GOP Has Strong Showing in Gubernatorial Races
The Indiana State Capitol in Indianapolis. Shutterstock
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Republican candidates win in Ind., Mo., N.H., Utah and Vt.; Democrats win in W.Va. and Wash.; N.C. too close to call.
GOP Retains Control of Governor’s Office in Indiana
Indiana’s Republican Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb defeated Democratic contender John Gregg on Tuesday to replace GOP vice presidential nominee Mike Pence as the state’s governor.
As of 9:52 p.m. Eastern time, Holcomb had captured about 56 percent of the electorate, with 478,273 votes, while Gregg had about 40 percent and 345,786 votes, according to preliminary results posted by the Indiana Secretary of State’s Office. The Associated Press called the race in Holcomb’s favor at 9:15 p.m. Libertarian candidate Rex Bell had won 28,102 votes.
The margin Holcomb led by on Tuesday night was notable given that some polls in recent weeks had indicated the contest was a toss-up, or had shown Gregg leading.
Pence is Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump’s running mate.
Gregg, a former member of the Indiana House of Representatives, lost to Pence in the governor’s race there in 2012.
Coal Tycoon Democrat Wins Gubernatorial Race in West Virginia
Billionaire Democrat Jim Justice defeated Republican state Senate president Bill Cole in the West Virginia governor’s race on Tuesday.
The Associated Press called the race at 9:17 p.m. Eastern time. According to the West Virginia MetroNews Network, with 803 of 1,743 precincts reporting, Justice had 177,548 votes and Cole 154,734—a margin of 22,814 votes. Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, a Democrat is leaving office due to term limits.
After the death of his father In 1993, Justice became president and CEO of Bluestone Industries, Inc. and Bluestone Coal Corporation. The Democrat in August declined to back his party’s presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton, citing her positions on coal.
Herbert Coasts to Victory in Utah
Utah’s Republican Gov. Gary Herbert easily won reelection Tuesday. Around 11 p.m. Eastern time, Herbert had about 75 percent of the popular vote, according to state figures. Democratic challenger Mike Weinholtz had about 20 percent. Herbert was lieutenant governor in 2009 when he replaced former Gov. Jon Huntsman, who resigned to become the U.S. ambassador to China. He went on to win a special election in 2010 and re-election in 2012.
Republican Clinches Governor’s Race in Vermont
Lt. Governor Phil Scott, a Republican, defeated Democratic rival Sue Minter, a former state transportation secretary, to win the race for governor of Vermont. Scott will replace three-term Democrat Peter Shumlin. The Associated Press called the contest at 11:37 p.m. Eastern time. Unofficial state figures published online around 11:50 p.m. showed Scott with 154,474 votes and about 52 percent of the electorate's support, compared to Minter, who had 128,554 votes and 43 percent. Scott co-owns DuBois Construction, an excavation company. During the campaign, he emphasized his belief that Vermont should not increase state taxes.
Former Democrat, Turned Republican Wins Missouri Gubernatorial Contest
Ex-Navy SEAL Eric Greitens, a Republican who was previously a Democrat, won the Missouri governor’s race on Tuesday. He bested Democratic state Attorney General Chris Koster, who used to be a member of the GOP. The race had been considered a toss-up. But around 11:45 p.m., the Missouri Secretary of State was reporting that Greitens had roughly 53 percent of the vote. In contrast, Koster had about 42 percent. The Associated Press called the race at 12:15 a.m. Eastern time. Current Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon is term-limited.
Democrat Inslee Wins Re-Election in Washington State
Washington’s Democratic governor, Jay Inslee, won re-election on Tuesday night over Republican challenger Phil Bryant, 56 percent to 44 percent, according to results from the Washington secretary of state’s office. Although results are not final, The Seattle Times said that Inslee’s lead was “insurmountable,” thanks to a huge win in King County, home to Seattle and one-third of the Evergreen State’s voters.
A GOP Victory in New Hampshire
Republican Chris Sununu was elected governor of New Hampshire on Tuesday, beating Democrat Colin Van Ostern. The Associated Press called the race at 2:39 a.m. Eastern time. Sununu is the son of the state's former governor, John H. Sununu, who held the office during the 1980s. Both the younger Sununu and Van Ostern now serve on the New Hampshire Executive Council. Current Gov. Maggie Hassan, a Democrat, early Wednesday morning remained locked in a tight race against Republican incumbent Kelly Ayotte for a U.S. Senate seat.
North Carolina Still Too Close to Call
The difference in votes remained razor thin in the early hours of Wednesday morning between the top contenders in the North Carolina gubernatorial race. Democratic state Attorney General Roy Cooper had a narrow lead over incumbent Republican Gov. Pat McCrory. Around 2 a.m. Eastern time, Cooper was ahead of McCrory by only about 5,000 votes, with roughly 4.6 million cast, according to unofficial results from the North Carolina State Board of Elections. The Charlotte Observer reported that the contest might not be officially decided until later this month, after a provisional ballot tally is finalized.
This post will be updated as more election results come in and races are called.
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