Five African-American governors will run their state capitals in 2027 (Photo Credit: Regal Media Group/Todd A. Smith).
When former President Barack Obama shocked the world in 2008 by winning the White House, rap star Jeezy released the song “My President” is Black to commemorate the historic achievement.
Eighteen years later, Jeezy should remix that celebratory anthem into a “My Governor is Black” track, celebrating another historic milestone for Black America.
“The story of this election is not just about who won. It’s about the Black wave of voters who understood what was at stake and made their voices heard,” said Dominik Whitehead, the NAACP’s chief of field.
Mary Walrath-Holdridge of USA Today reported, “A record five Black governors will serve at the same time beginning in January, a historic milestone after the Nov. 3 midterm elections nearly doubled the number of Black Americans ever elected governor in the United States.
“Before this election, only three Black Americans had ever been elected: Wes Moore in Maryland, Deval Patrick in Massachusetts and Doug Wilder in Virginia. Never had two served simultaneously. On Election Day, four Black gubernatorial candidates broke barriers in their states, joining Moore, who won reelection…
“Democrat and former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms made history as Georgia’s first Black and first woman governor, defeating GOP pick Rick Jackson to end Republicans’ 24-year gubernatorial reign. The win also secured her the title of the nation’s first Black (female) governor.”
Likewise, Bottoms becomes the first member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. to serve as governor.
Furthermore, her husband, Derek W. Bottoms, becomes the first member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. to serve as a state’s first gentleman.
At a debate on Oct. 13, Bottoms said, “If we want a better Georgia, we have to fight for it. We can make Georgia more affordable, restore women’s right to choose, protect our voting rights, protect our communities from data center growth, ensure every child has the opportunity to succeed and fight against the dangerous policies of Donald Trump.”
The Kappas also celebrated their brother Aaron Ford’s win in the gubernatorial race in Nevada.
Walrath-Holdridge reported, “Ford, 54, is a lawyer who was first elected to office in the Nevada Senate, where he represented the 111th District from 2013 to 2018 and served as both minority and majority leader. He was elected Nevada attorney general in 2018 and became the state’s first Black statewide constitutional officer when he took office in 2019; he won reelection in 2022.”
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla) and other Republican Floridians gave the GOP a much-needed victory on a day described as a blue tsunami, not just a wave.
Walrath-Holdridge reported, “U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, the only GOP candidate on the list, dodged Election Day’s blue wave to become Florida’s first Black governor. His victory extends the state’s nearly three-decade run of Republican leadership.
“Also the nation’s first Black Republican governor, the 48-year-old topped Democratic David Jolly with promises of continuing Gov. Ron DeSantis’s policies on education, deregulation and immigration.”
Even younger than Rep. Donalds is David Crowley, the governor-elect of the great state of Wisconsin.
What makes Crowley’s win even more impressive is that he had briefly suspended his campaign.
Walrath-Holdridge reported, “At 40, the Milwaukee County executive will also become the state’s youngest governor in nearly a century.
“Crowley represented Milwaukee’s 17th District in the Wisconsin State Assembly from 2017 to 2020 before becoming the first Black candidate and the youngest to be elected Milwaukee County executive in 2020…
“His campaign focused on affordability, opportunity and economic growth.”
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has made a habit of beating his Republican challenger, Dan Cox, for the governor’s mansion.
Moore defeated Cox in 2022 and followed that up with another victory over him on Nov. 3.
Additionally, many see Moore as a presidential candidate in 2028.
Walrath-Holdridge reported, “Moore had never held elected office before winning the gubernatorial race. A U.S. Army veteran, bestselling author and former CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation, Moore became chair of the National Governors Association in August, making him a prominent figure among the nation’s governors.
“His platform focuses on economic opportunity, education, poverty reduction and public safety.
During his victory speech, Gov. Moore said, “When our time is done, I want a Maryland where everyone has a shot to succeed, no matter where their story begins.”
Golden Herring of RegalMag.com reported on the decrease in crime in Maryland, specifically in Baltimore, which has a Black leader, Mayor Brandon Scott.
Herring wrote, “Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has become a star politician within the Democratic Party, with some seeing him as a possible presidential candidate in 2028.
“Likewise, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott has earned the respect of many in the African-American community, even beyond his city, for how he has handled crime and racism directed at him.
“And with reports that the Old Line State has seen a record decrease in violent crime, its stars should continue to shine despite those who want to remain in the darkness about their success.
“According to his official government website, ‘Governor Wes Moore [on May 19] delivered remarks at the Center for American Progress IDEAS Conference in Washington, D.C., highlighting Maryland’s historic reductions in violent crime and the Moore-Miller Administration’s commitment to an all-of-the-above approach to public safety. Addressing national leaders and policy experts, the governor outlined how record investments in law enforcement, combined with robust initiatives to tackle the root causes of crime, are driving statewide homicides and non-fatal shootings to historic lows.’
“Gov. Moore said, ‘We are providing what happens when you reject the false choice between supporting law enforcement and building stronger communities. Public safety does not care about politics; it is about results. By getting tough on crime and tough on the root causes of crime, we are delivering historic drops in violence and creating a model for the rest of America.’
“The governor’s website reported, ‘Statewide homicides have decreased by more than 40%, placing the state on pace for its lowest homicide rate in more than 40 years. Non-fatal shootings have fallen by more than 50%, juvenile homicides are down 39% and robberies are on track for their lowest totals in decades. In Baltimore, homicides have plummeted by 58%–the lowest rate since the state began keeping records in 1975.’”
With so many African-Americans running state governments, maybe Jeezy will need a “My President 2” soon.
