A spokesman for Tuck鈥檚 campaign confirmed Sunday that the race was over and that Tuck had conceded Saturday morning in a phone call to Thurmond.

Thurmond out his thanks to voters on Saturday and said in a statement, 鈥淚 intend to be a champion of public schools and a Superintendent for all California students. I ran for Superintendent of Public Instruction to deliver to all Californians the promise that public education delivered to me 鈥� that all students, no matter their background and no matter their challenges, can succeed with a great public education.鈥�

I want to thank the voters of CA for electing me to serve the 6 million students of CA. I intend to be a champion of public schools & a Superintendent for all CA students. I want to thank Marshall Tuck for his gracious call to congratulate me & wish me well. Time to get to work!

鈥� Tony Thurmond (@TonyThurmond)

Thurmond, 50, is a state assemblyman and a former social worker and school board member in the San Francisco Bay area. He had the backing of the powerful teachers union and other organized labor groups throughout the state. Every state superintendent in the past has won with teacher union support.

Tuck, 45, had an 86,000-vote lead after Election Day, but as provisional and mail-in ballots were counted, that margin evaporated, and Thurmond鈥檚 lead is now nearly three times what Tuck鈥檚 was. Results will not be official until all votes are counted 鈥� about 2 million remain 鈥� and are certified in December.

The 325,000-member California Teachers Association 鈥減hone-banked, texted, canvassed and volunteered for candidates like Tony who want quality public schools,鈥� CTA president Eric C. Heins . 鈥淚t鈥檚 clear that educators played a pivotal role in this election.鈥�

The state superintendent job lacks partisan affiliation, carries little statutory power, and has not historically set its occupants on a path to higher office. But the record $60 million spent on the race proved it was a sought-after bully pulpit. A win for Tuck would have given education reformers a public counterweight against Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom, the new state board of education that he will appoint, and the Democratic majority in the state legislature 鈥� all of which were elected with union backing.

The race centered on California鈥檚 debate over school choice, pitting Thurmond against Tuck, who was supported by the California Charter Schools Association Advocates and wealthy reformers. Both are Democrats, oppose for-profit charters, and called for more transparency measures. But Thurmond suggested that a 鈥減ause鈥� on new charter schools might be necessary until new revenues are found to offset the dollars that districts lose when their students move to charters. Tuck argued that school districts should not be allowed to reject new charter petitions because of the financial hardship that might result.

Both candidates also agreed on adding more recognized subgroups of students who are underachieving 鈥斕齭uch as African Americans 鈥斕齮o the state鈥檚 Local Control Funding Formula, which provides additional funding for English-learning, low-income, homeless, and foster students. They also agreed on free preschool for all children across the state and additional mental health support for students.

But Tuck had vowed to fight for changes in how school districts are allowed to spend the extra funding. The current superintendent has said the money can be used for across-the-board raises for teachers. Tuck vowed to end that. Thurmond declined to say if he would continue it, reported.

Bill Lucia, president and CEO of EdVoice, said by email Monday, 鈥淲e wish Mr. Thurmond nothing but success in delivering on campaign promises made to parents with children being failed by the current system. The first test will be whether he follows through or reneges on the explicit promise to reverse Superintendent Torlakson鈥檚 ill-advised decision to redirect funds for across-the-board pay raises from extra help intended for English learners and kids in poverty. Fixing broken California public schools will require tough and unpopular decisions that will likely upset the special interests that funded his campaign. Hopefully, he can find the courage to stand tall and do it.鈥�

EdVoice is a California education advocacy organization that supported Tuck鈥檚 campaign.

The heated contest featured disputes over negative advertising and became the most expensive race in the nation for a state superintendent 鈥� for the second time. Tuck narrowly lost in 2014 to Tom Torlakson, who served two four-year terms and is now termed out. That race cost $30 million. This time, the candidates raked in twice that 鈥� more than any House race this cycle and all but a handful of the most expensive Senate races. Tuck took in the lion鈥檚 share, outspending Thurmond roughly 2-1.

Tuck was president of Green Dot Public Schools, a nonprofit charter management organization started in 1999 in Los Angeles, as well as the founding CEO of the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, a network created a decade ago by former Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa after his failed attempt to take over the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Tuck wrote to his supporters Saturday, 鈥淚 just spoke with Assemblymember Thurmond and congratulated him on his victory. I offered to help him be successful and wished him the best in his new role. Given it has become clear that we are not going to win this campaign, I felt it was in the best interest of California鈥檚 children for me to concede now so that Assemblymember Thurmond has as much time as possible to plan to take over as State Superintendent (all votes will still be counted but conceding allows candidates to move forward).鈥�

He added, 鈥淚 recognize that change is very hard and politics, particularly when you lose, can be disheartening. I remind myself that winning the election isn鈥檛 the end goal. The end goal is that all children in this state and country, regardless of background, get access to quality public schools. Reaching that goal is going to take a lot of work and absolutely requires us to get over this loss quickly. We must continue to be extremely determined to do our part to help our children.鈥�

Across the country, teachers ran for office this year, inspiring almost as many 听 stories as Texas鈥檚 and drawing widespread attention to state legislative races that otherwise wouldn鈥檛 break into national headlines.

When the votes were counted, educators scored some notable wins, but it was far from a sweep for teacher candidates. But even with mixed results, teachers are saying the fight isn鈥檛 over.

In some of the highest-profile races of the night, educators came out on top. 2016 National Teacher of the Year Jahana Hayes was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in Connecticut. Former teacher and state schools chief Tony Evers , defeating incumbent Scott Walker, who鈥檚 known for stripping the state鈥檚 teachers unions of collective bargaining rights.

At least nationwide won state legislative seats this month, according to Education Week, which tallied 177 current classroom teachers who ran in primaries and general elections this year.

The National Education Association reported that 1,081 educator-candidates won state legislative races, out of who ran in November, according to the . Other watchers called those numbers exaggerated because they used a much broader definition of 鈥渆ducator鈥� that included support staff, college professors, and those who taught years earlier.

NEA President Lily Eskelsen-Garc铆a said at an Education Writers Association event last week that the #RedForEd movement, which emerged during the teacher walkouts, was about bringing attention to schools and raising teachers鈥� voices, not just winning elections.

“The movement snowballed into this incredible effort we saw across the country. We had an unprecedented number (of teachers) who said ‘Yes, I will be a candidate.'” –

鈥� Emily Richmond (@EWAEmily)

NEA Prez . The movement wasn鈥檛 about wins or loses. It鈥檚 about shining a spotlight on the chronic neglect of our schools and deciding to do something about it. This is our movement.

鈥� NEA Public Relations (@NEAMedia)

Much of the media attention ahead of Election Day focused on teachers who ran on education-heavy platforms for state legislative seats in Oklahoma, Kentucky, and Arizona, red states that saw widespread teacher walkouts in the spring.

In Oklahoma, 16 current or former educators were elected to the state House or Senate, out of 65 who ran, . That number includes Republican Sherrie Conley, a school administrator who defeated retired teacher and former teachers union organizer Steve Jarman to represent Oklahoma House District 20. The Oklahoma Education Association tweeted support for Conley when she won but did not endorse or donate to either candidate during the general election campaign.

Congratulations Sherrie Conley! New representative for House District 20!

鈥� OK Education Assoc. (@okea)

Conley said she has been 鈥渢hrilled鈥� by the increased political engagement she saw from parents in her community throughout the campaign. That would have been a step forward whether she won or lost, she said.

鈥淧arents 鈥� have engaged their children in the process, and I鈥檓 hoping that it will raise up a stronger group of voters that will be more engaged and more educated in the process in the future,鈥� she told 社区黑料 after her victory.

At least also won state legislative seats in Oklahoma.

In Kentucky, which also had statewide teacher , high school math teacher R. Travis Brenda by opposing a controversial pension reform plan championed by the incumbent, House Republican leader Jonathan Shell. He easily won the general election against Democrat Mary Renfro, who also touted her support for teachers and opposition to the pension reform .

Brenda told 社区黑料 before the election that he was running as 鈥渁 conservative Republican in a Republican district.鈥� For Brenda, his upset primary victory was much tougher 鈥斕齢e won by just 鈥斕齮han the general election.

The last several months have been an exciting journey. First and foremost, the glory goes to God for leading me through this process. Second, thank you to everyone that helped knock on doors, share Facebook posts, tell their friends and neighbors, etc. We did this together.

