Ballotpedia's review of the top 10 races, 2019

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2018 election results and analysis
	Results • Analysis

December 16, 2019

This content is part of Ballotpedia's analysis of the 2019 elections. For comprehensive election results, click here. See more of our 2019 election analysis by visiting our Election Analysis Hub.

Ballotpedia compiled a list of the top 10 races we watched in November 2019, including races for state executive and legislative offices, municipal elections, and statewide ballot measures. Here's what happened in those races.

Review of the top 10 races in 2019

Gubernatorial

See also: Gubernatorial elections, 2019

Kentucky: Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear (D) defeated Gov. Matt Bevin (R) and John Hicks (L) in Kentucky's gubernatorial election on November 5, 2019.^[1] Beshear's victory meant that Kentucky transitioned from a Republican state government trifecta to divided government. This election followed nearly four years of conflict between Bevin and Beshear, which began when each was elected to his current position. The main issues in the race were healthcare and education funding. Bevin won the 2015 election by a margin of 8.7 percentage points, becoming the first Republican to win a Kentucky gubernatorial election since 2003.

Louisiana: Incumbent Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) defeated businessman Eddie Rispone (R) in the general election for governor of Louisiana on November 16, 2019. Edwards and Rispone were the top two finishers in the October 12 primary. Edwards was the first incumbent Louisiana governor to run in a general election since the state adopted the all-party primary system in 1975. The gubernatorial election coincided with elections for the state Senate and state House, meaning that all three trifecta components were on the ballot. Republicans maintained their majorities in the state House and Senate. They won a veto-proof supermajority in the Senate but fell two seats short of the threshold in the House. Edwards' win meant the state would remain under divided government. A win from Rispone would have made Louisiana a Republican trifecta.

Mississippi: Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves (R) defeated state Attorney General Jim Hood (D), Bob Hickingbottom (Constitution), and David Singletary (I) in the November 5, 2019, election for governor of Mississippi. Incumbent Phil Bryant (R) was term-limited. Hood described himself as a moderate, saying that he owned firearms and supported restrictions on abortion. Reeves said that he had lowered taxes while reducing Mississippi's debt. Both Hood and Reeves accused one another of ethics violations. To win the general election, a candidate needed to receive a majority in the popular vote and win a majority of Mississippi's 122 state house districts. Had no candidate fulfilled both of these requirements, the Mississippi House of Representatives would have selected the winner. Reeves’ win and Republican victories in the state House and Senate preserved the state's Republican trifecta.

State legislative

See also: State legislative elections, 2019

Virginia House of Delegates: Democrats gained control of the Virginia House of Delegates on November 5, 2019, winning a 55-45 majority.^[2] Heading into the election, Republicans held a 51-49 majority. All 100 seats were up for election. There were 27 battleground districts; Republicans held 16 of those seats to Democrats' 11. Democrats picked up Districts 28, 40, 76, 83, 91, and 94. They defeated four Republican incumbents: Tim Hugo (HD-40), Chris Jones (HD-76), Christopher Stolle (HD-83), and David Yancey (HD-94). The other two seats won by Democrats were in open races for seats held by Robert Thomas Jr. (HD-28) and Gordon Helsel (HD-91). By winning both chambers of the legislature, Democrats gained a state government trifecta. In the 2017 elections, Democrats flipped 15 Republican-held seats—their largest single gain in the chamber since 1899.

Virginia State Senate: Democrats gained control of the Virginia State Senate on November 5, 2019, winning a 21-19 majority.^[2] Heading into the election, Republicans held a 20-19 majority with one vacancy in a seat previously held by a Republican. All 40 seats were up for election. There were seven battleground districts; Republicans held six of those seats to Democrats' one. Districts 10 and 13 were held by Republicans heading into the election but were won by Democratic candidates. Ghazala Hashmi (D) defeated Sen. Glen Sturtevant (R) 54-46 in the District 10 race, while Del. John Bell (D) defeated Geary Higgins (R) 54-46 in the District 13 race for the seat held by Sen. Richard Black (R). By winning both chambers of the legislature, Democrats gained a state government trifecta. In the 2015 elections, the chamber's partisan balance did not change.

