By CARI WASSON ’27
Updated 11:50 a.m. EDT, 6 Nov 2026
The United States (U.S.) midterm elections took place on Nov. 3 to decide positions in Congress, state legislatures and local offices. In New York State, positions for the U.S. House of Representatives, the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, the Senate and Assembly, the Attorney General (A.G.) and lastly the Comptroller, among other local positions were voted on. This election determines the representatives for each state and territory that controls the House and the Senate, which are responsible for writing and passing national laws.
The results of the election varied from state to state whether the results were a surprise or not. The incumbents of New York State, Governor Kathy Hochul, A.G. Letitia James, and Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, retain their positions this election.
While some states’ governing parties remained unchanged, such as New York, others did not. Texas, a historically red state, has flipped to blue. For the first time since 1988, a Democrat James Talarico, a state representative and pastor, won the Senate seat over a Republican, A.G. Ken Paxton. Also, the Democratic candidate, Gina Hinojosa, won the governorship over the nearly 12-year Republican incumbent Governor Greg Abbott. This is another historic moment, as she is the first Democratic Governor of Texas since 1990. This substantial flip could potentially affect the 2028 presidential election, as Texas has been a longtime stronghold for Republicans.
In further reflection of notable milestones occurring during election season, certain minorities are represented for the first time. Abdul El-Sayed won his election in Michigan, making him the first Muslim senator in U.S. history. In New Mexico, Deb Haaland became the first Native American Woman to become Governor. In Georgia, Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman to be elected Governor. Chris Pappas, in New Hampshire, became the first openly gay man to be elected to the Senate. Hakeem Jeffries, current minority leader of the House, is projected to become the first Black person to be Speaker of the House. This list represents a small portion of political advancements for minority candidates.
The midterms did not go without some controversy. As of Nov. 4, the razor-thin Senate election in Alaska has not yet been certified. Surrounding the election, discussions of an investigation are rising over claims of voter confusion as similar names are listed for the state’s Senate seat. Republican Dan S. Sullivan and Independent Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., appear beside each other on the ballot. When polls closed, the two front runners Republican Dan S. Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola stayed neck and neck, with the possibility of Dan J. Sullivan Jr. being the previously stated “spoiler” candidate. If voters prove to have mistakenly voted for the spoiler candidate, then their votes would be re-counted towards Dan S. Sullivan, surpassing Democrat Mary Peltola. No decisions have been made, again, as of Nov. 4 on how the vote count could proceed.
The U.S. comes to a riveting conclusion for this election period and the political upsets made in this midterm alone are causes for voters to raise the question, could this blue wave ride all the way to the presidential election?
This article was written in consultation with other politically informed students, including Sophie Heilman, on campus. While consultation occurred among many, all distinctive writers are accurately credited. The article was sent to print the night of Wednesday, Nov 4, and new relevant information may have emerged since. ★
