Democrats Win Key Election Oversight Races

Democratic candidates won secretary of state races in four presidential battlegrounds and two additional states on Tuesday, expanding the party's hold on election administration ahead of the 2028 presidential contest.

The party retained the offices in Arizona, Michigan, and Nevada while flipping the post in Georgia. Democrats also secured control in Indiana and Ohio, states that previously leaned toward the Republican Party.

In Georgia, Penny Brown Reynolds defeated state Rep. Tim Fleming to replace Brad Raffensperger. Reynolds, who served in the Biden administration and is known for a family court television program, campaigned on a platform of administering elections according to the law. Fleming, a former aide to outgoing Gov. Brian Kemp who held President Donald Trump's endorsement, cited irregularities in the 2020 election and proposed tighter limits on mail voting.

Michigan voters selected Democratic Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist to succeed outgoing Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, who won the governor's race. Gilchrist defeated Republican Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini by criticizing him for providing voter data to the Trump administration and for hiring a January 6 protester for his office.

Incumbents Adrian Fontes in Arizona and Cisco Aguilar in Nevada won re-election against far-right Republican challengers who promoted election conspiracy theories. Both incumbents achieved wider margins of victory than in their 2022 campaigns. Democrats also expect to gain control of election administration in Texas, where the secretary of state is appointed by the governor, following Gina Hinojosa's victory in the gubernatorial race.

The role of secretary of state has gained prominence as President Trump and allies have made claims of election fraud. Challenges to 2020 results occurred in all four battleground states where Democrats prevailed. In the final weeks of the midterm campaign, Democrats targeted Indiana, Kansas, Ohio, and Iowa, winning two of those four races and losing one.

In Ohio, state Rep. Allison Russo defeated state Treasurer Robert Sprague, contributing to a party sweep that included the state's Senate and gubernatorial seats. In Indiana, Beau Bayh, a 30-year-old member of a prominent Democratic family, defeated state Rep. Max Engling. Bayh spent more than $8.6 million on advertising, according to AdImpact, and focused his campaign on combating corruption. Engling had entered the race after incumbent Republican Diego Morales faced corruption and ethics allegations. In Kansas, the race between state Rep. Jennifer Day and state Rep. Pat Proctor remained too close to call. Iowa Republican Paul Pate defeated Democrat Ryan Peterman for secretary of state despite Democrats winning the state's Senate and governor's races. South Carolina Republican Mark Hammond also defeated Democrat Jason Belton for the same office, even as Democrat Annie Andrews won the Senate contest.