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2019 election analysis: State government triplexes
Updated 1:00 p.m. EST, November 18, 2019
This content is part of Ballotpedia's analysis of the 2019 elections. For comprehensive election results, click here.
As a result of the 2019 elections, Republicans gained one state government triplex in Mississippi while Kentucky and Louisiana remained divided triplexes. Heading into the election, the triplex count stood at 18 Republican, 17 Democratic, and 15 divided triplexes. The new triplex count will be 19 Republican, 17 Democratic, and 14 divided triplexes.
The states holding triplex office elections on November 5, 2019, were:
- Kentucky: Kentucky remained a divided triplex. Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear (D) defeated Gov. Matt Bevin (R) in the gubernatorial election. Daniel Cameron (R) won the attorney general election for the position held by Andy Beshear (D), while Michael Adams (R) won the secretary of state election for the position held by Alison Lundergan Grimes (D). Kentucky was most recently a triplex in 2015 when Democrats held all three positions.
- Mississippi: The state became a Republican triplex as a result of the election. Tate Reeves (R) won the race for term-limited Gov. Phil Bryant's (R) position. Lynn Fitch (R) won the attorney general position held by Jim Hood (D), and Michael Watson (R) won the secretary of state position held by Delbert Hosemann (R). Mississippi was most recently a triplex in 2004 when Democrats held all three positions.
One other state held elections for triplex offices on November 16, 2019:
- Louisiana: Louisiana remained a divided triplex. In the gubernatorial election, Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) defeated Eddie Rispone (R). In the secretary of state election, incumbent Kyle Ardoin (R) defeated Gwen Collins-Greenup (D). State Attorney General Jeff Landry (R) won re-election in the primary election. Louisiana was most recently a triplex in 2015 when Republicans held all three positions.
| Change in state government triplexes, 2019 elections | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Triplex status | Before | After | Net | |
| Democratic triplexes |
17 | 17 | -- | |
| Republican triplexes |
18 | 19 | +1 | |
| Divided triplexes | 15 | 14 | -1 | |
In 2015, when all three states last held elections for triplex offices, two states lost triplexes while one remained under a divided triplex. Democrats lost their triplex in Kentucky when Bevin defeated Jack Conway (D) in the gubernatorial election. Republicans lost their triplex in Louisiana when Edwards picked up the seat held by term-limited Gov. Bobby Jindal (R). Mississippi remained a divided triplex because all three incumbents (Bryant, Hood, and Hosemann) each won re-election.
See also
- Trifecta vulnerability in the 2019 elections
- Ballotpedia's review of the top 10 races, 2019
- 2019 election analysis: State government trifectas
- Partisanship in United States municipal elections (2019)
- Annual State Legislative Competitiveness Report: Vol. 9, 2019
Footnotes
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