Incumbents defeated in state legislative elections, 2023

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Last updated on April 29, 2025

There were 578 state legislative seats up for election on November 7, 2023, across four states: Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Virginia. This page analyzes incumbents defeated in those state legislative races. An incumbent may be defeated at two points in an election cycle: during a primary election or other nominating contests and during a general election.

In 2023, 29 incumbents lost their re-election bids: 13 in general elections and 16 in primaries. This was more than in 2021 (22) but fewer than in 2019 (31).

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, 13 incumbents lost to challengers, 3.1% of incumbents running for re-election. This was similar to the percentage of incumbents defeated in 2019 (3.4%), the last time all four states held elections.

An average of 4.3% of incumbents were defeated in odd-year general elections from 2011 to 2023, while an average of 6% of incumbents were defeated in even-year general elections from 2010 to 2022.

In 2023 general elections:

Two Democratic incumbents lost, 1% of the 178 Democratic incumbents who ran and 2% of the 93 contested Democratic incumbents.

Nine Republican incumbents lost, 4% of the 243 Republican incumbents who ran and 9% of the 100 contested Democratic incumbents.

Two minor party or independent incumbents lost, 50% 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—13—is fewer than in 2019 (14), the last time all four states held elections, representing a 7% decrease.

In 2023

Click [show] on the table below to view general election incumbent defeat statistics by state in 2023. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

State legislative incumbents defeated in general elections, 2023
State
	Democratic			Republican			Total
	Filed	Def.	%	Filed	Def.	%	Filed	Def.	%
Nationwide	178	2	1.1%	243	9	3.7%	425	13	3.1%
Louisiana	37	1	2.7%	63	1	1.6%	100	2	2.0%
Mississippi	47	0	0.0%	93	0	0.0%	143	1	0.7%
New Jersey	50	0	0.0%	39	6	15.4%	89	6	6.7%
Virginia	44	1	2.3%	48	2	4.2%	93	4	4.3%

Historical comparison

The chart below shows a partisan breakdown of incumbents defeated in general elections from 2011 to 2023.

Click [show] on the table below to view general election incumbent defeat statistics by state from 2011 to 2023. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

State legislative incumbents defeated in general elections, 2011-2023
State
	2011		2013		2015		2017		2019		2021		2023
	Def.	%	Def.	%	Def.	%	Def.	%	Def.	%	Def.	%	Def.	%
Nationwide	21	4.4%	5	2.5%	12	2.7%	14	7.0%	14	3.4%	14	7.2%	13	3.1%
Louisiana	6	5.5%	-	-	4	3.7%	-	-	3	3.7%	-	-	2	2.0%
Mississippi	12	8.7%	-	-	4	2.8%	-	-	4	2.9%	-	-	1	0.7%
New Jersey	1	1.0%	2	1.8%	4	5.6%	2	1.9%	2	2.7%	7	6.7%	6	6.7%
Virginia	2	1.6%	3	3.4%	0	0.0%	12	12.9%	5	4.1%	7	7.8%	4	4.3%

List of defeated incumbents

Click [show] on the header below to see a full list of incumbents defeated in general elections by state. Winners marked with (i) were incumbents from the same chamber.

Incumbents defeated in primaries

In state legislative primaries, 16 incumbents lost to challengers, 3.6% of incumbents running for re-election. This is the second-largest number of incumbents defeated, tied with 16 in 2015, since Ballotpedia began gathering data in 2011.

An average of 2.5% of incumbents were defeated in odd-year primaries from 2011 to 2023, while an average of 3.3% of incumbents were defeated in even-year primaries from 2010 to 2022.

In 2023 primaries:

Six Democratic incumbents lost, 3.2% of the 187 Democratic incumbents who ran and 12.2% of the 49 contested Democratic incumbents.

Ten Republican incumbents lost, 4.0% of the 252 Republican incumbents who ran and 15.2% of the 66 contested Republican incumbents.

The total number of incumbents who lost to primary challengers—16—is down from 17 in 2019, the last time all four states held elections, representing a 6% decrease.

In 2023

Click [show] on the table below to view primary incumbent defeat statistics by state in 2023. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

State legislative incumbents defeated in primaries, 2023
State
	Democratic			Republican			Total
	Filed	Def.	%	Filed	Def.	%	Filed	Def.	%
Nationwide	187	6	3.2%	252	10	4.0%	443	16	3.6%
Louisiana	37	0	0.0%	65	2	3.1%	102	2	2.0%
Mississippi	48	1	2.1%	99	6	6.1%	150	7	4.7%
New Jersey	54	1	1.9%	39	0	0.0%	93	1	1.1%
Virginia	48	4	8.3%	49	2	4.1%	98	6	6.1%

Historical comparison

The chart below shows a partisan breakdown of incumbent defeats from 2011 to 2023.

