Hampshire, becoming the first openly gay man elected to the U.S. Senate.
The main sources for election results used for this article are the Associated Press and The New York Times.
Photo: Three women standing in front of a row of American flags in Atlanta, Georgia on April 2 (by Emily Haas)
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