Democrats in Arizona have won control of both legislative chambers and retained the governor’s office, establishing the party's first trifecta in the state since 1966. This victory contributes to broader Democratic gains nationwide in recent elections, including taking control of both chambers of Congress.
During her first term, Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed over 540 measures passed by the Republican-led Legislature, addressing policies on taxes, immigration, and voting laws. Moving forward, Hobbs has indicated priorities such as addressing water issues, affordability, and combating fraud within the state's school voucher program.
The Associated Press confirmed the legislative flips on Friday, after calling enough races to determine the shift in power. Republicans had held the House in Arizona for 60 years and the Senate since the early 1990s. The process of calling races can take several days following an election, depending on vote tabulation and the closeness of contests, though no major disputes or disruptions have been reported this year.
Arizona was among at least six battleground states where Democrats achieved full control—both legislative chambers and the governorship—including Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Wisconsin. Nationally, this election cycle is poised to be the most significant transfer of legislative seats and chambers to the opposing party since 2010, according to the National Council of State Legislatures.
Democrats also made significant gains in other states, flipping the Texas House for the first time since 2003 and electing the state's first Democratic governor since 1994. They also captured the lower chambers of the legislatures in Maine and North Carolina, and both chambers in New Hampshire. Democrats are expected to hold the governor’s office in at least 28 states, with results still pending in Alaska and Kansas.