Election 2023 results and analysis: Democrats excel in Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia

Republican Gov. Tate Reeves is projected to win reelection in Mississippi.

Nov. 7, 2023, was Election Day in at least 37 states, and Americans cast their votes on everything from governorships to local referenda. When the dust settled, it was a solid night for Democrats and their allies: According to ABC News projections, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear won reelection in Kentucky, and Ohio voters passed Issue 1 to codify abortion rights in the state constitution. The AP also projected that Democrats won both chambers of the Virginia legislature and an open seat on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. However, there were a few bright spots for Republicans: ABC News projected that Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves beat back a strong challenge from Democrat Brandon Presley.

As results came in, 538 analysts were breaking them down in real time with live updates, analysis and commentary. Read our full live blog below.


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Reeves up early in Mississippi but there's a long way to go

In Mississippi's gubernatorial contest, Reeves leads by about 15 points, 57 percent to 42 percent, with 34 percent of the expected vote reporting. However, one of the most critical counties in the state will probably be late to report its vote. Hinds County, home to the state capital of Jackson and Democrats' biggest voter base, had ballot shortages, which led a state court to order that all precincts remain open another hour beyond the 8 p.m. Eastern poll closing time, and a handful of others until 9 p.m. The Mississippi Republican Party filed an emergency motion with the state supreme court to vacate the lower court's ruling regarding extended poll times. Hinds County's population is almost three-quarters Black.

Geoffrey Skelley, 538


A GOP upset in New Hampshire

We did warn that, of the more than 250 mayoral races in the country, we might see an upset someplace. For now, that place seems to be Manchester, New Hampshire, where local media projects that Republican Jay Ruais will win the race to replace Democratic Mayor Joyce Craig, who is running for governor and had endorsed Democrat Kevin Cavanaugh to replace her.

Technically, the mayoral race is nonpartisan. However, Ruais was a congressional aide to former Rep. Frank Guinta, a Republican who had also previously served as mayor of Manchester. Ruais also had an endorsement from outgoing Republican Gov. Chris Sununu

Across the state, Republicans have been campaigning on the idea that Manchester “is out of control,” according to reporting from the local NPR station. Expect to hear plenty of prognosticating over how Republicans won New Hampshire’s biggest city in the coming days, if not months.

—Leah Askarinam, 538


A big hold for New Jersey Democrats

In the 11th District, the AP has projected that state Sen. Vin Gopal has won re-election in a district that Republicans had heavily targeted. Gopal leads his GOP challenger 60 to 39 percent, while his ticket-mates running for state Assembly, Margie Donlon and Luanne Peterpaul, are running ahead of their GOP opponents as well.

—Jacob Rubashkin, Inside Elections


Beshear strikes a tone of unity in victory speech

Beshear spoke after his victory, saying that voters didn't choose to move right or left, but made "a choice to move forward for every single family." He said "anger politics" should end, and that Republicans had run ads in the state full of hate and division. Beshear touted his record of economic and infrastructure development, and promised to raise pay for educators and establish universal pre-K. His parents, including former Gov. Steve Beshear, wife, and children shared the stage with him. He said Hadley Duvall, a 21-year-old who appeared in an ad for him, speaking about the sexual abuse she experienced as a child and criticizing Cameron for his support of an abortion ban, was in the audience.

—Monica Potts, 538


Beshear continues to run ahead of his 2019 margins in Kentucky

In Kentucky, 60 percent of the expected vote has reported in the governor's race, and Beshear leads by 5 points over Cameron, 52.5 percent to 47.5 percent. But there's more good news for Beshear: He's mostly running ahead of his 2019 numbers in the counties where most of the vote has come in. At this point, 37 counties have reported at least 90 percent of their expected vote (out of 120 in the state), and across them Beshear is running 4.7 points ahead of his 2019 margin. Now, most of those counties are small — together, they made up about 23 percent of the statewide vote four years ago. But those counties also don't include the two biggest Democratic bases of support in Jefferson and Fayette counties (Louisville and Lexington).

Geoffrey Skelley, 538