After the midterms, Minnesota gets a trifecta and three governor's offices change hands

Minnesota's trifecta

Minnesota's DFL regained control of the House of Representatives, securing a legislative trifecta for the 2027-28 biennium with a projected 77-57 seat advantage. The Senate remains under DFL control with a 39-28 advantage, and all five constitutional offices are held by the party. m:…3516

The results are projections for now: election results in Minnesota are not official until certified by the state canvassing board on November 19, and the race in District 32A between Representative Nolan West and Amanda Matchett is eligible for a state-funded recount because of a 0.09% margin. The 2027 legislative session is scheduled to begin on January 12 and must end by May 17, giving the new majority a fixed window to use its trifecta. m:…3516

Two new governors

In Iowa, Rob Sand was elected as the next governor in the midterm election held on November 3, 2026. Outgoing Governor Reynolds said she spoke with Sand on the morning of November 4, 2026, and committed to a strong transition of power, with her administration preparing the incoming team for its first day in office. m:…4343

In Oklahoma, Mike Mazzei was elected the 29th governor. Outgoing Governor Stitt's congratulatory statement doubled as a record of his eight years: annual state funding for public education increased from $2.91 billion to $4.2 billion, the state cut $1.6 billion in taxes, and state savings are projected to reach approximately $4.5 billion in fiscal year 2027, up from $451.6 million in fiscal year 2019. Those are the outgoing administration's own figures. m:…7637

The same statement lists operational cuts the administration presents as efficiency gains: the state aircraft fleet was reduced from 17 planes to five, the vehicle fleet was reduced by more than 1,500, the developmental disability services waiting list was reduced by nearly 66%, and the reported wait time fell from 13 years to approximately 13-14 months. The incoming administration inherits those baselines, and its first budget will show which of them it keeps. m:…7637

What the new majorities face

Minnesota's trifecta comes with a deadline built in. The 2027 session must end by May 17, and it opens on January 12, so the new House majority has roughly four months to turn a campaign result into legislation, with certification on November 19 as the first formal step. The District 32A recount, if it goes ahead on a 0.09% margin, could still trim the projected 77-57 margin, but it would have to be an unusually large swing to change which party holds the chamber. m:…3516

The transitions in Iowa and Oklahoma run on a different clock. Both governors-elect were chosen on November 3, and both outgoing governors have now publicly begun the handover, Reynolds by speaking with Sand on the morning of November 4 and Stitt by framing his statement as a record for his successor to inherit. The first real test of each transition is not the ceremony but the first budget, when the new governor decides which of the outgoing administration's baselines survive. m:…4343 m:…7637

One governor staying

Idaho moved the other way: Governor Little secured a third term as the state's 33rd governor in the November 2026 election. His office pointed to record tax relief and billions returned to taxpayers, and said he intends to continue current policy directions on economic development and state values. Continuity, in other words, was the winning message there while change won in Iowa and Oklahoma. m:…7956