Democrats carry close governor races on abortion, democracy

By MICHELLE L. PRICE
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats held onto a string of competitive governors’ seats in the midterm elections after making the case to voters that Republican challengers posed a threat to abortion rights and democracy in their states. The wins by Democrats in more than half a dozen states came despite Republican efforts to blame the party in power for problems like inflation and rising crime and national headwinds that were expected to favor the GOP. Of the 36 governors’ races this year, Democrats flipped Massachusetts and Maryland. It was too early to say Wednesday whether they could win control of the Arizona governor’s office for the first time since 2006.