鈥� R. Travis Brenda (@RTravisBrenda)

After his victory, Brenda said he thinks his profile as a Republican who had backing from labor unions, educators, and a range of other groups helped him win.

One of the closest races was for superintendent of public instruction in Arizona, where teachers won a raise after a this spring. School speech therapist and Democrat Kathy Hoffman ran against Republican Frank Riggs, formerly a congressman from California. During the campaign, Riggs criticized Hoffman for lacking the leadership experience to succeed in the job, while Hoffman stressed that an educator should oversee the school system.

Hoffman Sunday, and she was officially the winner Monday evening. She will be the first Democratic superintendent since 1995. Meanwhile, Riggs declined to immediately concede, instead attacking journalists and political operatives in a Sunday night. He later deleted the tweets and temporarily deactivated his account; he also apologized in a sent to the Arizona Republic. He later conceded .

BREAKING Democrat , political newcomer & speech pathologist w 5 years experience in schools, declares victory over Republican Frank Riggs in race for Arizona school superintendent.

鈥� BrahmResnik (@brahmresnik)

I guess I can join the 鈥渂locked by Frank Riggs on Twitter鈥� club? But saw I *~missed some tweets~* when I went to bed early last night?

鈥� Lily Altavena (@lilyalta)

In California, one teacher who came in a distant second in the primary won even without the support of teachers unions.

Even though Susan Rubio was a public school teacher for 17 years, the California Federation of Teachers and United Teachers Los Angeles endorsed her , Mike Eng, in the race for a state Senate seat in east Los Angeles County. She by about 5 percentage points.

Rubio told 社区黑料 in an email that it was 鈥渉eartbreaking鈥� that she didn鈥檛 get those endorsements, but she believes voters elected her because she has more personal ties to the community, in part because of her teaching background.

鈥淎s a teacher and councilwoman, there wasn鈥檛 a life story I hadn鈥檛 heard or had personally experienced,鈥� she wrote.

While ballots are still being counted, I’m confident that the results will show that I will be the next Senator from the SGV. Without your support, encouragement and engagement, we would never have won this race. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve.

鈥� Susan Rubio (@HonSusanRubio)

However, while many educators lost their bids for public office, some have already indicated they鈥檙e not finished with politics just yet.

Aimy Steele, who lost a race for the North Carolina House of Representatives, also posted that she has her eyes set on 2020 鈥渋n some capacity.鈥�

Jarman, who lost his bid for the Oklahoma House race that Conley won, that 鈥渢his is no time to whine and whimper. If anything it is time to regroup. It’s time to be smarter and plan ahead.鈥�

Jennifer Samuels, a Democrat and middle school teacher who lost her race for an Arizona House of Representatives seat, pointed to the number of winning teacher-candidates in Oklahoma as a bright spot for education on Election Day, as well as Hayes鈥檚 victory in Connecticut. She also sees Arizona voters鈥� rejection of Proposition 305, which would have vastly expanded education savings accounts in the state, as a win for public education.

Well Done and Arizona voters! Thank you for protecting our public schools.

鈥� Jennifer Samuels, M.Ed (@SamuelsforAZ)

Samuels told 社区黑料 that she is considering running for the seat again in 2020 and will work to hold her elected officials accountable in the meantime.

鈥淲e鈥檒l be watching,鈥� she said on , telling , 鈥淚t鈥檚 about the long game for us.鈥�

We鈥檒l be watching , and John Allen. Our schools are still missing $700 million in funding from 2008 and need smaller class sizes and repaired infrastructure. Do the right thing. AZ supports public schools.

鈥� Jennifer Samuels, M.Ed (@SamuelsforAZ)

社区黑料 talked to a dozen teachers running for office across the nation before the midterms. See how they fared:

Teachers who won in the general election:

• is a high school math teacher and a Republican who successfully ran for state representative in Kentucky鈥檚 71st District. During the Republican primary, who was seen as a key proponent of the controversial change to state teachers鈥� pensions earlier this year.

• , a Democrat who worked as a teacher and administrator for 17 years, successfully ran to represent California鈥檚 District 22 in the state Senate. In addition to her work as an educator, Rubio is an advocate for women who have experienced domestic abuse.

• is a Republican who successfully ran to represent Oklahoma鈥檚 House District 20. She taught for 15 years and is currently in her second year as an administrator.

• , projected to be Arizona鈥檚 next superintendent of public instruction, taught for two years and was a speech therapist in a school for five years.

Teachers who lost in the general election:

• , a Democrat, ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor in Nebraska with gubernatorial candidate Bob Krist. Walz was elected to the state legislature in 2016 and is currently a real estate agent as well, but she taught for six years in the 1990s and early 2000s.

• , a Democrat, lost her race for the Arizona state House of Representatives. Samuels is in her eighth year as a classroom teacher.

• , a Democrat, opposed Conley for the Oklahoma House District 20 seat. Jarman retired 10 years ago after 31 years of teaching.

• , a Democrat, lost his bid for a seat in the Arizona state House of Representatives. He is in his second year of teaching.

• , a Republican, is a retired teacher who lost her bid for a seat in the Kentucky House of Representatives.

• , a Democrat, lost her bid for a seat in the North Carolina House of Representatives. Before resigning in the spring to focus on her campaign, she was a teacher for seven years and an administrator for six years. Steele lost in the general election.

• , a Democrat, lost her bid for a seat in the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

One teacher in Arizona is in a race that is too close to call:

• was Arizona鈥檚 2016 Teacher of the Year and is a Democrat running for state Senate to represent Legislative District 28. She was trailing opponent Kate Brophy McGee by 549 votes as of the released Monday evening.

This article is part of our ongoing coverage of the 2018 midterms; see our complete coast-to-coast 鈥淓Dlection Cheat Sheet鈥� of the 70 races with the broadest impact for education policy. Get the latest updates on races, candidates, and our new elected leaders delivered straight to your inbox 鈥� sign up for 社区黑料 Newsletter.

That year鈥檚 , fueled by conservative backlash to the still-young Obama administration, swamped Democratic-held statehouses in Michigan, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Kansas, Maine, and elsewhere, and led to the passage of a raft of ambitious changes to education policy. passed laws either establishing or expanding voucher programs and education savings accounts (ESAs) in the first six months of 2011. Many of the same new governors acted swiftly to . And partly due to cash flow problems in the depths of the Great Recession, began cutting state aid to schools.

Eight years later, we have arrived at something of a reversal: After a spring awakening of teacher strikes, the 2018 midterms have delivered Democrats the U.S. House of Representatives and seven new governorships 鈥� including in Michigan, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Kansas, and Maine.

For observers of education and politics alike, the key questions are these: How did the #Red4Ed movement, with its swarms of T-shirted educators organizing over school funding and teacher pay, influence this year鈥檚 historic election results? And with the mini-epoch of conservative reform fading, in which direction will Democratic officeholders move policy?

As with most election cycles, results from diverse regional electorates can be ambiguous and sometimes completely contradictory. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, considered Public Enemy No. 1 by teachers unions, was narrowly felled by a Democratic superintendent of schools. Democrats also swept into power in neighboring Michigan and 鈥� most surprising of all 鈥� Kansas, where drove former governor Sam Brownback鈥檚 approval ratings into the ground. But voters in Oklahoma, home to some of the most bitter teachers strikes this year, favored Republican Kevin Stitt by a wide margin.

The paradoxes were apparent even within states. Arizonans comfortably re-elected Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, who tangled with striking teachers before approving a sizable raise; at the same time, they heartily rejected a ballot referendum to expand ESAs, a signal Republican priority. Coloradans elevated Governor-elect Jared Polis, a Democrat who has called for higher education revenues, even as to raise those very revenues.

Ultimately, Democratic governors will not be empowered to implement their favored progressive education policies 鈥� many championed higher spending, especially to expand state-funded pre-K programs, as well as limitations on charter schools and voucher programs 鈥� in the same way their Republicans predecessors were after 2010. Moreover, the vaunted class of teacher-candidates who sought state and local office were .

Even as education helped to turn the tide in a few major races this fall, some local experts said that it was hard to identify how big a role the issue played. Jon Shelton, a professor of history at the University of Wisconsin鈥揋reen Bay, said that Scott Walker鈥檚 defeat may have owed as much to the governor鈥檚 troubled bid to woo electronics giant Foxconn as to his reputation as a foe of teachers unions. Originally intended to bolster the governor鈥檚 reputation as a steward of jobs, the optics of the deal quickly curdled within the state.

