Incumbents defeated in state legislative elections, 2019

• Federal elections
  • Congressional special elections
• State elections
  • Ballot measures
  • State executives
  • State legislatures
  • State legislature special elections
  • State supreme courts
  • Intermediate appellate courts
• Local elections
  • Municipal government
  • School boards
  • Trial courts
  • Ballot measures
  • Political recalls
• Voter information
  • Sample ballot
  • Election calendar
  • Election results
  • Poll opening and closing times
  • Voting policies

Last updated on April 21, 2025

There were 538 state legislative seats up for election on November 5, 2019, in four states. This page analyzes incumbents defeated in those elections. An incumbent may be defeated at two points in an election cycle: during a primary and during a general election.

In 2019, 31 incumbents lost their re-election bids: 14 in general elections and 17 in primaries. This was more than in 2015 (28) and 2011 (30).

On this page, you will find:

• Incumbents defeated in general elections
• Incumbents defeated in primaries
• State-by-state breakdowns

Incumbents defeated in general elections

In state legislative general elections, 14 incumbents lost to challengers, 3.4% of incumbents running for re-election. This was more than in 2015 (12) but less than in 2011 (21).

In 2019 general elections:

Two Democratic incumbents lost, 1.0% of the 196 Democratic incumbents who ran and 2.2% of the 90 contested Democratic incumbents..

10 Republican incumbents lost, 4.6% of the 217 Republican incumbents who ran and 10% of the 100 contested Republican incumbents.

Two minor party or independent incumbents lost, 50.0% of the four minor party or independent incumbents who ran and 66.7% of the three contested minor party or independent incumbents.

The total number of incumbents defeated in general elections—14—was more than in 2015 (12), representing a 17% increase.

In 2019

Click [show] on the table below to view general election incumbent defeat statistics by state in 2019. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

State legislative incumbents defeated in general elections, 2019
State
	Democratic			Republican			Total
	Filed	Def.	%	Filed	Def.	%	Filed	Def.	%
Nationwide	196	2	1.0%	217	10	4.6%	417	14	3.4%
Louisiana	29	0	0.0%	51	3	5.9%	82	3	3.7%
Mississippi	52	0	0.0%	84	2	2.4%	138	4	2.9%
New Jersey	53	2	3.8%	22	0	0.0%	75	2	2.7%
Virginia	62	0	0.0%	60	5	8.3%	122	5	4.1%

Historical comparison

The chart below shows a partisan breakdown of incumbents defeated in general elections from 2011 to 2019.

Click [show] on the table below to view general election incumbent defeat statistics by state from 2011 to 2019. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

State legislative incumbents defeated in general elections, 2011-2019
State
	2011		2013		2015		2017		2019
	Def.	%	Def.	%	Def.	%	Def.	%	Def.	%
Nationwide	21	4.4%	5	2.5%	12	2.7%	14	7.0%	14	3.4%
Louisiana	6	5.5%	-	-	4	3.7%	-	-	3	3.7%
Mississippi	12	8.7%	-	-	4	2.8%	-	-	4	2.9%
New Jersey	1	1.0%	2	1.8%	4	5.6%	2	1.9%	2	2.7%
Virginia	2	1.6%	3	3.4%	0	0.0%	12	12.9%	5	4.1%

Incumbents defeated in primaries

In state legislative primaries, 17 incumbents lost to challengers, 3.9% of incumbents running for re-election. This was more than in 2015 (16) and 2011 (9).

In 2019 primaries:

Five Democratic incumbents lost, 2.5% of the 201 Democratic incumbents who ran and 7.4% of the 68 contested Democratic incumbents.

12 Republican incumbents lost, 5.3% of the 228 Republican incumbents who ran and 21.4% of the 56 contested Republican incumbents.

The total number of incumbents defeated in primaries—17—was more than in 2015 (16), representing a 6% increase.

In 2019

Click [show] on the table below to view primary incumbent defeat statistics by state in 2019. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

State legislative incumbents defeated in primaries, 2019
State
	Democratic			Republican			Total
	Filed	Def.	%	Filed	Def.	%	Filed	Def.	%
Nationwide	201	5	2.5%	228	12	5.3%	433	17	3.9%
Louisiana	30	1	3.3%	52	1	1.9%	84	2	2.4%
Mississippi	55	3	5.5%	92	8	8.7%	149	11	7.4%
New Jersey	53	0	0.0%	23	1	4.3%	76	1	1.3%
Virginia	63	1	1.6%	61	2	3.3%	124	3	2.4%

Historical comparison

The chart below shows a partisan breakdown of incumbents defeated in primaries from 2011 to 2019.