Municipal

See also: United States municipal elections, 2019

Mayor of Houston: Incumbent Mayor Sylvester Turner defeated former Texas A&M Board of Regents member Tony Buzbee in the December 14 runoff election for mayor of Houston, Texas, after advancing from the general election on November 5. Turner received 56% of the vote to Buzbee’s 44%. Policy debate in the race centered on Turner's record during his first term, especially regarding his handling of the city's budget and spending priorities.^[3]^[4]^[5] Turner said his accomplishments in office included balancing the city's budget, leading the recovery effort after Hurricane Harvey, reforming the city’s pension system, easing traffic congestion, filling potholes, creating jobs, and strengthening the economy.^[3]^[6] Buzbee said corruption was creating inefficiency in Houston's government, pledging to self-fund his campaign and proposing independent financial audits, process audits, and zero-based budgeting to improve the efficiency and transparency of the city’s resource allocation.^[3]^[7]^[8] Houston's mayor serves as the city's chief executive and is responsible for proposing a budget, signing legislation into law, appointing departmental directors, and overseeing the city's day-to-day operations.

Seattle City Council: The city of Seattle, Washington, held nonpartisan general elections for seven city council districts on November 5, 2019. Four races were open, and three incumbents ran for re-election: Lisa Herbold (District 1), Kshama Sawant (District 3), and Debora Juarez (District 5). All three incumbents won re-election. The 2019 races saw a record-breaking $4.2 million in satellite spending through November 5.^[9] In 2015—the last time the seven district seats were on the ballot—satellite spending totaled $785,000.^[10]^[11] This was the second election in recent Seattle history where councilmembers were elected by district; between 1910 and 2013, all members of the city council were elected by the entire city at-large.

Ballot measures

See also: 2019 ballot measures

Colorado Proposition CC: Colorado Proposition CC, the Allow State to Retain Revenue for Transportation and Education Measure, was on the ballot in Colorado as a legislatively referred state statute on November 5, 2019. It was defeated. Colorado Proposition CC would have allowed the state to retain revenue it was, at the time of the election, required to refund under the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR). Under TABOR, the state was limited in its revenue collection and spending, with excess revenue being refunded to taxpayers. The retained funds would have been limited to use for education and transportation purposes. Its supporters included Gov. Jared Polis (D) and the state House and Senate Democratic caucuses, while its opponents included former Gov. Bill Owens (R), the state House Republican caucus, and the state Republican and Libertarian parties. As of October 28, 2019, committees registered in support and opposition of the measure had spent a combined $6.2 million.

Pennsylvania Marsy's Law Amendment: The Pennsylvania Marsy's Law Crime Victims Rights Amendment was on the ballot in Pennsylvania as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on November 5, 2019. This was a measure to amend the Pennsylvania Constitution to guarantee victims of crimes 15 specific rights. A majority of electors voted to approve the ballot measure. However, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court enjoined Acting Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar from certifying election results, pending a court ruling on whether the amendment violated the state constitution's requirement that separate amendments receive separate votes. Read more about the lawsuit here: League of Women Voters of PA and Haw v. Boockvar. Supporters of the measure included Gov. Tom Wolf (D) and state Attorney General Josh Shapiro (D), while its opponents included the state chapters of the ACLU and the League of Women Voters. As of October 21, 2019, the sole committee registered to support the measure had spent $6.1 million. There were no committees registered to oppose the measure. As of 2019, 12 states had passed a Marsy's Law ballot measure.

Texas Proposition 4: Texas Proposition 4, the Prohibit State Income Tax on Individuals Amendment, was on the ballot in Texas as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on November 5, 2019. The measure was approved. Texas Proposition 4 was a measure to amend the Texas Constitution to prohibit the state from levying an income tax. At the time of the election, the Texas Constitution required that an income tax be approved by a majority of both chambers of the state legislature and by voters in a statewide referendum. Texas had never levied a statewide income tax. Supporters of the amendment included Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and the state Republican Party, while its opponents included the state branch of the American Federation of Teachers and the Center for Public Policy Priorities. As of October 26, 2019, the sole committee registered to support the measure had spent $3,000. There were no committees registered to oppose the measure.