Democrats Win Five Attorney General Races — and That Could Reshape America’s Biggest Court Fights

America’s midterm elections on 3 November 2026 changed more than who controls Congress. In five Republican-leaning states, voters chose Democratic attorneys general — the top lawyers who decide which cases their state fights in court. Those five wins could now reshape some of the biggest legal battles in the United States, from abortion and immigration to the environment and voting rights.

Democrats will take over the attorney general offices in Texas, Ohio, Georgia, Iowa and Kansas. It was the strongest Democratic result in state attorney general races in a generation: Democrats won 20 of the 31 races held on election day, and the national map now stands at 29 Democratic attorneys general against 22 Republicans.

Most voters never think about their state attorney general. But these officials have real power. They can sue the federal government, challenge a president’s orders in court, defend or drop their state’s own laws, and join forces with other states to bring cases that reach the Supreme Court. When the person in charge changes, the cases change too.

Here is what happened, who won, and which court fights could now go in a different direction.

What is an attorney general, and why does the job matter?

An attorney general is a state’s chief lawyer. In most American states, voters elect the attorney general directly. The office represents the state in court, enforces consumer protection and environmental laws, and decides whether to defend state laws when someone challenges them.

Attorneys general also work together across state lines. A group of states can file a single lawsuit against a company or against the federal government, sharing the cost and the legal firepower. In recent years, these multistate lawsuits have decided the fate of abortion rules, immigration enforcement, climate policy and big technology companies.

That is why flipping five offices matters. Texas in particular has been the command centre for conservative legal challenges for years, using its large staff and budget to sue Democratic administrations again and again. A Democrat now running that office changes the balance of power in American courts.

The five states that flipped

Texas: Nathan Johnson takes over the biggest prize

The most important win came in Texas, where Democratic state Senator Nathan Johnson defeated Republican Mayes Middleton. He succeeds Ken Paxton, the Republican attorney general who did not seek re-election.

Johnson was blunt about what he plans to do. “The Texas AG’s office has been operating as the private law firm of the MAGA movement,” he told Reuters in an interview. He said he plans a review of the cases Paxton launched, and that “everything will be examined.”

That review could cover lawsuits targeting out-of-state abortion providers, claims linking common medicines to autism, and cases challenging the effectiveness of vaccines. Johnson also said he is prepared to join multistate lawsuits against what he called federal abuse of power, pointing to possible legal battles with the Department of Health and Human Services under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Georgia: Tanya Miller makes history

In Georgia, Democratic state Representative Tanya Miller defeated Republican Brian Strickland, becoming the first woman ever elected attorney general in the state’s history.

Miller’s election could affect the state’s defence of HB 481, a 2019 law that bans abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. Legal challenges to the ban are still going through the courts after the Georgia Supreme Court revived the law in 2024.

Iowa: Nate Willems defeats the incumbent

In Iowa, Democrat Nate Willems defeated the sitting Republican Attorney General Brenna Bird, who acknowledged defeat. Willems has promised to prosecute companies that pollute and to rebuild the office’s consumer protection division, which helps ordinary people cheated by businesses.

Bird had drawn national attention for halting state payments for abortions for rape victims. Willems represents a sharp change of direction for the office.

Ohio: John Kulewicz wins a close race

In Ohio, Democrat John Kulewicz defeated Republican Keith Faber, who conceded after a close contest. Kulewicz campaigned on stopping companies from unfairly raising prices, an issue that affects every household’s shopping bill.

Kansas: Chris Mann leads, with counting still to finish

In Kansas, Democrat Chris Mann was leading Republican incumbent Kris Kobach in unofficial results and has declared victory, though the result still needs final counting and certification. Mann says he wants to make the office nonpartisan in a closely divided state, and he plans to review all of his predecessor’s lawsuits.

Abortion: the mifepristone cases could lose their backers

The clearest impact may come in the abortion cases. Texas is one of the states suing the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over its approval of mifepristone, the drug used in medication abortions. The states argue the agency did not properly check the drug’s safety and effectiveness.

If the new Texas attorney general drops out of that case, Florida would be the main plaintiff left. Florida’s Republican Attorney General James Uthmeier won a new term on Tuesday.

Kansas could also walk away from a separate case challenging rules that made mifepristone easier to get. If it does, only Missouri and Idaho would be left as plaintiffs.

Texas has also filed many lawsuits against doctors and providers in other states who prescribe mifepristone to Texas residents by phone or video call. Johnson told Reuters he will look at each of those cases and decide whether the state should keep pursuing them.

He could also refuse to defend the state’s near-total abortion ban in a lawsuit brought by the family of Tierra Walker, a Texas woman who died from a pregnancy-related condition after doctors refused to perform an abortion.

The state could also step back from at least three cases seeking to enforce a 2023 Texas law that bans gender-affirming treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy for children under 18.

In Georgia, the new attorney general’s approach to defending the six-week abortion ban will be watched closely, since the legal fight over that law is still active.

Medicines and vaccines: the Tylenol and Pfizer cases

Johnson’s review will also cover drug company lawsuits. One is Texas’s case against Kenvue, the maker of Tylenol. The state claims the company hid supposed links between taking acetaminophen — the active ingredient in Tylenol — during pregnancy and autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. Kenvue denies any wrongdoing.