鈥淚t showed the extent to which education can鈥檛 be separated from these other political issues,鈥� he told 社区黑料 in an interview. 鈥淚n spite of the fact that [Democratic candidate, now Governor-elect] Tony Evers was superintendent, the election in our state was about a lot of other things too, and people motivated to vote against Trump nationally.鈥�

Still, he added, circumstances in particular states may have made the fate of schools seem more pressing. In Kansas, where budget shortfalls have made a common occurrence, some of the country鈥檚 most conservative voters gave their support to Democrat Laura Kelly.

鈥淵ou have to imagine a lot of the reason we have a Democratic governor in Kansas is the draconian policies under [former governor] Brownback, which really crippled public education and other public services in the state,鈥� Shelton said. 鈥淐learly, Wisconsin鈥檚 results had a lot to do with … the dramatic disinvestment in public education, the changes in teacher working conditions and how school districts operate. Lots of school districts are taxing themselves at ever-higher rates to make up for the significant education cuts in state aid. So the local aspect is very important, and it gets refracted in different ways in different states.鈥�

Local political conditions, such as a given state鈥檚 typical partisan bent, made certain areas a tougher lift than others. In purple Wisconsin, an education debate helped unseat Scott Walker. But in red Arizona and Oklahoma, Republicans easily dispatched their opponents.

Still, Democrats saw opportunities in states that have rarely been competitive for them. According to longtime Arizona pollster and political observer Mike O鈥橬eil, Gov. Ducey鈥檚 victory could have gone the other way had he not deftly negotiated his state鈥檚 teacher strike this April. After initially fighting the union鈥檚 demands, and promised a multiyear, 20 percent raise 鈥� one of the most generous salary hikes in the country. That volte-face likely helped take the wind out of the protest movement鈥檚 sails.

鈥淒ucey handled it early,鈥� O鈥橬eil told 社区黑料. 鈥淗e said, 鈥楬ere鈥檚 your 20 percent.鈥� Essentially, the #Red4Ed people won on the substance because, in part, Ducey gave in when he had to. He got on board just on time, and every speech was about how wonderful teachers are and how important education is. He totally defused it as an issue.鈥�

He noted that Democrats made important gains in the state apart from the governor鈥檚 race, in the state House and Senate. Though the outcome is still to be decided, Democrat Kathy Hoffman over her Republican opponent in the ultra-close state superintendent鈥檚 race. O鈥橬eil also believes that a referendum to raise taxes for school aid, before being controversially sidelined by the state Supreme Court, stood a good chance of being approved.

鈥淚鈥檓 absolutely convinced it would have passed,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t got plenty of signatures, but they found some technical reason in the language to bounce it off … So I would reject the notion that the education thing fizzled here, even if there were some structural obstacles that kept them from winning big-time.鈥�

The principal obstacle, Arizona鈥檚 native red tendencies, was also apparent in states like Ohio, Iowa, South Dakota, and Oklahoma, where some high-profile Democratic candidates fell short of the mark. But even in states where the the party broke through, victorious candidates won鈥檛 always have total freedom to work their will.

In Nevada, New Mexico, and Maine, Governor-elects Steve Sisolak, Michelle Lujan Grisham, and Janet Mills will benefit from Democratic control in their state legislatures. But Michigan鈥檚 Gretchen Whitmer, much like Wisconsin鈥檚 Evers and Kansas鈥檚 Kelly, will have to forge tough deals with very conservative Republican majorities that have been . That will undoubtedly pare back their ambitions.

Michael Hartney, a politics professor at Boston College, said in an interview that he thought #Red4Ed had earned some important victories in spite of the incomplete success at flipping governorships.

鈥淒id educators have a big impact? I never thought it would be an educator takeover, but the pendulum did start to swing back,鈥� he told 社区黑料. 鈥淚 think the unions took advantage of an election that was always going to be good for the Democrats. If you take the Walker piece, the [Arizona] voucher referendum … that tells me the unions had a pretty good night. And I don鈥檛 think that discounts the importance of fundamentals; I think that the fundamentals are that, most of the time, organized teachers鈥� interests do pretty well on teacher-specific things.鈥�

Now the focus turns to the future. Teachers marching under the banner of #Red4Ed have won a few victories, both at the negotiating table and the ballot box. They鈥檝e also seen the limits of grassroots organizing. In Arizona, where the ESA referendum was crushed last Tuesday, the still-Republican state legislators on the statehouse floor. With the bright lights turned instead to the upcoming 2020 presidential election, it鈥檚 anyone鈥檚 guess whether teachers will be prepared to beat the sidewalks again.

鈥淭he unanswered question is: Is it sustainable?鈥� said O鈥橬eil. 鈥淲hat about next year, when they鈥檙e getting their next raise and things are kind of getting better? Sustaining a movement is very difficult.鈥�

In the politics and policy of education reform, reading the tea leaves of what comes next requires looking beyond the headlines to candidates whose races may not have garnered national headlines but whose leadership will determine funding and policy changes over the coming months and years. And it just so happens that pragmatists on both sides won across the country, renewing our optimism that the pursuit of equity and excellence in education across the country has a fighting chance.

The fact is, legislation to advance student-centered, teacher-friendly education policies will continue to need bipartisan support to pass (even if ). Knowing that, our organizations, and supported candidates from both major parties in elections around the country, giving us a firsthand view of some of the leaders who will continue to fight for great schools (Allies for Educational Equity-supported candidates had an impressive 69 percent win rate Tuesday). Here are a few standouts from these races, all sharing a consistent commitment to improving public education, often requiring them to work with the other side of the aisle:

鈼徧�In Texas, Teach For America alumnus James Talarico has turned the House District 52 from red to blue. During the campaign, one voter, a public school teacher, : 鈥淐ompromise is a nasty word right now if you鈥檙e a politician, so I am glad he wants to change that.鈥�

鈼徧�In Colorado, Democrat 鈥� and education reformer 鈥� Jared Polis won first a tough primary, then the general election, to become the nation鈥檚 first out LGBTQ governor. On that same ballot, Jessie Danielson won her state Senate bid after demonstrating thoughtful leadership while in the Colorado House, including voting for charter school funding. The Washington Post as one to watch and one of the most competitive in the state this election cycle.

鈼徧�In Rhode Island, both Gov. Gina Raimondo and Lt. Gov Dan McKee are pragmatic Democrats who won re-election at time when such a position seemed unfavorable politically. McKee withstood a well-funded and popular primary opponent who attacked him repeatedly for his leadership in creating quality school choice options by helping to launch and develop the Rhode Island Mayoral Academies, a charter school network.

鈼徧�In North Carolina, state Rep. Jon Hardister is a rising star 鈥� though he鈥檚 just 36, he鈥檚 already the House majority whip. Hardister is a Republican pragmatist and education reform advocate from a suburban area who has been known to collaborate across the aisle.

鈼徧�Nearby, in Tennessee, Republican state Sen. Brian Kelsey, a consistent leader in education policy fights in the state Capitol, held his seat despite the blue wave in suburban districts nationwide.

As we recover from campaign season and look to next year鈥檚 legislative session, advocates and elected leaders alike should know that 鈥� and that public opinion supports policies that enable such reforms. According to recent polling:

鈼徧� of the public believes students should continue to be tested in reading and math;

鈼徧�Support for increased teacher pay , showing that voters support a balance of education policy that includes more dollars and more reform;

鈼徧� agree that ensuring parents have a variety of school options for their kids is a very important priority.

For decades to come, politicians will win and lose elections based on unrelated national trends. Initiatives will continue to pass or fail, because the devil is always in the details. As evidenced by the indicators such as and the 听, those impact by policymaking are clearly supportive of reforms. From Tuesday鈥檚 election, we see that policymakers are prepared to lead, even when challenged on the campaign trail or by party politics. We encourage our peers in advocacy to carry forward, supporting leaders doing right by children and opening dialogue with those who aren鈥檛 yet familiar with the research backing the real-life impact of education reform.

Lastly, remember this piece in two years, after the next election, which will be hailed as the most important we have ever had. Just like the last one.

Lea M. Crusey is the founder and CEO of Allies for Educational Equity, a national nonpartisan political action committee. Jonathan Nikkila is vice president of public affairs for 50CAN.

