Democrats have made significant gains against Republicans in the US midterm elections, according to early projections, though vote counting is still underway. The party is projected to have won Senate seats in Iowa, Kansas and Texas, while also taking the Texas governorship from Republican Greg Abbott.
In Iowa, Democrat Josh Turek defeated Republican Ashley Hinson, according to an Associated Press projection based on voter surveys and results counted so far. Turek, a Paralympic wheelchair basketball player and two-time gold medalist, was backed by former president Barack Obama. The result gives Democrats a seat previously held by Republicans and could prove important in the contest for control of the 100-seat Senate.
Kansas also elected a Democratic senator for the first time since 1932, with pastor Adam Hamilton projected to defeat Republican incumbent Roger Marshall. In Ohio, former senator Sherrod Brown was projected by CNN and CBS to beat Republican incumbent Jon Husted.
In Texas, Democrat Gina Hinojosa was projected by the Associated Press and CNN to defeat Abbott, ending more than 30 years of Republican control of the governor’s office. Hinojosa, 52, would become the state’s first Latina governor. Democrat James Talarico also won a Senate seat in Texas, according to the report.
Hinojosa’s victory came despite support for Abbott from an oil executive and tech billionaire Elon Musk. She criticized the governor for favoring wealthy people and making life more expensive. Opposition to the rapid expansion of data centers in Texas also became an issue she used in her campaign.
Democrats were projected to gain Senate seats in at least six states, including South Carolina. In Maine, Democrat Troy Jackson defeated Republican Susan Collins, who had held her Senate seat since 1996 and conceded the loss.
The midterm elections included all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the Senate’s 100 seats. Votes were still being counted when the results were reported.
Sources: Der Spiegel.