Click [show] on the table below to view primary incumbent defeat statistics by state from 2011 to 2019. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

State legislative incumbents defeated in primaries, 2011-2019
State
	2011		2013		2015		2017		2019
	Def.	%	Def.	%	Def.	%	Def.	%	Def.	%
Nationwide	9	1.9%	2	1.0%	16	3.5%	0	0.0%	17	3.9%
Louisiana	1	0.9%	-	-	3	2.7%	-	-	2	2.4%
Mississippi	8	5.4%	-	-	10	6.6%	-	-	11	7.4%
New Jersey	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	1	1.3%
Virginia	0	0.0%	2	2.2%	3	2.4%	0	0.0%	3	2.4%

Louisiana

General election defeats

There were 144 seats up for election in Louisiana. Overall, 82 incumbents advanced to the general election, including 29 Democrats, 51 Republicans, and two independents. Of that total, three Republican incumbents lost, representing 3.7% of incumbents who advanced to the general election.

Statistics from 2019 are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

Incumbents defeated in general elections in Louisiana, 2019
Chamber
	Democratic incumbents			Republican incumbents			Total incumbents
	Running	Def.	%	Running	Def.	%	Running	Def.	%
House	21	0	0.0%	38	1	2.6%	61	1	1.6%
Senate	8	0	0.0%	13	2	15.4%	21	2	9.5%
Total	29	0	0.0%	51	3	5.9%	82	3	3.7%

Historical general election defeat statistics are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

Incumbents defeated in general elections in Louisiana, 2011-2019
Year
	Democratic incumbents			Republican incumbents			Total incumbents
	Running	Def.	%	Running	Def.	%	Running	Def.	%
2011	45	2	4.4%	63	4	6.3%	109	6	5.5%
2013	Did not hold elections.
2015	37	0	0.0%	68	4	5.9%	107	4	3.7%
2017	Did not hold elections.
2019	29	0	0.0%	51	3	5.9%	82	3	3.7%

Primary defeats

There were 144 seats up for election in Louisiana. Overall, 84 incumbents filed for re-election, including 30 Democrats, 52 Republicans, and two independents. Of that total, two incumbents lost in primaries—one Democrat and one Republican—representing 2.4% of incumbents who filed for re-election.

Statistics from 2019 are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

Incumbents defeated in primaries in Louisiana, 2019
Chamber
	Democratic incumbents				Republican incumbents				Total incumbents
	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%
House	21	8	0	0.0%	39	17	1	2.6%	62	26	1	1.6%
Senate	9	7	1	11.1%	13	6	0	0.0%	22	13	1	4.5%
Total	30	15	1	3.3%	52	23	1	1.9%	84	39	2	2.4%

Historical primary defeat statistics are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

Incumbents defeated in primaries in Louisiana, 2011-2019
Year
	Democratic incumbents				Republican incumbents				Total incumbents
	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%
2011	46	27	1	2.2%	63	22	0	0.0%	110	50	1	0.9%
2013	Did not hold elections.
2015	39	12	2	5.1%	69	25	1	1.4%	110	38	3	2.7%
2017	Did not hold elections.
2019	30	15	1	3.3%	52	23	1	1.9%	84	39	2	2.4%

Mississippi

General election defeats

There were 174 seats up for election in Mississippi. Overall, 138 incumbents advanced to the general election, including 52 Democrats, 84 Republicans, and two independents. Of that total, four incumbents lost—two Republicans and two independents—representing 2.9% of incumbents who advanced to the general election.

Statistics from 2019 are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

Incumbents defeated in general elections in Mississippi, 2019
Chamber
	Democratic incumbents			Republican incumbents			Total incumbents
	Running	Def.	%	Running	Def.	%	Running	Def.	%
House	38	0	0.0%	60	2	3.3%	100	4	4.0%
Senate	14	0	0.0%	24	0	0.0%	38	0	0.0%
Total	52	0	0.0%	84	2	2.4%	138	4	2.9%

Historical general election defeat statistics are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

Incumbents defeated in general elections in Mississippi, 2011-2019
Year
	Democratic incumbents			Republican incumbents			Total incumbents
	Running	Def.	%	Running	Def.	%	Running	Def.	%
2011	76	8	10.5%	62	4	6.5%	138	12	8.7%
2013	Did not hold elections.
2015	59	2	3.4%	83	2	2.4%	142	4	2.8%
2017	Did not hold elections.
2019	52	0	0.0%	84	2	2.4%	138	4	2.9%

Primary defeats

There were 174 seats up for election in Mississippi. Overall, 149 incumbents filed for re-election, including 55 Democrats, 92 Republicans, and two independents. Of that total, 11 incumbents lost in primaries—three Democrats and eight Republicans—representing 7.4% of incumbents who filed for re-election.

