2026 Midterms: A new balance of power in Georgia and the nation follows historic election 

From Congress in Washington, D.C., to the governorships and state legislatures in dozens of state capitols, Americans awoke to a new balance of power Wednesday morning following results of the 2026 midterm elections—and Georgia was no exception. 

Former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms became the nation’s first Black woman governor, a crowning victory that represented a political comeback for the ages. Bottoms, who served only one term as mayor after deciding not to pursue reelection following the turmoil of the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 uprisings, cruised to a 8.6 percentage point win over Republican Rick Jackson. 

“No matter what community we come from, Georgia is not defined by one moment in time or by one person; it’s been defined by all of us, and I will be a governor for everyone,” she said to a packed house of supporters at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, where she held her victory party Tuesday night. 

Bottoms, who promised to expand Medicaid in the Peach State, will govern with a Democratic majority in the Georgia House of Representatives. Republicans appear set to retain a two-seat edge in the state Senate, with Lt. Gov.-elect Josh McLaurin set to preside over that body.

What’s more, on Wednesday morning, Gov. Brian Kemp (R) said he would not call for a special session to either redraw Georgia’s electoral maps or strip the executive branch of power during the three-month transition before winners of Tuesday’s election are sworn into office.

“Republicans now have the opportunity, and responsibility, to heed the will of voters and learn from last night’s results. I firmly believe the conservative principles of our party lead to greater freedom, security, and prosperity for all Americans—and it’s time we get back to those principles in the months and years to come,” Kemp said. 

The new balance of power under the Gold Dome

Here’s where things stand as of press time Wednesday:

Georgia House of Representatives: 90 Democrats, 84 Republicans.

*The Associated Press has not called seven races uncalled; however, concessions by candidates in these races reduce that number. 

In House District 48, Rep. Scott Hilton (R-Peachtree Corners) conceded Wednesday morning.

In the House District 53 race, Republican incumbent Deborah Silcox (R-Sandy Springs) conceded to Democrat Beth Fuller. 

Two races, Districts 103 and 154, are within the margin for a recount.

Georgia Senate: 29 Republicans, 27 Democrats

Public Service Commission: 3 Democrats, 2 Republicans

Democrats are poised take control of the Georgia House for the first time since 2004. Five House races remain too close to call at the time of publication, with Democrats leading in the vote count in three of those. In District 154, Democratic candidate Harry James leads incumbent Republican Rep. Gerald E. Greene (R-Cuthbert) by 59 votes. Should all races break the way they currently stand, Democrats would have a six-seat margin in the House.

The District 151 runoff will be Tuesday, Dec. 1. 

Despite their gains in the General Assembly, the Democrats failed to pick up any Congressional seats. 

State Rep. El-Mahdi Holly (D-Stockbridge), speaking to ACPC at Bottoms’ victory party, said he looked forward to the new balance of power, especially when it came to redrawing the state’s heavily gerrymandered legislative and congressional district maps. “Redistricting is going to be a whole different deal,” he said.

In a Wednesday afternoon virtual press conference, Democratic Party of Georgia Chair Charlie Bailey told reporters that, while he cannot speak for the governor-elect and the new legislature, the potential to draw fair maps is there, so long as Republicans are on board.

“Just like on Medicaid expansion and others, Republicans will have the opportunity to do the right thing,” he said. “Our maps are badly gerrymandered: We had to overcome a bad gerrymander to win the state House. That can be fixed. We can have fair maps. Governor Keisha Lance Bottoms can sign those.” 

“I’m not talking about gerrymandering in our favor,” Bailey continued, adding that: “I’m just talking about a straight-up map. We could have that with the state House. We could have that with the state Senate. We could have that with a congressional map, if Republicans are willing to do the right thing.”

A biblical blue wave in Georgia and across America

The blue tsunami on election night propelled Democrats to wins in nearly every battleground state, and then some. Only in Florida did Republicans stave off a Democratic rout, holding onto the Governor’s mansion and a U.S. Senate seat in the Sunshine State.

But Florida aside, Democrats defied even the most bullish polling expectations. U.S. Sen. John Ossoff’s margin of victory is pushing 19%, far greater than his 7-10% polling lead heading into Election Day. 

Georgia’s 84th governor-elect appears to have won by just shy of 9%, smashing the statistical dead heat the polls pegged the race at, along with the rest of the statewide races. 

The closest race for statewide office ended up being Agriculture Commissioner, where Democrat Katherine Juhan-Arnold defeated Republican Tyler Harper by nearly 8%.

At the federal level, Democrats now control both the U.S. House and Senate, winning by shocking margins across the board, even winning heretofore long-shot races like the senate seat in South Carolina, and—possibly—Mississippi, though that race remains too close to call. 

Here’s the latest for the US Congress: 

Senate (100 members, 51 required for majority): 

• 54 Democrats
• 44 Republicans
• Alaska and Mississippi are too close to call.

House (435 voting members, 218 required for a majority): 

• 237 Democrats
• 147 Republicans
• 51 races still undecided.

Democrats also hold a majority Governorships across the US, 28 to 20 with two states outstanding (Alaska and Kansas). 

Ossoff, in his victory speech to supporters Tuesday night at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Atlanta, said the results represented a moment of hope, but that Democrats should be aware that their wins came not just from voters who support the party, but many who were repulsed by the human suffering wrought by President Donald Trump. 

“And if at times these last two years, amidst the ceaseless onslaught of brutality and indecency, you doubted whether our republic would survive, let tonight’s results give you courage that the first light of dawn is on the horizon,” Ossoff said. 

“And I know many of you have poured yourselves into this campaign, not for my sake or for the sake of the Democratic Party, but because you’re so deeply troubled by the pain our fellow human beings are enduring right now.”

Locally, progressives make big gains

The Democratic Socialists of America picked up their second seat in the Georgia House, with Mathewos Samson winning over 90% of the vote in his Atlanta district. He joins fellow socialist Rep. Gabriel Sanchez (D-Smyrna) under the Gold Dome next year. 

Fulton County: 

In the races for Fulton County Commission, progressive Rohit Malhotra secured victory for the District 4 seat, and Democrat Maggie Goldman ousted Republican Bridget Thorne for District 1. In the open races for Districts 3 and 5, Democrats Jodi Merriday and Helen Willis cruised to victory.

With Commission Chair-elect Mo Ivory leading the body, the partisan makeup of the commission now stands at 6-1, with District 2 Commissioner Bob Ellis the sole Republican on the body. 

DeKalb County

In the DeKalb County Commission race, Stop Cop City activist Rev. Keyanna Jones Moore defeated the Republican challenger, Andrea Smith. Jones’ win does not change the party composition of the Commission, but it does add another progressive member. 

Cobb County: 

Democrat Kevin Redmon unseated Republican JoAnn Birrell for County Commission District 3. The commission now has a 4-1 Democratic majority.

Democrat Michael Garza unseated Republican David Chastain for Cobb Board of Education Post 4. This gives Democrats a 4-3 majority on the Cobb school board. 

Gwinnett County:

Gwinnett County District 4 County Commissioner Matthew Holtkamp, a Republican, lost to Democrat Benjamin Culberson. With Democrat Ben Ku easily holding his District 2 seat, the five-member commission is entirely composed of Democrats.