US midterm elections: The key governor races to watch
US midterm elections: More female governors than ever elected
(1 day later)
Former Trump spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders is projected to become Arkansas' first female governor
Former Trump spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders is projected to become Arkansas' first female governor
As well as deciding which party controls Congress, the US midterm elections on Tuesday will also determine state governors.
Twelve women have been elected to serve as governors in the US, a new record following Tuesday's election.
These key figures have enormous power, as many aspects of American life - from education to abortion rights - are decided at the state level.
Ten have already been confirmed and two will emerge from women-only contests in two states, Arizona and Oregon.
Some 36 states will decide their next governor in these elections. And some of them could have an impact on national politics - here's why.
There are currently nine female governors in the US - and women will also form at least 24% of the total in the newly-elected Congress.
Ron DeSantis - Florida
State governors are key figures with enormous power, controlling many aspects of American life.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis's projected re-election has stoked further speculation that he could run for president in 2024.
From education to abortion rights, governors have a say on issues decided at the state level.
He has positioned himself as an enthusiastic champion of conservativism, and is considered by many to be the most likely candidate to supplant Donald Trump.
According to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, women standing for and elected as governors will comprise at least 24% of all governors in the country.
Mr Trump - who is eyeing a return to the White House - warned his chief rival on Monday that he could "hurt himself very badly" if he joined the race.
And all the eight women governors who sought re-election were successful this year.
Either way, his projected victory will only add to the expectation that he will challenge for the Republican nomination.
The Center emphasises the result of the election leaves only 18 states nationwide to have never had a woman serving as governor. The newly-elected governors are:
Maura Healey - Massachusetts
Maura Healey - a Democrat from Massachusetts - will also be the first openly lesbian governor. Ms Healey was previously the state's attorney general
Massachusetts is projected to elect Democrat Maura Healey, who would become the first openly lesbian governor.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders - the former Trump spokeswoman - is projected to become Arkansas' first female governor, a position once held by her father.
She defeated Trump-supporter Geoff Diehl, who had hoped to ride a red wave to the governor's mansion in the largely blue state.
Kathy Hochul was elected to a full term in New York, having taken over the job in 2021 following the resignation of Andrew Cuomo
Ms Healey was previously the state's attorney general, and has promised to aggressively tackle climate change, including a pledge to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030.
The two races still to be decided pit Katie Hobbs against Kari Lake in Arizona and Tina Kotek against Christine Drazan in Oregon.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders - Arkansas
The new record comes amid other first in these elections, including:
Former Trump spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders is projected to become Arkansas' first female governor.
Republican Katie Britt will be elected as Alabama's first woman to serve in the US Senate
While it's a historic first, it is not the only record she has broken - during her campaign, she also broke her state's fundraising record.
Democrat Maxwell Frost, 25, will be the first member of Generation Z elected to serve in the US Congress
Mr Trump encouraged Ms Sanders to run for governor when she left the White House in 2019.
Democrat Wes Moore has also made history as Maryland's first black governor
Who is winning the night so far?
Republican Markwayne Mullin will be the first Native American senator from Oklahoma in almost 100 years.
See the results as they come in
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Doug Mastriano - Pennsylvania
Doug Mastriano is one of the best examples of a candidate backed by a new religious right that some claim are driven by the idea of Christian Nationalism.
He casts himself and his followers as God's chosen people who must take back the country, and erroneously claims the 2020 election was stolen. He is supported by a revivalist movement of self-proclaimed prophets and apostles.
He is projected to lose to Democrat Josh Shapiro, who served as the state's attorney general and has promised to uphold abortion rights and defend democracy.
Brian Kemp - Georgia
The projected re-election of Georgia's Governor Brian Kemp could be a sign the state is ready to move on from the Trump era.
He earned the ire of the former president in 2020, when he refused to support his claim that the election had been stolen.
It was Mr Kemp's opponent - Democrat Stacey Abrams - who helped deliver the 2020 election to Joe Biden.
Although she lost the 2018 governor election by only 60,000 votes, she made a name for herself as a political fundraiser who helped get people to the polls.