Statistics from 2019 are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

Incumbents defeated in primaries in Mississippi, 2019
Chamber
	Democratic incumbents				Republican incumbents				Total incumbents
	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%
House	40	15	2	5.0%	67	19	7	10.4%	109	34	9	8.3%
Senate	15	7	1	6.7%	25	6	1	4.0%	40	13	2	5.0%
Total	55	22	3	5.5%	92	25	8	8.7%	149	47	11	7.4%

Historical primary defeat statistics are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

Incumbents defeated in primaries in Mississippi, 2011-2019
Year
	Democratic incumbents				Republican incumbents				Total incumbents
	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%
2011	78	18	2	2.6%	68	16	6	8.8%	147	34	8	5.4%
2013	Did not hold elections.
2015	63	26	4	6.3%	89	26	6	6.7%	152	52	10	6.6%
2017	Did not hold elections.
2019	55	22	3	5.5%	92	25	8	8.7%	149	47	11	7.4%

New Jersey

General election defeats

There were 80 seats up for election in New Jersey. Overall, 75 incumbents advanced to the general election, including 53 Democrats and 22 Republicans. Of that total, two Democrat incumbents lost, representing 2.7% of incumbents who advanced to the general election.

Statistics from 2019 are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

Incumbents defeated in general elections in New Jersey, 2019
Chamber
	Democratic incumbents			Republican incumbents			Total incumbents
	Running	Def.	%	Running	Def.	%	Running	Def.	%
House	53	2	3.8%	22	0	0.0%	75	2	2.7%
Senate	Did not hold elections.
Total	53	2	3.8%	22	0	0.0%	75	2	2.7%

Historical general election defeat statistics are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

Incumbents defeated in general elections in New Jersey, 2011-2019
Year
	Democratic incumbents			Republican incumbents			Total incumbents
	Running	Def.	%	Running	Def.	%	Running	Def.	%
2011	64	0	0.0%	41	1	2.4%	105	1	1.0%
2013	67	1	1.5%	46	1	2.2%	113	2	1.8%
2015	42	0	0.0%	30	4	13.3%	72	4	5.6%
2017	72	1	1.4%	36	1	2.8%	108	2	1.9%
2019	53	2	3.8%	22	0	0.0%	75	2	2.7%

Primary defeats

There were 80 seats up for election in New Jersey. Overall, 76 incumbents filed for re-election, including 53 Democrats and 23 Republicans. Of that total, one Republican incumbent lost, representing 1.3% of incumbents who filed for re-election.

Statistics from 2019 are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

Incumbents defeated in primaries in New Jersey, 2019
Chamber
	Democratic incumbents				Republican incumbents				Total incumbents
	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%
House	53	22	0	0.0%	23	3	1	4.3%	76	25	1	1.3%
Senate	Did not hold elections.
Total	53	22	0	0.0%	23	3	1	4.3%	76	25	1	1.3%

Historical primary defeat statistics are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

Incumbents defeated in primaries in New Jersey, 2011-2019
Year
	Democratic incumbents				Republican incumbents				Total incumbents
	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%
2011	63	12	0	0.0%	43	6	0	0.0%	106	18	0	0.0%
2013	68	12	0	0.0%	46	5	0	0.0%	114	17	0	0.0%
2015	43	4	0	0.0%	30	3	0	0.0%	73	7	0	0.0%
2017	71	18	0	0.0%	36	8	0	0.0%	107	26	0	0.0%
2019	53	22	0	0.0%	23	3	1	4.3%	76	25	1	1.3%

Virginia

General election defeats

There were 140 seats up for election in Virginia. Overall, 122 incumbents advanced to the general election, including 62 Democrats and 60 Republicans. Of that total, five Republican incumbents lost, representing 4.1% of incumbents who advanced to the general election.