Missing? Education. Sure, Minnesota鈥檚 new governor was a teacher and the new governor in Wisconsin was previously state education chief there, but despite the hype and the strikes, this midterm election turned on dynamics other than schools.

Still, that doesn鈥檛 mean the outcome won鈥檛 affect education policy. Here are five things to watch:

Reality Show Presidency Rolls On

I鈥檓 no fan of President Donald Trump, but objectively speaking, he did not have the awful night Tuesday you might have expected given his conduct over the past two years. He heads into 2020 in a relatively strong position, with the big variables being the Mueller investigation and the economy. His base is not going anywhere. In statewide races where Trump acolytes went head to head with progressive Democrats, they fared pretty well. Meanwhile, a divided Washington will play to Trump鈥檚 chaos-theory approach to politics and expose Democratic political liabilities. Whatever your politics, this is probably bad news for education because it means more theatrics than policy unless schools can get traction by edging into the slipstream of larger issues like infrastructure. Nationally, look for Department of Education officials to be dragged in front of plenty of hearings, as well as some debate on higher education.

Money

There is always a lot of talk about how voters really want to pay more for schools. Then, results at the ballot box call that sentiment into question. There were some wins on funding Tuesday, but measures in states like Oklahoma, Colorado, and Utah went down. Revealed preferences, anyone? It鈥檚 a good reminder that K-12 schools must focus on productivity measures, because fiscal pressures听鈥� notably and their downward pressure on teachers鈥� cash compensation 鈥� mean the past few decades of spending increases do not likely indicate a future trend. Still, keep an eye on how some of the new governors from both parties navigate campaign promises around teacher pay.

Inclusion

Turns out again that Americans are more tolerant than you might have heard on Twitter, where specific episodes dwarf larger trends and divisiveness is a growth industry. Measures with education implications 鈥� for instance, fair treatment for transgender Americans or the continuation of Oregon鈥檚 sanctuary policy 鈥� were supported by voters in referendums. Criminal justice reform did pretty well, too, in states like Louisiana and Florida and against overall favorable backdrops for Republicans. In other words, more opportunities to build coalitions around issues than some of today鈥檚 political rhetoric reveals. Education reformers should take note.

Guns

About 1 in 10 voters told exit pollsters that guns were their top issue. (That鈥檚 better than education fared!) But guns trailed issues like health care and the economy as voter concerns. There is no reason the Democratic strategy of making guns an issue in the suburbs and spinning up parents won鈥檛 continue 鈥� and won鈥檛 continue to overlap with schools.

Rural-Suburban Divide

The suburban-rural schism in American politics is only getting deeper. A key story of this election is how Democrats made inroads in the suburbs and the rural bulwark held for Republicans. That鈥檚 why Democrats made strong gains in formerly purple states like Virginia, where they picked up several House seats. It was also a dynamic in several key Senate races 鈥� there were not enough rural voters in Nevada to save the Republican there, but Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill could not overcome those headwinds in Missouri.

That鈥檚 a cleavage that education reformers ought to think about. Ed reform has always struggled in the suburbs and among white college-educated voters 鈥� and reformers don鈥檛 have much to say to rural voters, either. So as Republicans seek to regain suburban traction heading into 2020, don鈥檛 look to them for a lot of help. It鈥檚 an open question whether an evolving Democratic Party will compete for rural votes or just write them off and focus elsewhere.

Related to rural, you never want to read too much into a single race, but in Kansas鈥檚 3rd Congressional District, voters elected a rookie politician with a fascinating biography that includes a law degree from Cornell and mixed martial arts experience. She鈥檚 also a Native American, and for all the self-satisfaction in the education world about 鈥渨okeness,鈥� Native students somehow remain consistently overlooked even as 9 in 10 are in traditional, largely rural school districts. Fresh voices on Capitol Hill on behalf of these students are a welcome sign.

In fact, 鈥渙verlooked鈥� is really the theme of the 2018 midterms when it comes to schools. There was plenty of noise and plenty of education groups engaged in various races, but education was for the most part not a high-leverage issue. Structurally, the landscape going forward doesn鈥檛 augur well for attention to schools, either. As both political parties redefine themselves, schools are largely a sideshow in those conversations. Within the education world, that means the divisive macro politics rather than specific education questions are driving the conversation. And for education reformers, it means the window for political traction will continue to get smaller absent compelling new ideas and arguments.

Andrew J. Rotherham is a co-founder and partner at Bellwether Education, a national nonprofit organization working to support educational innovation and improve educational outcomes for low-income students. He is a senior editor at 社区黑料 and serves on the 74’s board of directors. In addition, among other professional work, he is a contributing editor at U.S. News & World Report, writes the blog Eduwonk.com, teaches at The University of Virginia and is a senior advisor at Whiteboard Advisors.

Alaska Rep. Don Young won a 24th term in the U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday, fending off a spirited challenge from education activist and political newcomer Alyse Galvin. Young, the so-called 鈥淒ean of the House鈥� (an honorific given to the chamber鈥檚 longest-serving member) led by a margin of 54 percent to 45 percent with 98 percent of districts reporting.

Young, 85, a Republican who has held Alaska鈥檚 at-large House seat since 1973, has survived close races before. His outspoken nature and bevy of personal quirks 鈥� he once held to Republican leader John Boehner鈥檚 throat 鈥� have generally been a good fit for the state, even as some have clamored for a younger representative to send to Washington.

Rep. Don Young has defeated Democratic challenger Alyse Galvin to keep his seat in Alaska’s at-large Congressional district.

Live results:

鈥� POLITICO (@politico)

They thought they鈥檇 found one in Galvin, a political independent who won the Democrats鈥� August primary. She is principally known as a founder of the activist lobby , which has pushed for higher education funding in the state.

Schools, along with most other public services in Alaska, as oil revenues have dipped. Galvin helped organize a letter-writing campaign in Juneau to ward off cuts to school funding, then convened on school quality.

In her concession speech, Galvin said she was proud of the campaign, even as she came up short.

“We had motivated people to vote who had never voted,” Galvin said. “It’s time to bring government back to the people.”

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Colorado Democrats kept their winning streak alive on Election Night, electing Rep. Jared Polis as the state鈥檚 third consecutive Democratic governor. But the bigger story might have been obscured by Polis鈥檚 historic win to become the nation鈥檚 first openly gay governor: In the lower-profile legislative races, a blue wave crashed over the state Senate, giving Democrats unified control over government in Denver for the first time since 2014.

House Democrats picked up two seats to expand their majority to 11. But their colleagues in the Senate pulled off the real coup, defeating two Republican incumbents and flipping the chamber from an 18-17 GOP majority to a 19-16 Democratic advantage. In doing so, they were the key in helping the party gain a coveted 鈥渢rifecta.鈥�

ICYMI: Democrats Gain a Two Seat Majority in the Colorado State Senate!

Read the release here: .

鈥� Colorado Senate Dems (@COSenDem)

In Jefferson County, west of Denver, veteran education activist Tammy Story beat Sen. Tim Neville, one of in Colorado. Story led the 2015 effort to recall three right-leaning members of the county school board in over teacher pay and the district鈥檚 U.S. history curriculum.

In Adams County, Rep. Faith Winter prevailed over Sen. Beth Martinez Humenik by a 52-41 margin. Winter, who has already gained attention from EMILY鈥檚 List and is seen as a rising star in the party, has made paid family leave one of her signature issues in the House.

The new Senate majority 鈥� along with the leadership of Governor-elect Polis, who is expected to govern as an unabashed progressive 鈥� will allow Colorado Democrats to act on Winter鈥檚 proposal, along with others caught in the GOP bottleneck over the past four years. Another initiative likely to be considered is a bill to launch a voter referendum on full-day, state-funded kindergarten, by Republican leadership. Possible changes to the state education funding formula, as well as legislation to reduce student suspensions, have also been stymied under divided government.

Democratic Sen. Rachel Zenzinger, thought to be a contender to become Senate majority leader, that the party鈥檚 victories Tuesday were a message from voters to govern responsibly.

鈥淲hat this says to me is that they trust our ability to lead, but they don鈥檛 want us to go crazy,鈥� Zenzinger said. 鈥淚 think this is our opportunity to prove to Colorado that there鈥檚 nothing to be afraid of with Democrats in power.鈥�

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Florida Democrats weren鈥檛 able to dent the GOP鈥檚 hold in the state legislature, flipping just six seats in the state House and none, so far, in the Senate on Tuesday.

