The results were interpreted by some political commentators as a backlash against the policies of the Biden administration,[11][12] and/or cultural liberalism and wokeism within the party.[13][14][15] Others saw Democrats' perceived failure to enact their legislative agenda in the United States Congress as the main impetus behind Republican victories, interpreting Democratic losses as public frustration at the Biden administration not following through on its promises to implement transformative policy.
As part of the 2020 United States Senate elections, Georgia held run-off elections for both of its Senate seats on January 5, 2021. The run-off elections were triggered because of a Georgia law requiring a second round when no individual wins a majority of the vote in most federal, state, and local elections.[a] Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock were the victors in those special elections, which gave the Democrats a total of 48 seats to the Republicans' 50. However, the victories resulted in a shift of power to the Democrats; the other two senators, Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine, are both independents who belong to the Democrats' caucus, and since any tied vote is broken by the President of the Senate—in this case Vice President Kamala Harris, also a Democrat—the Democrats technically hold a one-seat majority.
In May, Puerto Rico held a shadow congressional delegation election to elect two senators and four representatives to replace the shadow delegation first appointed in 2017. The shadow senators and representatives are not seated in Congress, but are charged with advancing Puerto Rico's statehood efforts. In the preliminary results from election night, former at-large senator Melinda Romero and lawyer Zoraida Buxo earned the most votes for senator,[30] and conservative commentator Elizabeth Torres, municipal lawmaker Roberto Lefranc Fortuño, former Ponce Mayor María Meléndez, and Junventud PNP director Adriel Vélez earned the most votes for the House delegation.[31] However, former governor Ricardo Rosselló earned enough write-in votes to gain a seat in the House delegation over Vélez.[32][33][34] Voter turnout was at a record low level — 3.92% — in the election.[35]
New Jersey: One-term Democratic governorPhil Murphy was eligible for re-election, and sought a second term.[47][48][49] Former state assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli won the Republican primary.[50] The Libertarian Party nominated Gregg Mele,[51] the Green Party Madelyn Hoffman,[52] and the Socialist Workers Party Joanne Kuniansky.[53] Major media sources, including the Associated Press projected that Murphy has won re-election.[54]
Virginia: Virginia's term limit laws do not allow sitting governors to serve consecutive terms, so incumbent Democratic governorRalph Northam is precluded from running again for the office until the next gubernatorial election in 2025. Former governor Terry McAuliffe won the Democratic primary and former co-CEO of The Carlyle GroupGlenn Youngkin was nominated at the Republican convention. Liberation Party candidate Princess Blanding ran unsuccessfully in the race as well.[55][56] Major media sources, including DDHQ projected the Republican nominee Glenn Youngkin to have won the election.[57]
Lieutenant gubernatorial
One state held a lieutenant gubernatorial election in 2021:
Virginia: One-term Democratic lieutenant governor Justin Fairfax was eligible to run for a second term, but instead ran unsuccessfully for governor.[58] State delegate Hala Ayala won the Democratic primary and former state delegate Winsome Sears was nominated at the Republican convention.[59] On November 2, 2021, Republican candidate Sears prevailed and was elected lieutenant governor of Virginia.
Attorney general
One state held an attorney general election in 2021:
Virginia: Two-term Democratic attorney general Mark Herring initially ran for governor but withdrew to run for a third term.[60] He defeated state delegate Jay Jones in the Democratic primary.[61] State delegate Jason Miyares was nominated at the Republican convention.[62] On November 3, Miyares defeated Herring, and became the next attorney general of Virginia.
In Kansas City, Kansas, former KCKPD deputy chief Tyrone Garner narrowly defeated incumbent David Alvey in a runoff election.[74] In Boston, Massachusetts, city councilwoman Michelle Wu was elected to succeed acting mayor Kim Janey, who came in fourth in the blanket primary. Janey was appointed to replace Marty Walsh, who resigned on March 22, 2021, to become the United States Secretary of Labor. In Rochester, New York, city councilman Malik Evans ran unopposed after defeating incumbent two-term Lovely Warren in the primary election. In Allentown, Pennsylvania, businessman Matthew Tuerk was elected to replace incumbent Ray O'Connell, who lost renomination in the Democratic primary. In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, two-term incumbent Eric Papenfuse ran a write-in campaign after losing nomination to city council president Wanda Williams, who ultimately won the general election.[75][76][77] In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, state representative Ed Gainey was elected to replace two-term incumbent Bill Peduto, who lost renomination in the Democratic primary. In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Republican Tiffany O'Donnell was elected after incumbent Republican Brad Hart failed to advance to the runoff.
In July 2021, St. Regis Mohawk Tribe voters elected Ronald LaFrance Jr. chief in a special election, ousting incumbent chief Eric Thompson. Thompson had narrowly beaten LaFrance, who ran as a write-in candidate in the regular June election, but appeals called that election into question, resulting in the special election.[87]
This table shows the partisan results of president, congressional, gubernatorial, and state legislative races held in each state and territory in 2021. Note that not all states and territories hold gubernatorial, state legislative, and Senate elections in 2021. The five territories and Washington, D. C., do not elect members of the Senate, and the territories do not take part in presidential elections; instead, they each elect one non-voting member of the House. Nebraska's unicamerallegislature and the governorship and legislature of American Samoa are elected on a non-partisan basis, and, therefore, political party affiliation is not listed.
^Georgia's run-off law applies to all races except for presidential elections.[16]
^Republicans won a majority of seats in the state house, but Democrats formed a majority coalition with independents and some Republicans.
^Republicans won a majority of seats in the state house, but Democrats formed a majority coalition with independents and some Republicans.
^ abOne of Maine's senators, Susan Collins, is a Republican. The other senator from Maine, Angus King, is an independent who has caucused with the Democrats since taking office in 2013.
^ abOne of Vermont's senators, Patrick Leahy, is a Democrat. The other senator from Vermont, Bernie Sanders, was elected as an independent and has caucused with the Democrats since taking office in 2007.
^ abWashington, D.C., does not elect a governor or state legislature, but it does elect a mayor and a city council. If the city attains statehood, the mayoral and council elections will be repurposed as those for the governor and House of Delegates respectively.
^ abAlthough elections for governor of American Samoa are non-partisan, Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga affiliates with the Democratic Party.
^The Northern Mariana Islands' delegate to Congress, Gregorio Sablan, was elected as an Independent and has caucused with the Democrats since taking office in 2009.
^ abPuerto Rican Governor Pedro Pierluisi is a member of the Puerto Rican New Progressive Party, but affiliates with the Democratic Party at the national level.
^ abPuerto Rico's Resident Commissioner, Jenniffer González, was elected as a member of the New Progressive Party and has caucused with the Republicans since taking office in 2017.
^Fandos, Nicholas; Glueck, Katie (November 3, 2021). "N.Y. Democrats Assess Losses to Republicans: 'This Was a Shellacking'". The New York Times. ISSN0362-4331. Retrieved November 4, 2021. 'Long Island is very much like the rest of the country: There was a red wave,' said Jay Jacobs, New York's state Democratic chairman and the leader of the Nassau County party. 'Republicans were energized because they're angry and they're unhappy with the direction of the country. We saw that in polls. Democrats are disheartened and unenthusiastic.'
^Mele, Gregg (March 21, 2021). "(Instagram post)". Instagram. Archived from the original on December 26, 2021. Today Greg accepted the NJLP nomination for Governor.
