Several members of Congress won gubernatorial races, with both Republican and Democratic lawmakers elected to lead their states.
In Alabama, Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville defeated Democrat Doug Jones, his predecessor in the Senate whom Tuberville had defeated in 2020. With 99 percent of votes counted, Tuberville led 52 percent to 48 percent, marking the narrowest gubernatorial race in Alabama since 2002.
In Florida, Rep. Byron Donalds, first elected to Congress in 2020, narrowly defeated former Rep. David Jolly to become Florida's first Black governor. Jolly, a former Republican who joined Democrats last year, sought to become the first Democratic governor in Florida since 1994. Jolly's running mate was former Rep. Gwen Graham.
In Tennessee, Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn won election as the state's first female governor. Blackburn served nearly two decades in the House before her 2018 Senate election and narrowly defeated Democrat Jerri Green, a Memphis City councilwoman. She is expected to appoint her Senate successor.
In Minnesota, Democratic-Farmer-Labor Sen. Amy Klobuchar became the state's first female governor. Klobuchar, who has served in the Senate since 2007, defeated Republican state House Speaker Lisa DeMuth. She is also expected to appoint her Senate successor.
In the U.S. Virgin Islands, Democrat Stacey Plaskett, a nonvoting House delegate since 2014, won the open governor's race with more than 50 percent of the vote to become the territory's first female governor.
Former Cabinet members also won. In California, former Rep. Xavier Becerra, who served as California attorney general and Biden's secretary of Health and Human Services, defeated Republican Steve Hilton. In New Mexico, former Rep. Deb Haaland defeated Republican Gregg Hull, the former Rio Rancho mayor.
Republican congressmen Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin, Andy Biggs of Arizona and John James of Michigan lost gubernatorial bids. Other congressional Republicans lost gubernatorial primaries, including David Schweikert and Nancy Mace.