One Senate seat, District 18, appears with the Democratic challenger up by 82 votes over the Republican incumbent, Dana Young. But even if Democrats prevail there, they will be four seats short of a majority. That means that Republicans will retain unified control in Tallahassee, which they have held since Jeb Bush became governor two decades ago.

The night began promisingly for the blue squad: Gubernatorial nominee Andrew Gillum was leading his Republican opponent in most polls, and the possibility of flipping the state Senate seemed within reach.

But Gillum鈥檚 opponent, arch-conservative Rep. Ron DeSantis, won a narrow and somewhat surprising victory. Even the U.S. Senate race between Sen. Bill Nelson and incumbent Gov. Rick Scott proved disappointing, though it looks headed for a recount.

With DeSantis ensconced in the governor鈥檚 mansion through 2022 and functional GOP majorities in the statehouse, Democrats鈥� dreams of changing schools in the state will again be deferred. The era of Republican dominance in the land of swaying palms has coincided with the ascendance of perhaps the most aggressive reform regimes in the country. An expansive private school voucher system, along with merit pay for teachers and a few other conservative priorities, have been the result.

While some had hoped that Gillum鈥檚 fresh face, along with the rush of activism following the Parkland shootings, would help Democrats carry the day, they will instead begin their third decade as a minority party in America鈥檚 third-largest state.

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Democrats in Connecticut enjoyed a banner evening (and early morning), winning control over the state Senate and expanding their majority in the state House of Representatives. Given Democrat Ned Lamont鈥檚 victory in the governor鈥檚 race over Republican nominee Bob Stefanowski, the party will move forward with unified control over state government.

Entering Tuesday night, Democrats held a 70-61 majority in the House, which had dwindled persistently since a high-water mark of 114-37 after the 2008 election. The Senate was tied. Today, depending on the results of three planned recounts, Democrats could command a 32-seat edge in the House while boasting at least 23 out of 36 Senate seats. That鈥檚 more than broad enough to allow Lamont to enact his agenda for schools, business, and public finance.

To bolster their numbers, the Democrats won seats that hadn鈥檛 been competitive in a century: Republican Rep. Mike Bocchino lost to Democrat Stephen Meskers in his Greenwich-based district, which had been held by the GOP since 1912. The city鈥檚 36th Senate District also flipped blue for the first time since 1930 as Alexandra Bergstein .

House Democrats will have 92 members – a huge surprise; Dems did not think it would be this big

鈥� Christopher Keating (@chrispkeating)

WIth some breathing room, Lamont may be able to escape the deadlock that has plagued incumbent Gov. Dan Malloy, who has endured several rounds of in recent years as Connecticut鈥檚 intractable budget mess has forced cuts to municipal aid. The governor-elect has promised to navigate toward calmer fiscal waters from public employees on their retirement benefits, and winning greater support in Hartford could strengthen his hand.

At the same time, though, Democrats will now have to square some big campaign spending promises with a very constrained reality. Lamont pledged to fully fund the state鈥檚 Education Cost Sharing fund and hire more teachers, social workers, and school counselors. It remains to be seen whether even his larger majorities can make that math work for him.

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More than 55 percent of Colorado voters said no to a ballot initiative that would have increased funding for schools throughout the state, . Right now, Colorado spends some $2,800 less per student than the national average.

Under the Colorado Taxpayers Bill of Rights, all tax increases must be approved by at least 55 percent of voters. Over the last decade, a provision in the state constitution has applied $7.5 billion that would have gone to schools to other budget needs.

Amendment 73, which would have increased individual income tax rate and corporate income tax rate, has FAILED. Results:

鈥� CPR News (@NewsCPR)

This year鈥檚 referendum was the third attempt to raise money for schools since 1994. It would have raised $1.6 billion by increasing taxes on incomes of $150,000 a year and on corporations, as well as residential and commercial property.

Backers of the initiative, known as Amendment 73, raised $1 million to support their campaign.

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More than 20 hours after the polls officially closed in Georgia and with all precincts reporting, progressive Democrat Stacey Abrams trailed her Republican opponent Brian Kemp Wednesday afternoon by 65,000 votes, out of 4 million cast, but insisted she would not concede the race for governor until all absentee and provisional ballots around the state were counted.

Abrams hopes the ballots will lower Kemp鈥檚 total below 50 percent, triggering a runoff required by state law in campaigns when neither candidate captures more than half the vote. Kemp currently leads 50-49. Turnout for the race approached 95 percent of the state鈥檚 presidential vote in 2016, .

The race slowly tightened overnight but it鈥檚 not clear that there are enough uncounted votes to affect Kemp鈥檚 lead meaningfully.

Abrams, a former Georgia legislator who is trying to become the nation鈥檚 first female African-American state leader, received strong backing from the national party (as well as support from celebrities like Oprah and Will Ferrell) in an effort to register and turn out poor and minority voters 鈥� reproducing the model that helped Democrat Doug Jones beat Judge Roy Moore in Alabama last year. Kemp was vigorously backed by President Donald Trump.

During the campaign Abrams emphasized early education and increased school funding. Kemp advocated for more autonomy at the district level. Their platforms fell to the left and right, respectively, of the agenda set by outgoing Gov. Nathan Deal, who tried to consolidate authority over the schools aggressively but to mixed effect.

Kemp, the Georgia secretary of state whose job it is to oversee elections, has faced accusations of conflict of interest and voter suppression. Last month, a federal judge ruled Georgia election officials had to stop rejecting absentee ballots with voters’ signatures that didn’t appear to match signatures on record. Tuesday鈥檚 voting was also plagued by long lines and machines with power.

If necessary, a runoff election will be held on December 4.

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After a close call on Election Night, Democrat Ned Lamont has been elected governor of Connecticut, the Hartford Courant . Republican nominee Bob Stefanowski conceded the race on Wednesday morning, surrendering the GOP鈥檚 best opportunity to pick up a governor鈥檚 seat this cycle.

Democrat Ned Lamont elected next CT Governor; Stefanowski concedes

鈥� Bill Flood (@Bill_Flood)

Political observers had predicted a close race dictated by competing headwinds: the Northeast鈥檚 backlash against President Trump is felt strongly in Connecticut, limiting Stefanowski鈥檚 ceiling of support, but the unpopularity of incumbent Gov. Dan Malloy has also hurt Democrats chances.

The governor has seen his approval ratings drop as he has attempted to grapple with Connecticut鈥檚 tough financial situation. Skyrocketing retirement costs for public employees 鈥� most prominently public school teachers 鈥� have the state鈥檚 accountants worried, even as businesses have have been leaving the state for Boston and New York. Malloy鈥檚 nostrum of tax hikes mixed with reductions in municipal aid have proven a bitter remedy.

In the midst of fiscal worries, Connecticut schools are something of a bright spot, providing some of the highest student achievement of any state. But achievement gaps between rich and poor students are also some of the widest in the country, and the state鈥檚 school funding distribution has attracted a host of legal challenges as critics charge that it systematically underfunds needy districts.

Stefanowski鈥檚 signature campaign item was to slash taxes, including a gradual elimination of both estate and income taxes. Such a move would greatly reduce the available pot of money for both pension payments and school funding, Lamont argued. He proposed instead to fully fund the state鈥檚 Education Cost Sharing fund, allowing schools to hire more social workers, teachers, and counselors.

Those kinds of ambitious moves will be challenging given their cost, according to Ronald Schurin, a political science professor at the University of Connecticut.

鈥淕overnor-elect Lamont鈥檚 challenge won鈥檛 be philosophy but arithmetic,鈥� he told 社区黑料 in an email. 鈥� Like his predecessor, he will try to meet the needs of constituencies across the state 鈥� including school districts and public colleges 鈥� without major tax increases. It will be a daunting task.鈥�

The new governor will have reinforcements coming 鈥� after years of seeing its majorities dwindle in both chambers of the state legislature, his party . An 18-18 tie in the state Senate flipped to solid blue control, with Democrats winning at least 23 seats. They could grab as many as 12 seats in the House, giving them a comfortable 92-59 majority.

