Keisha Lance Bottoms, Scott Colom and at least six other Black candidates go into Election Day on Tuesday, November 3, with history on the line in governor’s races and U.S. Senate contests across the country.
The stakes are highest in the South, where Black voters make up a large share of the Democratic base and where several races remain within the margin of error.
The Races That Could Make History
In Georgia, Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta, faces Republican Rick Jackson in the open race for governor. A State Navigate poll taken October 23 to 27 had Bottoms at 50% and Jackson at 47%, and several polling averages show the race tied. If Bottoms wins, she would be Georgia’s first Black governor and the first Black woman elected governor in U.S. history.
In Mississippi, Colom, a Democrat, is challenging Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith. Colom trails by about five points in a state Donald Trump carried by 23 points in 2024, and that no Democrat has won the seat since 1982. A win would make him the first African American to win the seat since Reconstruction. Stacey Abrams has argued he could win with fewer than 30,000 votes.
In Illinois, Democrat Juliana Stratton is running for Senate against Republican Don Tracy. She would be only the fifth Black woman elected to the Senate. In Wisconsin, Democrat David Crowley faces Republican Tom Tiffany and could become the state’s first Black governor.
Other Black Candidates on the Ballot
In Florida, Democrat Angie Nixon faces appointed Republican Sen. Ashley Moody in a special Senate election, while Republican Rep. Byron Donalds runs for governor against Democrat David Jolly. In Michigan, Republican John James faces Democrat Jocelyn Benson for governor. In Nevada, Democrat Aaron Ford is challenging Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo.
Polls close at 7 p.m. ET in Georgia, most of Florida, and South Carolina. North Carolina and Ohio follow at 7:30 p.m. ET, and most of Texas and Michigan close at 8 p.m. ET. Voters should confirm hours with their local election office.
For now, Georgia’s governor’s race is tied in several polling averages, and Black turnout may decide it, along with races in Mississippi and Wisconsin.
