Democrats flip Georgia state House, giving them new control of at least 12 legislative chambers

Democrats have taken control of the state House in Georgia after also gaining the governor’s office in last week’s midterm election, giving the party control of each for the first time in more than 20 years.

The flip gives Democrats control of at least 12 new legislative chambers across the U.S. after their major gains at all levels.

It’s the biggest gain for either party in a single election since the Republicans took the majority in 20 chambers in 2010 amid the Great Recession and the rise of the conservative tea party movement.

After officials are sworn in later this year and in early 2027, Democrats will have trifectas — control of both legislative chambers and the governor’s office — in at least six states where they’re currently sharing power with Republicans.

The party running a state government can have a major impact on issues including tax bills, how data center development goes and who qualifies for Medicaid health insurance.

The Associated Press, which has been calling elections since 1848, on Monday determined the outcome of enough Georgia races to declare Democrats had won the lower chamber.

The news organization has not yet determined who will control the state Senate in North Carolina or either chamber in Alaska.

The Georgia flip breaks up two decades of full GOP control

Republicans have controlled the House in Georgia since 2005 and both the Senate and governor’s office since 2003.

Democrats have made gains. In 2020, for instance, Joe Biden narrowly won a plurality in the presidential election there and Democrats prevailed in both U.S. Senate elections. Donald Trump won there in both 2016 and 2024.

This year, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms won the governorship and Democrats took a House in which Republicans had a comfortable 99-80 majority heading into the election.

As of Monday, Democrats had won 91 House seats and Republicans 86. Three had not been called — including one where the state’s secretary of state is investigating the late upload of a memory card containing nearly 400 votes.

Republicans kept control of the Senate.

While the split government will likely block Democrats from passing some laws, it does open many topics to negotiations.

Races have not been called in 2 states where power is unclear

In North Carolina, Democrats have taken hold of the House and kept the office of governor, where Josh Stein’s term has two more years.

As of Monday, the AP hadn’t called one race in the Senate. If the GOP holds it, the party would have a 26-24 majority. A Democratic victory would mean a tie, and Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt, a Democrat, would hold the tiebreaking vote.

Both legislative chambers in Alaska currently are controlled by multiparty coalitions. With several races not called, it’s unclear how that will shake out for 2027. The AP has also not called the race for governor between Democrat Jonathan Kreiss‑Tomkins and Republican Bernadette Wilson.

The sweeping results give Democrats full power in some states

Currently, there are Republican governors in 26 states and Democratic governors in 24.

Democrats will have at least 28 of those jobs next year, with the race in Kansas also remaining to be called.

Democrats gained control of four more state Senates in Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, bringing the total they lead to 24. They’ll have the majority in at least 27 lower chambers, up from 19, after flips in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin.

Election gains in Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin will give Democrats trifectas in all those states.