Still, Lamont鈥檚 narrow margin of victory made this the third consecutive Connecticut governor鈥檚 race decided by just a few percentage points. In a state this blue, that means that many Democrats harked to Stefanowski鈥檚 tax-cutting message 鈥� likely indicating voter fatigue with the pace of retrenchment in what has always been one of the richest areas in the country. The governor-elect struck a conciliatory note in his victory speech, promising to work with those who had opposed his candidacy.

鈥淚鈥檓 reaching out to the folks that supported [Stefanowski],鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e got to bring people together to 鈥� make the decisions we need to get this state growing again.

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Nine months after New Jersey returned control of schools in the state鈥檚 largest district to the Newark school board, residents decided against mayoral control over the school system in favor of an elected board.

During the 22 years state officials had control over the district, the nine-member board had only advisory powers. New Jersey law mandates that when a district is returned to local control, voters must choose whether to elect a board directly or to ask the mayor to oversee the schools 鈥� a governance model used in a number of urban districts.

Read what you about tomorrow’s school board election question: elected vs. mayor-appointed board.

鈥� City of Newark (@CityofNewarkNJ)

Three-fourths of Newark voters chose an elected board, .

Voters in Paterson and Camden also chose to elect their boards directly going forward.

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Democrats will retain control of the Nevada Senate and Assembly, setting up a Democratic trifecta with newly elected Gov. Steve Sisolak that could look to dismantle many of the state鈥檚 landmark Republican-passed education reforms.

Republicans had to run the table on three toss-up seats in the state Senate, plus pick off another likely Democratic seat to retake the chamber. Democrats are set to win at least two of those tossups, in districts 8 and 9, .

In the third race, district 20, Republican Keith Pickard is ahead by 57 votes, as of 12:30 p.m. Eastern Wednesday, according to the secretary of state鈥檚 website. Keeping that race in GOP hands blocks Democrats from getting a supermajority in the Senate. A supermajority of two-thirds of members would let them override gubernatorial vetoes and pass tax increases without Republican support.

In the state Assembly, a few races remain outstanding, but Democrats appear poised to hold a 29-13 majority. That would definitely give them a supermajority in that chamber.

It was a good night for Democrats statewide: they also won a U.S. Senate seat and three of the state鈥檚 four House seats.

After our long journey on this campaign together, I鈥檓 humbled, honored, and deeply grateful to serve as Nevada鈥檚 next Senator!

I鈥檒l wake up every day ready to fight for Nevada鈥檚 families. I got into politics to make a difference, and I will always carry your stories with me.

鈥� Jacky Rosen (@RosenforNevada)

One Assembly race attracted outsize national attention: brothel owner and reality show star Dennis Hof, a Republican, died three weeks ago but was elected anyway. County officials will appoint a Republican replacement, .

(Check out our liveblog for the latest on races at all levels of government.)

At issue under the universal Democratic control of state government are several of Nevada鈥檚 landmark 2015 education reforms, most prominent of which is its currently stalled education savings account program.

The program would have made every child in the state eligible to use his or her share of state education funding for private school tuition, tutoring or other education expenses. It was challenged in the courts, and the state Supreme Court said lawmakers had to find another way to fund it besides the usual K-12 funding stream. That鈥檚 been on ice since Democrats re-took control of the legislature in 2016, and all indications are that they won鈥檛 move on it now.

The big Democratic wins Tuesday are something of a second defeat for universal education savings accounts, after voters in Arizona overwhelmingly rejected a similar program.

Also up for lawmakers鈥� consideration will be the future of an achievement school district, under which the state selects charter schools to either take over operations or set up right next to underperforming district schools, and a revision to the state鈥檚 school funding formula.

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In a widely anticipated outcome, three-term Democratic Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham beat out Republican U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce to win New Mexico鈥檚 governorship. Capturing 57 percent of the vote, Lujan Grisham commanded a 14-point lead over Pearce, who received 43 percent.

Though she succeeds a Latina, Lujan Grisham will be the first female Democratic Hispanic governor in the country.

Congrats to on winning her election and becoming the first Democratic Hispanic woman governor in the United States!

鈥� EMILY’s List (@emilyslist)

The race is significant to K-12 education policy-watchers because outgoing governor Susana Martinez implemented a number of major reforms during her two terms in office. Lujan Grisham has vowed to change course as quickly as she can.

Over the summer, a state district court judge ruled that New Mexico students are trapped 鈥渋n an inadequate system鈥� 鈥� a decision which likely translates to a need for more funding. The Martinez administration appealed the ruling; Lujan Grisham said she will drop the appeal immediately.

Both Lujan Grisham and Pearce had promised swift action on the state鈥檚 controversial teacher evaluation policy, often called the toughest in the nation, and on the use of the PARCC, an annual assessment created to measure student mastery of the Common Core State Standards.

Both items are political footballs. Martinez鈥檚 Department of Education initially ordered 50 percent of teacher evaluations to be based on student growth on standardized assessments, but has changed the policy several times based on feedback from teachers. The resulting compromise system has been heralded as a factor in rising teacher effectiveness in several districts.

Lujan Grisham has also promised to boost starting teacher salaries from $36,000 a year to $40,000 and to tap a state land trust to pay for expanded access to early childhood education.

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Republican Gov. Scott Walker, a conservative star and 2016 presidential contender, was denied his bid for a third term in Wisconsin, . Though his opponent, Democratic State Superintendent Tony Evers, declared victory early Wednesday morning, Walker has still refused to concede.

A batch of late-breaking votes from Milwaukee pushed Evers鈥檚 lead over the 1 percent threshold that automatically triggers a recount in Wisconsin, though the Walker campaign that it would still push for one.

Walker鈥檚 seat is perhaps the sweetest prize of all for Democrats, who had lost close races to the governor in 2010, 2012, and 2014. He gained infamy among liberals by moving harshly against public sector unions and imposing significant cuts in education funding in 2011.

Evers wasn鈥檛 considered a shoe-in to defeat one of the Midwest鈥檚 singular political talents. He emerged from a crowded Democratic primary largely thanks to high name recognition as one of his party鈥檚 few statewide officeholders, and his relaxed campaigning style was thought to present a major drawback against Wisconsin鈥檚 highly effective GOP machine.

Befitting a race matching a state superintendent against the bete noir of teachers unions, the campaign spotlighted major differences between the two men on schools. Evers said he would reverse much of his rival鈥檚 signature Act 10 reforms (which stripped public employees of the right to collectively bargain), and inveighed against Walker鈥檚 persistent moves to expand statewide and municipal voucher programs. Meanwhile, the governor accused Evers of being slow to act against abusive teachers.

Both candidates touted their intentions to increase public school funding. After passing austerity budgets in the early years of his administration, Walker pushed for a sizable increase in per-pupil spending last year 鈥� after which he went to pains to rebrand himself as an 鈥渆ducation governor.鈥� Evers set his sights even higher, issuing that would boost inflation-adjusted school dollars to levels not seen since the mid-1990s.

Scott Walker goes down: Democrat Tony Evers will become Wisconsin’s next governor.

Live results:

鈥� POLITICO (@politico)

The likelihood of achieving that kind of funding level is slim, however, since Republicans maintained control over both houses of the state legislature. Local political observers have forecasted a stalemate under such a scenario, and the tight nature of Evers鈥檚 win doesn鈥檛 grant him much of a mandate on education or any other issue.

Still, the governor-elect was ebullient in victory Wednesday morning.

鈥淚t鈥檚 time for a change,鈥� he said in . 鈥淭he voters of Wisconsin spoke, and they agree: A change is coming to Wisconsin.鈥�

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She had to wait until Wednesday morning and a handful of precincts were still being tallied, but Democrat Janet Mills has claimed victory as Maine鈥檚 first female governor. With 84 percent of ballots counted, she won 51 percent of the vote 鈥� an 8-point lead over Republican Shawn Moody.

鈥淚 am so excited for what lies ahead,鈥� the Portland Press Herald quoted Mills as saying as the news was announced. 鈥淚t is time, they say, for hope once again 鈥� and for a new day in Maine.鈥�

Governor elect Janet Mills headed to Becky鈥檚 Diner in Portland this morning. She told reporters healthcare is a top priority, she looks forward to working with newly elected legislative leaders, and looks forward to putting together her administration.

鈥� Willis Arnold (@WillisRArnold)

A crowded electoral field also included independents Terry Hayes and Alan Caron.

All four candidates agreed the state鈥檚 K-12 schools need to improve but, with the exception of favoring better teacher pay, disagreed on how to get there. Mills opposes lifting a 10-school cap on public charter schools and wants to increase the state鈥檚 share of school funding.

