Four Black Governors Elected in Single Night
Wes Moore, Byron Donalds, Keisha Lance Bottoms, and David Crowley win their respective races, marking the first time four Black governors will serve concurrently.
By Adrian Kovalenko ·
U.S. history recorded a new chapter in executive leadership Tuesday night as voters selected four Black governors for the first time.
The concurrent terms began with the victories of Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, and Georgia’s Keisha Lance Bottoms. Hours later, David Crowley secured the governorship in Wisconsin, bringing the total to four.
Prior to Tuesday, only three Black individuals had ever been elected to the office of governor. Those were Moore, Deval Patrick in Massachusetts in 2006, and Doug Wilder in Virginia in 1989. No previous administration period featured multiple Black governors serving at once.
Donalds, a Republican, addressed the milestone in an interview with NBC News last month. He described the moment as “very special” and noted the country’s complex history regarding race. “I’m humbled to be in this position, but I think it says a lot more about the state [of Florida] than it does about me,” Donalds said.
The count could rise to five if Aaron Ford, the Nevada state Attorney General, defeats incumbent Gov. Joe Lombardo. On the losing side, South Carolina state Rep. Jermaine Johnson fell to Alan Wilson. In Michigan, Democrat Jocelyn Benson unseated Republican Rep. John James. Minnesota voters chose Amy Klobuchar over state House Speaker Lisa Demuth.
Source: NBC News
