On Politics

Wed Nov 8 2023

Marina Pitofsky | Associate Editor/Politics

Hello OnPolitics readers! Ahead of the 2024 race for the White House, voters weighed in yesterday on contentious debates and political rivalries.

Here's a look at the top takeaways from off-year elections across the country from USA TODAY's Ken Tran and Karissa Waddick.

🥇 Who won Election Day 2023? Democrats saw major victories in Ohio, Kentucky and Virginia Tuesday night. In Ohio, voters approved an amendment enshrining abortion rights in the state's constitution. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear also defeated his Republican challenger, and Virginia Democrats won full control of the state's legislature.

🐘 Republicans still held ground: Mississippi's incumbent Gov. Tate Reeves decisively beat Brandon Presley, striking Democratic hopes of an upset in the deep red southern state.

🔮 What does this mean for 2024? Prepare for abortion debates to take center stage heading into 2024. Ohio voters passed their constitutional amendment. Democrats in Virginia campaigned on blocking Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin and a 15-week abortion ban . And Beshear also leaned into abortion rights in Kentucky, where his campaign's aggressive advertisements sent a clear signal.