She replaces conservative Paul LePage, whose combative style continually put him at odds with both the state legislature and Mills, its appointed attorney general. In that office, Mills declined to support LePage鈥檚 positions when she felt they were not legal and joined in a suit against U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos over the Education Department鈥檚 decision to stop protecting students who took out loans to attend 鈥減redatory鈥� for-profit colleges.

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Ohio鈥檚 next governor will be Republican Mike DeWine, NBC News projected last night. The Ohio attorney general prevailed by over four percentage points against his Democratic opponent, Richard Cordray, who previously served as the state treasurer and attorney general.

The race will be mourned by national Democrats, who have won just one Ohio gubernatorial contest since 1986. It also points to something of a split decision for the party in the Midwest, where they captured governorships in Michigan and Kansas, but couldn鈥檛 capitalize on opportunities in Iowa, Oklahoma, or South Dakota. In Wisconsin, one of the evening鈥檚 key races seemed to tilt toward Democrats, as conservative star and former presidential candidate Scott Walker refused to concede his bid to win a third term even as his opponent declared victory.

JUST IN: Republican Mike DeWine will win Ohio’s gubernatorial race, projects based on vote analysis.

鈥� ABC News (@ABC)

The election was noteworthy among high-stakes governors鈥� races this year in that both candidates shared much in common with respect to education. DeWine and Cordray both vowed to expand eligibility for state-funded pre-K programs and pare back the number of standardized tests that Ohio students are required to take. Both also expressed concern about the state鈥檚 education funding formula, which has been repeatedly declared unconstitutional by the state鈥檚 highest court, though neither proposed scrapping it entirely.

DeWine has outlined a pricey agenda on child care, beginning with greater pre-K access and including sending more mental health counselors to Ohio schools and raising the number of Ohio families that receive home visits for child development. The program would in the neighborhood of $200 million.

Perhaps the most striking difference between the two men arose in their responses to an education crisis that unfolded earlier this year: the collapse of the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow, or ECOT. Amid allegations of fraud, the massive online school folded in the middle of its 2017-28 school year, leaving thousands of students stranded.

Cordray hit DeWine for his closeness to ECOT and its politically connected founder, William Lager, whose family donated millions of dollars to Republican candidates over past few decades. The scandal made plenty of headlines, but if the GOP brand was tarnished, no one told the voters: The party for lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, and auditor, and maintained control over both houses of the state legislature.

Chad Aldis, vice president for Ohio policy at the reform-oriented Thomas B. Fordham Institute, noted that education hadn鈥檛 been a significant point of contrast between the candidates, and that DeWine would have a clear avenue to push through his agenda.

鈥淢ike DeWine should have the opportunity, with the GOP still dominating both the House and Senate, to make his mark on education policy without being constrained by a myriad of education-related campaign promises,鈥� he wrote 社区黑料 in an email. 鈥淢any on the ground expect the DeWine administration to focus on improving career and technical education and ensuring children have the supports 鈥� including great teachers 鈥� necessary to thrive.鈥�

Stephen Dyer, a prominent Ohio education commentator and former Democratic member of the state House of Representatives, said that he wished to work with DeWine to improve school funding and make higher education more affordable.

鈥淚 hope that Gov.-elect DeWine is willing to have an open mind about all the challenges that face our P-20 education system,鈥� he wrote 社区黑料 in an email. 鈥淚n the fight for adequate and equitable school funding, as well as reducing the cost of achieving a higher education, I would welcome Gov. DeWine鈥檚 leadership if he offers it.鈥�

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Nevada elected its first Democratic governor in more than two decades, with Steve Sisolak coming out on top Tuesday in the race for the open seat, .

Sisolak secured 49 percent of the vote with 92 percent of precincts reporting, while his Republican challenger, Adam Laxalt, held 45 percent of the vote. Sisolak, who sits on the state Board of Regents, will replace outgoing Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval, who tried unsuccessfully to implement the broadest education saving accounts program in the country. The courts upheld the initiative but the state legislature refused to fund it.

Nevada hasn鈥檛 updated its education funding formula for half a century, and with per-pupil spending among the nation鈥檚 lowest, Sisolak campaigned on a promise to 鈥渕odernize鈥� the way the state pays for schools. He aims to convene representatives from across the state to consider funding formula revisions. One way he wants to boost funding is to redirect retail tax on recreational marijuana to education.

Under this plan, Sisolak says he would give teachers raises, reduce class sizes and fight against 鈥渢he diversion of funding from public schools into private schools.鈥�

鈥淓verything is on the table except for one thing and that鈥檚 doing nothing and the status quo, because it鈥檚 not working,鈥� he said, according to .

Laxalt campaigned on a promise to bolster school choice, including charter schools and education savings accounts.

During , Sisolak noted he stands with young undocumented immigrants who received work authorization and deportation relief through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. He also gave a shout-out to educators.

鈥淚t鈥檚 about supporting our teachers who鈥檝e been digging into their own pockets to buy snacks and schools supplies for their students,鈥� he said. 鈥淓ducators, I鈥檝e got your back.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 time to stop the petty politics and get things done and that鈥檚 what we鈥檙e going to do.鈥� makes his victory speech. Wow.

鈥� Shakala Alvaranga (@SMAlvaranga)

EDlection2018: This is one of several dozen races that could go on to influence state or federal education policy. Get the latest headlines delivered straight to your inbox; sign up for 社区黑料 Newsletter.

Calling all 鈥渞ockstar teachers鈥�!

Republican U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem will become South Dakota鈥檚 first female governor after an unusually close race, the .

Noem won with 51 percent of the vote. Her Democratic opponent, state Sen. Billie Sutton, secured about 48 percent.

Noem campaigned on an initiative to elevate high performers in the classroom by rewarding 鈥渞ockstar teachers鈥� with financial incentives through private-public partnerships. One way she hopes to promote this effort is through a 鈥淭eacher of the Month鈥� program sponsored by local business. She also offered a plan to elevate education leaders to Jimi Hendrix status: teacher mentorship programs and training for school board members.

Across policy goals, Noem鈥檚 campaign website lists accomplishments that closely align with President Donald Trump鈥檚 priorities, including support for tax reform, a bill to withhold funds from sanctuary cities and legislation allowing states to pull funding from Planned Parenthood.

Thank you, South Dakota!

鈥� Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem)

As far as school-related accomplishments, she said she 鈥渄ramatically reduced the federal government鈥檚 role in education, returning more decision-making authority to states and school districts and eliminating pressure on states to adopt Common Core.鈥�

Although South Dakota lawmakers officially cut ties with the Common Core, an found that the new South Dakota State Standards look an awful lot like the Common Core, including bullet points taken verbatim.

South Dakota teacher salaries have long been among the lowest in the nation, but Noem rejects increased funding to public education. 鈥淲e need to focus on creating a better system, not a more expensive one,鈥� her campaign website noted.

To improve education in the state, she favors school choice, though South Dakota is one of just a few states without charter schools. State lawmakers approved a in 2016 that gives insurance companies tax breaks if they donate to private school scholarships.

鈥淎s a conservative, I will protect the rights of parents to choose the educational path that鈥檚 best for their child, whether it鈥檚 homeschooling, public schooling or a private education,鈥� Noem said.

Other education priorities include increasing workforce training to address a shortage of skilled employees and reducing college costs by simplifying the scholarship application process and encouraging institutions to prioritize affordability.

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Republican Kim Reynolds became the first female governor to win an election in Iowa鈥檚 history, securing 50 percent of the vote, according to with 100 percent of precincts reporting.

Reynolds stepped up as governor in 2017 to fill the final year of former Gov. Terry Branstad鈥檚 term, after he was appointed U.S. ambassador to China. She ran against Democrat and businessman Fred Hubbell; the two were neck-and-neck during polling.

“This is a place where a small town girl from rural Iowa, daughter of a factory worker and a farmer and a mom who chose to stay home and raise her family could one day become the first female governor of the state of Iowa,” Reynolds said during her victory speech, as reported by the .

I am proud to say I am the first elected woman governor in our state. I am proud of the direction we are going. And even better WE ARE JUST GETTING STARTED!

