What to Track in November 2019?
In 2019, a lot is riding on races for governor, attorney general, DA, sheriffs, or on legislative battles. This cheat sheet (briefly) unpacks some of those stakes, with windows into more.
You can use this printer-friendly, PDF version, or access a spreadsheet.
Statewide elections
Governors
DEM-HELD | |
Louisiana | DEM |
GOP-HELD | |
Kentucky | DEM |
Mississippi | GOP |
Attorney General
GOP-HELD | |
Louisiana | GOP |
DEM-HELD | |
Kentucky | GOP |
Mississippi | GOP |
Secretaries of State
DEM-HELD | |
Kentucky | GOP |
GOP-HELD | |
Louisiana | GOP |
Mississippi | GOP |
Judicial: Pennsylvania
2 Superior Court seats | 1 Dem, 1 GOP |
Legislatures
Trifecta Watch
Split | |
Louisiana | Split |
Virginia | DEM |
Dem-run | |
New Jersey | DEM |
GOP-run | |
Kentucky | Split [wp-svg-icons icon=”arrow-left” wrap=”i”] |
Mississippi | GOP |
Chambers: Can Democrats Gain Control?
BEFORE | AFTER | |
VA | House | 51R-49D | 55D-45R |
VA | Senate | 21R-19D | 21D-19R |
Chambers: Can GOP gain supermajority?
BEFORE | AFTER | |
MS | Senate | 33R-19D | Yes |
LA | House | 61R-39D-5I | No |
LA | Senate | 25R-14D | Yes |
Chambers: Unlikely to switch control
BEFORE | AFTER | |
MS | House | 75R-45D-2I | GOP |
NJ | Assembly | 54-26 D | DEM |
NJ | Senate [1 seat] | 27-13 D | DEM |
Noteworthy legislative seats
LA | House | Not a sweep | DKE identifies these 7 runoffs as key to a GOP House supermajority (to go along its new Senate one). GOP needs sweep. |
NJ | LD1 | [wp-svg-icons icon=”arrow-right” wrap=”i”] GOP | A special election to replace Dem Rep. Jeff Van Drew, the only Senate district up for grabs in 2019. |
NJ | House GOP-held | Kyle Kondik & J. Miles Coleman identify LD1, 2, 11, 16 as GOP pick-up opportunities. | |
NJ | House: Dem-held | Kondik and Coleman identify LD8, 21, 25, and 39 as Dems.’ pick-up opportunities. | |
TX | HD28 | GOP | Dems aiming to pick-up GOP seat in special, with 2020 battle looming. |
VA: HD-13 | Dem | Danica Roem (D), who had one of Dems’ most emblematic 2017 wins, seeks 2nd term. |
VA: HD-50 | Dem | Lee Carter (D), who made news in 2017 for winning as a socialist, seeks 2nd term. |
VA: More Dem-held | All Dem | Other GOP targets in VA are HD10, 72, 73, 85, 21, 68, via @ChazNuttycombe. |
VA: HD-94 | Dem | This is the district that the GOP won in a random draw in 2017. |
VA: HD-28 | Dem | This is the district with 2017 errors as to what district some voters were assigned to. |
VA: HD-30 | GOP | GOP incumbent stuck running a write-in in a red seat after not making ballot. |
VA: Dem-held seats | 4 flips | HD27, 40, 66, 76, 83, 84, 91, 100 |
VA: Dem-held seats | 2 flips | SD7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 17 |
Local Elections
Prosecutors
CA: San Francisco | Boudin | Chesa Boudin running decarceral campaign; Suzy Loftus became DA in Oct.. |
NY Dutchess | GOP | DA Grady (R) seeks 9th term. Defended punitive policies; Dem backs pretrial reforms. |
NY Queens | Dem | Melinda Katz got the Dem nod (vs Caban); faces a GOP opponent who wants “law & order” |
NY Monroe | GOP | GOP President-elect of DAASNY, resisted pretrial reforms, challenged. |
NY Ulster | Dem | An assistant DA (R) vs. a former public defender (Dem). Preview |
PA: Allegheny | Dem | Longtime DA with punitive record won Dem primary; now faces public defender (Ind.). |
PA: Delaware | Dem | Inc. GOPer vs a Dem. with promises to reform, end private jail |