Click [show] on the table below to view primary incumbent defeat statistics by state from 2011 to 2023. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

State legislative incumbents defeated in primaries, 2011-2023
State
	2011		2013		2015		2017		2019		2021		2023
	Def.	%	Def.	%	Def.	%	Def.	%	Def.	%	Def.	%	Def.	%
Nationwide	9	1.9%	2	1.0%	16	3.5%	0	0.0%	17	3.9%	8	3.9%	16	3.6%
Louisiana	1	0.9%	-	-	3	2.7%	-	-	2	2.4%	-	-	2	2.0%
Mississippi	8	5.4%	-	-	10	6.6%	-	-	11	7.4%	-	-	7	4.7%
New Jersey	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	1	1.3%	3	2.8%	1	1.1%
Virginia	0	0.0%	2	2.2%	3	2.4%	0	0.0%	3	2.4%	5	5.3%	6	6.1%

List of defeated incumbents

Click [show] below to see a full list of incumbents defeated in primaries by state. Winners marked with (i) were incumbents from the same chamber.

Louisiana

General election defeats

There were 144 seats up for election in Louisiana. Overall, 100 incumbents advanced to the general election, including 37 Democrats and 63 Republicans. Of that total, two incumbents lost—one Democrat and one Republican—representing 2.0% of incumbents who advanced to the general election. Statistics from 2023 are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

Incumbents defeated in general elections in Louisiana, 2023
Chamber
	Democratic incumbents			Republican incumbents			Total incumbents
	Running	Def.	%	Running	Def.	%	Running	Def.	%
House	27	1	3.7%	46	1	2.2%	73	2	2.7%
Senate	10	0	0.0%	17	0	0.0%	27	0	0.0%
Total	37	1	2.7%	63	1	1.6%	100	2	2.0%

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, 2011-2023
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%
2021	Did not hold elections.
2023	37	1	2.7%	63	1	1.6%	100	2	2.0%

Primary defeats

There were 144 seats up for election in Louisiana. Overall, 102 incumbents filed for re-election, including 37 Democrats and 65 Republicans. Of that total, two Republican incumbents lost in primaries, representing 2.0% of incumbents who filed for re-election.

In 2023

Statistics from 2023 are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

Incumbents defeated in primaries in Louisiana, 2023
Chamber
	Democratic incumbents				Republican incumbents				Total incumbents
	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%
House	27	11	0	0.0%	47	19	1	2.1%	74	30	1	1.4%
Senate	10	2	0	0.0%	18	7	1	5.6%	28	9	1	3.6%
Total	37	13	0	0.0%	65	26	2	3.1%	102	39	2	2.0%

2011-2023

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

Incumbents defeated in primaries in Louisiana, 2011-2023
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%
2021	Did not hold elections.
2023	37	13	0	0.0%	65	26	2	3.1%	102	39	2	2.0%

Mississippi

General election defeats

There were 174 seats up for election in Mississippi. Overall, 143 incumbents advanced to the general election, including 47 Democrats, 93 Republicans, and three independent or minor party candidates. Of that total, one independent incumbent lost in a general election, representing 0.7% of incumbents who advanced to the general election. Statistics from 2023 are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

Incumbents defeated in general elections in Mississippi, 2023
Chamber
	Democratic incumbents			Republican incumbents			Total incumbents
	Running	Def.	%	Running	Def.	%	Running	Def.	%
House	34	0	0.0%	61	0	0.0%	97	0	0.0%
Senate	13	0	0.0%	32	0	0.0%	46	1	2.2%
Total	47	0	0.0%	93	0	0.0%	143	1	0.7%

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

Incumbents defeated in general elections in Mississippi, 2011-2023
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%
2021	Did not hold elections.
2023	47	0	0.0%	93	0	0.0%	143	1	0.7%

Primary defeats

There were 174 seats up for election in Mississippi. Overall, 150 incumbents filed for re-election, including 48 Democrats and 99 Republicans. Of that total, seven incumbents lost in primaries—one Democrat and six Republicans—representing 4.7% of incumbents who filed for re-election. Statistics from 2023 are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