鈥� Kim Reynolds (@KimReynoldsIA)

Reynolds has supported tax cuts and changes to mental health services across the state. She this year that required school employees to be trained on suicide prevention and required school districts to adopt protocols for identifying adverse childhood experiences. She has also to increase STEM education in Iowa and improve job training.

Democrats and Republicans in Iowa over whether or not education is funded at record-high levels, or severely neglected. Democrats argue that minimal funding is hurting K-12 schools and higher education, while Republicans say funding has never been better and that the state is working on the best way to prepare students for post-secondary education.

It鈥檚 true that education spending has in Iowa since 2000, but growth has slowed over the few years, according to the Des Moines Register. Iowa ranks in the middle of the nation in terms of how much money it spends on education.

Health care and education were the two top issues for Iowa voters in this election, according to a September .

Hubbell campaigned on bringing in more funding for K-12 schools, making higher education more affordable, and promoting job training and apprenticeship programs.

鈥淲hile tonight didn鈥檛 turn out the way we would have liked, the energy and the support we received along the way is proof that a lot of Iowans know we need change,鈥� Hubbell said in his .

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Democrats in the Washington state legislature were able to widen their slim majorities in the House and Senate, according to early results reported by .

Democrats controlled the House, but not the Senate, until last year during a special election, when they gained one seat. Now both chambers of the state legislature are blue by larger majorities, with the Democrats projected to gain seven House seats and two in the Senate, . However, the Democrats did not pick up as many seats as projected after the August primaries.

Washington state voters use mail-in ballots, so it will take several days to tally up all the votes.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 know how the late returns are going to go,鈥� Democratic Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon told . 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 the first election since 2006 that House Democrats will pick up seats and our members are very excited to be going in that direction.鈥�

Dems are up 7 seats in House and 2 in Senate right now. Could shift but still will see Democratic gains in both chambers

鈥� Melissa Santos (@MelissaSantos1)

With more control, Democrats could pass initiatives like a capital gains tax that would affect the state鈥檚 wealthy residents and could produce $800 million in revenue for services like education.

In an editorial reflecting on the Democratic wins in Washington, The Seattle Times editorial board the legislature to continue making education a priority.

鈥淟egislators also must continue working to ensure the state鈥檚 new K-12 school-finance model operates as intended,鈥� . 鈥淭o that end, they must correct their failure to adequately fund special education, an oversight that continues to hurt school districts throughout the state.鈥�

Washington state had been under orders from the state Supreme Court for several years to fully fund education. This year, that the legislature had finally crafted a funding plan that satisfied its demands.

Under bipartisan support, the legislature was able to pass a charter school law in 2016 after the state Supreme Court ruled the schools unconstitutional in 2015. Just weeks ago, the court upheld most of the law, ensuring the survival of the state鈥檚 dozen charter schools.

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Utah voters rejected a 10 cent-per-gallon gasoline tax to help fund education Tuesday, with 66 percent of voters saying 鈥渘o鈥� to the ballot proposition,

The Question 1 was nonbinding, but they would implement the tax if it was approved. The tax would have funded transportation projects and allowed an equivalent amount from the general fund to go to education. The gas tax in Utah is currently little more than 20 cents per gallon, which places it 25th in the nation, but the increase would have moved it into the top 10 states, according to . The added cost for the average driver was estimated at .

The question got on the ballot as part of a compromise between the state legislature and an organization called , whose ultimate goal is to generate an additional $700 million for Utah schools.

Some voters may have been confused because profits from fuel taxes typically don鈥檛 go to education and because the question was nonbinding, Austin Cox, Question 1鈥檚 campaign manager, .

Utah spends the least of all 50 states on education, according to the most recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics. See estimates for how much each school would have received in additional funding .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ngfy1Ikwl3E

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Updated, 11:30 a.m. – Incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida is calling for a recount in his race against Republican Rick Scott.听

Republicans will maintain control of the Senate, leaving longtime Sen. Lamar Alexander in the chairman鈥檚 seat of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, likely for the final time.

As of 8 a.m. Wednesday, Republicans will hold at least 51 seats and Democrats 45. Republicans are ahead in races in Montana and Arizona, though those races have yet to be called, and with no candidate getting a majority in Mississippi, that race will move to a runoff later this year.

National news outlets, including the Associated Press, have not yet called a final result in Florida, where margins are razor thin.听 Though 听and听听reported early Wednesday morning that Democratic incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson had conceded to his Republican challenger, Gov. Rick Scott, Nelson’s听听he’d ask for a recount. Florida law triggers an automatic recount if the margin of victory is under 0.5 percent; Scott currently leads by about 30,000 votes, which is 0.38听percent of votes cast, according to state records.

(Check in with our liveblog here for the latest on what鈥檚 happening in Senate and other races across the country.)

The election starts something of a countdown clock for Alexander. Republicans in both houses of Congress put a six-year term limit on members serving as chair of committees, so the 2019-20 session would be the 78-year-old鈥檚 last as chairman. Alexander is also up for re-election in 2020. He he 鈥渕ight鈥� run again.

A former U.S. education secretary and university president, Alexander has long wanted to reauthorize the Higher Education Act. He and ranking Democratic Sen. Patty Murray have so far been unable to recreate the 2015 bipartisan magic that produced the Every Student Succeeds Act and craft a deal on rewriting the higher ed law. The contentious tenure of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, whom Murray has assailed and Alexander supported, has also been a dividing point in one of the Hill鈥檚 stronger bipartisan relationships.

Chief among Alexander鈥檚 goals in higher ed is cutting federal regulations, and he has put a special focus on reducing the size of the Free Application for Federal Financial Aid, known as the FAFSA form, an idea that has bipartisan backing. Alexander鈥檚 favorite prop at congressional hearings and advocacy group speeches in recent years has been a printed copy of the current 108-question form, which the chairman .

With Democrats expected to retake the House, small-scale changes, like cutting down the FAFSA, may be a more achievable goal than a large-scale reauthorization of the higher ed law.

Republicans currently hold a 51-49 advantage in the Senate, and 11 seats on the HELP Committee to Democrats鈥� 10. That split of committee seats could change slightly depending on how big the GOP majority ultimately is.

There is always some swapping of committee assignments as members post-elections gain and lose seniority on different panels, but the faces on the HELP panel shouldn鈥檛 change dramatically. Only Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, who is retiring, is definitely leaving. All the other members of the committee up for re-election this year 鈥� all of them Democrats, including senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren 鈥斕齱on their seats.

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The race was considered one of the Democrats鈥� best pickup opportunities this cycle. With incumbent Republican Gov. Rick Snyder suffering from low approval ratings following the Flint water crisis, and the state GOP divided over Schuette鈥檚 staunchly conservative views, Whitmer had led in the polls for several weeks.

With her party controlling the governor鈥檚 mansion for the first time since 2011, Whitmer will attempt to act on an ambitious education agenda. She has called for the establishment of universal, full-day preschool across the state, along with an overhaul of Michigan鈥檚 education funding formula to send more dollars to educate at-risk students and English language learners.

That will be a challenge in a state where Republicans have historically held sway in the state legislature. Though both chambers were seen as potentially in play for Democrats this cycle, the state Senate, with its 27-11 Republican majority, would be extremely difficult to flip. Results were still pending early Wednesday morning.

A particularly tough battle will be joined over the question of charter schools, an object of debate in Michigan for decades. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, a Michigan native, has spearheaded a costly effort to expand schools of choice in the state, which now boasts the highest percentage of for-profit charter schools in the country. Governor-elect Whitmer has pledged to of new for-profit charters, gaining the support of the 140,000-member Michigan Education Association.

The race is just one of a host of elections in the Midwest that could make Democrats happy tonight. The party will also be watching contests in Wisconsin and Iowa, both of which flipped to Republican control during the Republican wave in 2010.

Let鈥檚 get it done.

鈥� Gretchen Whitmer (@gretchenwhitmer)

Reached for comment Tuesday night, prominent local pollster Bernie Porn observed that Whitmer would likely set to work enacting her schools agenda.

鈥淏ased on [Whitmer鈥檚] promises and messages during the campaign, she will push the legislature to increase investments in education, at both the K-12 and higher education levels,鈥� he wrote in an email to 社区黑料. 鈥淚t looks like Democrats will also be in charge of the attorney general’s office and secretary of state’s office, giving Democrats control of the executive branch and the ability to implement policy changes promised during the campaign. What is unknown at this moment is whether Democrats will earn control of either chamber of the legislature.鈥�

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