Statistics from 2019 are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

Incumbents defeated in general elections in Virginia, 2019
Chamber
	Democratic incumbents			Republican incumbents			Total incumbents
	Running	Def.	%	Running	Def.	%	Running	Def.	%
House	44	0	0.0%	42	4	9.5%	86	4	4.7%
Senate	18	0	0.0%	18	1	5.6%	36	1	2.8%
Total	62	0	0.0%	60	5	8.3%	122	5	4.1%

Historical general election defeat statistics are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

Incumbents defeated in general elections in Virginia, 2011-2019
Year
	Democratic incumbents			Republican incumbents			Total incumbents
	Running	Def.	%	Running	Def.	%	Running	Def.	%
2011	54	2	3.7%	68	0	0.0%	123	2	1.6%
2013	30	0	0.0%	58	3	5.2%	88	3	3.4%
2015	44	0	0.0%	78	0	0.0%	122	0	0.0%
2017	33	0	0.0%	60	12	20.0%	93	12	12.9%
2019	62	0	0.0%	60	5	8.3%	122	5	4.1%

Primary defeats

There were 140 seats up for election in Virginia. Overall, 124 incumbents filed for re-election, including 63 Democrats and 61 Republicans. Of that total, three incumbents lost in primaries—one Democrat and two Republicans—representing 2.4% of incumbents who filed for re-election.

Statistics from 2019 are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

Incumbents defeated in primaries in Virginia, 2019
Chamber
	Democratic incumbents				Republican incumbents				Total incumbents
	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%
House	44	4	0	0.0%	43	2	2	4.7%	87	6	2	2.3%
Senate	19	5	1	5.3%	18	3	0	0.0%	37	8	1	2.7%
Total	63	9	1	1.6%	61	5	2	3.3%	124	14	3	2.4%

Historical primary defeat statistics are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

Incumbents defeated in primaries in Virginia, 2011-2019
Year
	Democratic incumbents				Republican incumbents				Total incumbents
	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%
2011	53	1	0	0.0%	68	1	0	0.0%	122	2	0	0.0%
2013	30	2	0	0.0%	61	5	2	3.3%	91	7	2	2.2%
2015	45	4	1	2.2%	80	6	2	2.5%	125	10	3	2.4%
2017	33	3	0	0.0%	60	3	0	0.0%	93	6	0	0.0%
2019	63	9	1	1.6%	61	5	2	3.3%	124	14	3	2.4%

See also

• State legislative elections, 2019
  • Impact of term limits on state legislative elections in 2019
  • Open seats in state legislative elections, 2019
  • Contested state legislative primaries, 2019
  • State legislative incumbents in contested primaries, 2019
  • Major party competition in state legislative elections, 2019
  • State legislative incumbents without general election challengers, 2019
• Primary election competitiveness in state government, 2019

Footnotes

Ballotpedia

About

Overview • What people are saying • Support Ballotpedia • Contact • Contribute • Job opportunities

---

Executive: Leslie Graves, Founder and CEO • Gwen Beattie, Chief Operating Officer

Communications: Alison Graves, Director of Communications • Carley Allensworth • Abigail Campbell • Frank Festa • Sarah Groat • Nathaniel Harwood • Dillon Redmond • Erica Shumaker
External Relations: Geoff Pallay, Director of External Relations • Ken Carbullido, Vice President of Election Product and Technology Strategy • Ashley Fleming • Thomas Mardik • Hannah Nelson
Operations: Meghann Olshefski, Director of Operations • Amanda Herbert • Mandy Morris • Caroline Presnell • Kelly Rindfleisch
Tech: Matt Latourelle, Director of Technology Operations • Ryan Burch • Kirsten Corrao • Beth Dellea • Travis Eden • Tate Kamish • Margaret Kearney • Eric Lotto • Joseph Sanchez • Mary Susmitha

Contributors: Scott Rasmussen

---

Editorial Content

Josh Altic, Director of Content • Daniel Anderson, Associate Director of Elections & Data • Cory Eucalitto, Associate Director of Features • Ryan Byrne, Managing Editor of Ballot Measures • Mandy McConnell, Managing Editor of News • Doug Kronaizl, Managing Editor of Local Expansion • Abbey Smith, Managing Editor of Elections • Janie Valentine, Managing Editor of Law • Joel Williams. Managing Editor of Events • Andrew Bahl • Jaclyn Beran • Marielle Bricker • Joseph Brusgard • Emma Burlingame • Kelly Coyle • Jon Dunn • Thomas Ellis • Nicole Fisher • Joseph Greaney • Thomas Grobben • Jaime Healy-Plotkin • Brianna Hosea • Molly Kehoe • Tyler King • Glorie Martinez • Norm Leahy, Senior Editor • Nathan Maxwell • Jimmy McAllister • Brandon McCauley • Ellie Mikus • Ellen Morrissey • Mackenzie Murphy • Kaley Platek • Samantha Post • Adam Powell • Annelise Reinwald • Ethan Rice • Spencer Richardson • Victoria Rose • Briana Ryan • Myj Saintyl • Maddy Salucka • Emma Soukup • Alexis Thacker • Mina Vogel • Samuel Wonacott • Trenton Woodcox