Incumbents defeated in primaries in Mississippi, 2023
Chamber
	Democratic incumbents				Republican incumbents				Total incumbents
	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%
House	35	9	1	2.9%	66	19	5	7.6%	103	28	6	5.8%
Senate	13	5	0	0.0%	33	9	1	3.0%	47	14	1	2.1%
Total	48	14	1	2.1%	99	28	6	6.1%	150	42	7	4.7%

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

Incumbents defeated in primaries in Mississippi, 2011-2023
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%
2021	Did not hold elections.
2023	48	14	1	2.1%	99	28	6	6.1%	150	42	7	4.7%

New Jersey

General election defeats

There were 120 seats up for election in New Jersey. Overall, 89 incumbents advanced to the general election, including 50 Democrats and 39 Republicans. Of that total, six Republican incumbents lost in general elections, representing 6.7% of incumbents who advanced to the general election. Statistics from 2023 are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

Incumbents defeated in general elections in New Jersey, 2023
Chamber
	Democratic incumbents			Republican incumbents			Total incumbents
	Running	Def.	%	Running	Def.	%	Running	Def.	%
House	31	0	0.0%	27	5	18.5%	58	5	8.6%
Senate	19	0	0.0%	12	1	8.3%	31	1	3.2%
Total	50	0	0.0%	39	6	15.4%	89	6	6.7%

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, 2011-2023
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%
2021	70	7	10.0%	35	0	0.0%	105	7	6.7%
2023	50	0	0.0%	39	6	15.4%	89	6	6.7%

Primary defeats

There were 120 seats up for election in New Jersey. Overall, 93 incumbents filed for re-election, including 54 Democrats and 39 Republicans. Of that total, one Democratic incumbent lost in a primary, representing 1.1% of incumbents who filed for re-election.

Statistics from 2023 are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

Incumbents defeated in primaries in New Jersey, 2023
Chamber
	Democratic incumbents				Republican incumbents				Total incumbents
	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%
House	33	5	0	0.0%	27	5	0	0.0%	60	10	0	0.0%
Senate	21	5	1	4.8%	12	2	0	0.0%	33	7	1	3.0%
Total	54	10	1	1.9%	39	7	0	0.0%	93	17	1	1.1%

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

Incumbents defeated in primaries in New Jersey, 2011-2023
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%
2021	71	9	1	1.4%	37	14	2	5.4%	108	23	3	2.8%
2023	54	10	1	1.9%	39	7	0	0.0%	93	17	1	1.1%

Virginia

General election defeats

There were 140 seats up for election in Virginia. Overall, 93 incumbents advanced to the general election, including 44 Democrats, 48 Republicans, and one independent or minor party candidate. Of that total, four incumbents lost—one Democrat, two Republicans, and one independent—representing 4.3% of incumbents who advanced to the general election. Statistics from 2023 are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

Incumbents defeated in general elections in Virginia, 2023
Chamber
	Democratic incumbents			Republican incumbents			Total incumbents
	Running	Def.	%	Running	Def.	%	Running	Def.	%
House	31	0	0.0%	36	1	2.8%	68	2	2.9%
Senate	13	1	7.7%	12	1	8.3%	25	2	8.0%
Total	44	1	2.3%	48	2	4.2%	93	4	4.3%

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, 2011-2023
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%
2021	50	7	14.0%	40	0	0.0%	90	7	7.8%
2023	44	1	2.3%	48	2	4.2%	93	4	4.3%

Primary defeats

There were 140 seats up for election in Virginia. Overall, 97 incumbents filed for re-election, including 48 Democrats and 49 Republicans. Of that total, six incumbents lost in primaries—four Democrats and two Republicans—representing 6.2% of incumbents who filed for re-election.

Statistics from 2023 are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

Incumbents defeated in primaries in Virginia, 2023
Chamber
	Democratic incumbents				Republican incumbents				Total incumbents
	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%	Filed	Cont.	Def.	%
House	31	2	0	0.0%	36	4	1	2.8%	67	6	1	1.5%
Senate	17	10	4	23.5%	13	1	1	7.7%	30	11	5	16.7%
Total	48	12	4	8.3%	49	5	2	4.1%	97	17	6	6.2%

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

Incumbents defeated in primaries in Virginia, 2011-2023
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%
2021	54	14	4	7.4%	41	3	1	2.4%	95	17	5	5.3%
2023	48	12	4	8.3%	49	5	2	4.1%	97	17	6	6.2%

See also

• State legislative elections, 2023
  • Primary election competitiveness in state government, 2023

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