PA: Lancaster | GOP | Crystle (D) is only PA candidate to commit to not treat overdoses as homicides. Vs. Adams (R) |
VA: Albemarle | Dem | Hingeley (D), longtime PD, against incumbent (R), on decarceral message. |
VA: Arlington | Dem | P. Dehghani-Tafti ousted inc. on reform message in primary; sole candidate on ballot. |
VA: Chesterfield | GOP | Scott Miles (D) won 2018 special on reform message; GOP opponent wants to roll back. |
VA: Fairfax | Dem | S. Descano (D) ousted incumbent on reform message in primary; GOP-endorsed rival warns against reform. Preview |
VA: Loudoun | Dem | Open race; Dem nominee attacked for work as defense lawyer. Q&A. |
VA: PWC | Dem | In big NoVa county, candidates running to replace a 51-year incumbent with stakes for reform. |
Virginia | One lost | 3 prosecutors who sued McAuliffe over voting rights face opponents. |
Sheriffs
LA: East Baton Rouge | GOP | LA’s biggest parish. Jail has string of unreported deaths. And GOP sheriff in ICE’s 287g; Dems say they’ll quit |
LA: Ascension | Inc. | Sheriff defends long detention of Latinx U.S. citizen against ACLU lawsuit. Challenger critical. |
LA: St. Tammany | Inc. | Parish has lucrative ICE contract. GOP challenger to GOP sheriff wants to review, cut jail population. |
NJ: Monmouth | GOP | ICE-friendly GOP sheriff in a red county. Preview. |
MS: LeFlore | Longtime sheriff (R. Banks) part of Curtis Flowers case, up for reelection. | |
PA: Chester | Dem | Trump-championing GOP sheriff retires; replaced with Dem |
VA: Loudoun | GOP | Sheriff taking donations from the private healthcare provider in jail he oversees |
VA: PWC | GOP | County tight with ICE. GOP inc. vs. Dem challenger, who wants to roll back ties. |
VA: Warren | GOP | Dem nominee runs on using sheriff powers for decarceral purposes. |
WA: Snohomish | GOP | GOP challenger wants more arrests. |
County executives or county board chairs
NY: Erie County | Dem | GOP trying to wrestle back control. |
NY: Monroe County | Dem [wp-svg-icons icon=”arrow-left” wrap=”i”] | |
NY: Onondaga County | GOP | Dems. have never won this position. |
NY: Suffolk County | Dem | Democrat seeking re-election |
VA: Prince William Co. | Dem [wp-svg-icons icon=”arrow-left” wrap=”i”] | GOP Corey Stewart, famous for his far-right statewide runs, is retiring. |
Municipal or city council elections
CO: Aurora mayor | Coffman | Former GOP Rep. Mike Coffman running against other Rs and local NAACP head. |
TX: Houston mayor | Turner | Turner running for re-election; challengers’ false claims about crime at issue. |
NC: Charlotte mayor | Lyles | incumbent Vi Lyles (D) faces David Michael (R) in the mayoral race in North Carolina’s largest city |
NC: Charlotte council | GOP | Will recent trends accentuate: can Dems win District 6 Charlotte for 1st time? |
PA: Philly council | 1 WFP | 2 WFP candidates aim to win minority-party seats (over GOP); Kendra Brooks endorsed by Warren. |
WA: Seattle council | Sawant won; Scott lost | Kshama Sawant (inc.) & Shaun Scott running on socialist ID. |
KS: Olathe council | Bacon & Mickelson | Olathe may pass an LGBT non-discrim. ordinance. To oppose it a conservative group is pushing for John Bacon (AL) & Adam Mickelson (Ward 2). |
NY: Oyster Bay Town Supervisor, Nassau | Saladino | Joe Saladino, who allegedly refused to sell a house to a black buyer, seeks re-election. |