Doctors and medical groups consider acetaminophen the preferred treatment for pain and fever during pregnancy, and there is no firm scientific evidence of a link between its use and autism or ADHD.

Paxton also sued drugmaker Pfizer in 2023, accusing it of overstating how well its COVID-19 vaccine worked. Pfizer has said its statements about the vaccine were “accurate and science-based” and that the lawsuit had no merit. Kansas’s Kobach has sued Pfizer over similar claims.

The environment: the big case against BlackRock

Texas and 12 other Republican-led states are suing some of the world’s largest investment firms, including BlackRock, accusing them of breaking competition law through climate policies that cut coal production and pushed up energy prices. It is one of the most prominent legal challenges to environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing — the practice of weighing climate and social issues when investing money.

Kansas is also one of the states bringing that case. BlackRock denies any wrongdoing. Another firm named in the case, Vanguard Group, settled the claims against it in February for $29.5 million.

If Texas and Kansas both step back, the case would lose two of its most important backers.

Immigration: Texas’s SB4 law could lose its defender

Immigration is another area where the new attorneys general could change course. Texas’s new attorney general could drop the state’s defence of SB4, a Republican-backed Texas law that lets state police arrest and prosecute people suspected of crossing the US-Mexico border illegally. A federal appeals court allowed the law to take effect in April while the legal challenge continues.

In Iowa, the US Supreme Court is considering whether to hear the state’s appeal of a court ruling that blocked a similar law. Willems, the new attorney general, could choose not to defend that law if the Supreme Court takes the case.

Voting rights and elections

Paxton’s office is also appealing a court order that stopped the Texas attorney general from continuing a lawsuit against ActBlue, the fundraising platform used by Democrats, over how it handles donations. In June, a federal judge in Boston granted ActBlue’s request to block the case while it is decided, after the platform argued the lawsuit violated its free speech rights.

In Georgia, a federal judge is weighing a fight over the state’s congressional maps, which challengers say harmed Black voters. A federal appeals court in August cancelled a 2023 ruling that said the Republican-backed plan illegally weakened Black votes under the Voting Rights Act. On Thursday, US District Judge Steven Jones paused further action in the case, pointing to the “impending changes” in the leadership of the attorney general’s office.

Religion in schools: the Ten Commandments case

At the US Supreme Court, the new Texas attorney general could revisit the state’s defence of a 2025 law that requires the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public schools. Several Texas families, backed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), have asked the justices to strike down the law.

A divided federal appeals court ruled in April that Texas can require the display in every classroom. The Supreme Court has not yet decided whether it will hear the case.

What the Trump administration says

The US Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment. The White House pointed to earlier comments from President Donald Trump, who said Republicans lost the midterm elections because he was not on the ballot himself.

Democrats also took control of both chambers of Congress in the midterms, giving Trump a harder final two years in office. For more on what that means, see Pakistan Says US Ties Will Outlast Trump as Democrats Take Congress — and Trump Replaces Susie Wiles With Stephen Miller as White House Chief of Staff After Midterm Losses.

Why this matters beyond the five states

State attorneys general rarely make headlines, but their choices decide which cases reach the courts and which quietly disappear. A single state dropping out of a lawsuit can weaken it. A single state joining a lawsuit can strengthen it. And when the attorneys general of big states like Texas switch sides, the effects ripple across the whole country.

The new attorneys general take office in January 2027. Until then, the outgoing Republicans remain in charge. But the direction of travel is already clear: cases that the old offices pushed hard may now be reviewed, narrowed or dropped — and new cases against the Trump administration may be filed in their place.

The court fights of the next two years will look very different from the last two. These five elections are a big reason why.

Frequently asked questions

What is a state attorney general?

An attorney general is a state’s top lawyer. In most US states, voters elect the attorney general. The office represents the state in court, enforces laws on consumer protection and the environment, and decides whether to defend state laws when they are challenged.

Which states flipped to Democrats in 2026?

Democrats won the attorney general offices in Texas, Ohio, Georgia, Iowa and Kansas. Democrats won 20 of the 31 attorney general races held on 3 November 2026, and the national total is now 29 Democratic attorneys general against 22 Republicans.

Who is Nathan Johnson?

Nathan Johnson is a Democratic state senator in Texas who was elected the state’s next attorney general, defeating Republican Mayes Middleton. He succeeds Ken Paxton and has promised to review the lawsuits Paxton’s office brought.

What is mifepristone?

Mifepristone is a drug used in medication abortions. Several Republican-led states are suing the US Food and Drug Administration over its approval of the drug. The new Democratic attorneys general in Texas and Kansas could withdraw their states from those cases.

When do the new attorneys general take office?

The new attorneys general take office in January 2027. Until then, the outgoing attorneys general remain in charge, although some results — including Kansas — still need final counting and certification.

Conclusion

The 2026 midterm elections are often described as a verdict on the president. But in five states, voters also changed the lawyers who will argue America’s biggest cases. From abortion and immigration to climate policy and voting rights, the lawsuits that shaped the last few years may now be fought very differently — or not fought at all. The courtrooms will be watching January closely.

Sources

• Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/democratic-attorney-general-wins-could-reshape-us-lawsuits-abortion-immigration-2026-11-08/
• Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/democratic-wins-state-ag-races-give-trump-new-headache-2026-11-08/
• Troutman: https://www.troutman.com/insights/after-the-state-ag-elections-whats-next-for-enforcement/

This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.