Democrats looking for positive signs ahead of next year’s elections had reason to celebrate on Tuesday, scoring victories in off-year elections in Kentucky, Virginia and Ohio that signaled the continued strength of the party’s abortion-focused campaign playbook.
In Virginia, Democrats won control of the state legislature, flipping the House of Delegates and holding the State Senate. The Republican governor, Glenn Youngkin, had hoped that uniting his party around a 15-week abortion ban would help achieve G.O.P. control of the state legislature. But Democrats warned that Republicans were likely to severely curtail abortion access beyond that point.
In Ohio, voters backed a measure to enshrine a right to abortion in that state’s Constitution, the latest major victory for abortion-rights supporters more than a year after the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
And in Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear, a popular Democrat, won re-election in his deep-red state, a possible indication that the political circumstances that helped his party in last year’s midterm elections still resonate with voters. Mr. Beshear ran on abortion rights and on having led his state through a dark period to a strong post-pandemic economy. His Republican opponent, Daniel Cameron, lost despite an endorsement from former President Donald J. Trump.
The races — among the most closely watched contests this year — offered reinforcement to Democrats as they look to protect access to abortion and develop a strategy for the 2024 presidential and congressional races.
Here’s a look at what else is happening:
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In Mississippi, the Democratic challenger, Brandon Presley, conceded to Tate Reeves, the Republican governor. The race was more competitive than expected in a conservative state.
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In Pennsylvania, Daniel McCaffery, a Democrat who ran in support of abortion rights, has won an open seat on the state Supreme Court, according to The Associated Press. Cherelle Parker, a Democrat and a former City Council member, has been elected Philadelphia’s mayor, according to The A.P. She will become the first woman to lead the city.
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Voting appeared to go smoothly in most places, but some snags were reported. In Hinds County, Miss., home to Jackson, the state capital, and to a large number of Democratic voters, a number of precincts ran out of ballots. A judge extended voting hours in the county as a result. In Northampton County, Pa., machines incorrectly recorded some votes, and election officials had to help voters with workarounds. In Jefferson County, Ky., voters were unable to sign their names on electronic registration tablets at 17 precincts.
Neil Vigdor contributed reporting.
