An “off-year election” was held in the US on Tuesday, as Americans cast their votes in a variety of polls, from governorships to local referenda.
In Kentucky, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear was projected to win reelection to a second term, defeating Republican challenger Daniel Cameron.
Beshear, whose father was Kentucky governor for two terms, previously served as state attorney general before winning his first term in a narrow victory in 2019.
Democrat Cherelle Parker was elected the 100th mayor of Philadelphia and the first woman to lead the city, according to a CNN projection.
Parker entered the general election against Republican David Oh, a fellow former city council member, as the overwhelming favorite.
She will succeed Democrat Jim Kenney, who is term-limited. Kenney said he voted for Parker in the primary, saying, according to CNN, “It’s time for a woman of color.”
Another win for the Democrats was recorded in Rhode Island, where former White House aide Gabe Amo is projected to win the special election for Rhode Island’s 1st Congressional District, setting him up to be the first Black person to represent the state in Congress.
Amo has worked in both the Obama and Biden administrations and received endorsements from prominent Democrats during the primary campaign, including former Rep. Patrick Kennedy, who represented the 1st District for eight terms, and former White House chief of staff Ron Klain.
Elsewhere, control of both chambers of the Virginia legislature is up for grabs while in Mississippi, Gov. Tate Reeves is seeking reelection against Democrat Brandon Presley.