Three Black Governors Serve Simultaneously

For the first time in United States history, three African American governors are taking office at the same time. The milestone follows the Tuesday night victories of Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Florida candidate Byron Donalds, and Georgia candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms.

Prior to these results, only three African Americans had ever won a popular vote for governor. Doug Wilder won in Virginia in 1989, Deval Patrick won in Massachusetts in 2006, and Wes Moore won in Maryland. None of these leaders served concurrently. Moore’s re-election, Donalds’s win in Florida, and Bottoms’s victory in Georgia created this new alignment of power.

Byron Donalds, a Republican representative, called the historic nature of his candidacy "very special" in an interview with NBC News last month. He noted that race has been a major topic in politics for decades. "I feel honored to be in this position, but I think this says much more about the state of Florida than it does about me," he said.

Donalds posted a thank-you message on social media on November 4, 2026. He pledged to make life in Florida more affordable, keep streets safe, and invest in young people. He described the state as the envy of the nation and vowed to fight for its continued success.

The group of Black governors could expand further. Five other African American candidates from major parties were competing for governorships on Tuesday night. Among them are Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley in Wisconsin and Nevada State Attorney General Aaron Ford, both Democrats. In South Carolina, state representative Jermaine Johnson, a Democrat, faced a tougher path in a traditionally Republican state.

On the Republican side, Representative John James ran in a close race against Democrat Jocelyn Benson. Lisa Demuth, the Minnesota House Speaker, was also in the race but was considered the least likely to win. The final outcomes of these contests may determine if the current trio remains a small group or grows larger.

The simultaneous service of Moore, Donalds, and Bottoms marks a shift in state-level leadership. Their combined tenure represents the first instance of multiple Black governors holding office concurrently, a distinction that had not existed in the previous four decades of American political history.