Some governors’ mansions to turn blue, but not in Florida

Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum conceded the Florida gubernatorial race Tuesday night to Republican former U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis. With 99.5 percent of precincts reporting, DeSantis won about 76,000 more votes than his opponent. Gillum told a crowd gathered on the campus of Florida A&M University on Tuesday night he sincerely regretted he “couldn’t bring it home for you.”

DeSantis portrayed himself as a staunch ally of President Donald Trump throughout the campaign, which was one of the nation’s most turbulent. The candidates traded accusations of racism and corruption and also had to respond from the campaign trail to the devastation of Hurricane Michael and a shooting last week at a Tallahassee yoga studio. Just as Trump helped DeSantis’ campaign, DeSantis is sure to muster support for the president’s 2020 reelection bid in Florida, a crucial battleground state.

Republicans were poised Tuesday to win another contentious race for governor in Georgia. Republican Brian Kemp led Democrat Stacey Abrams by a 7.3-point margin with 89 percent of precincts reporting. But the results of that race could face a court challenge because Kemp is already under fire for problems with the election system he oversees as secretary of state. Atlanta-area voters complained of long lines and technical glitches at the polls Tuesday.

Democrats will take over for Republican governors after winning in Kansas, New Mexico, Illinois, and Michigan. Republicans held onto control of governors’ offices in Arizona, New Hampshire, and Ohio, and close races are still undecided in Iowa and Wisconsin.