A Democratic challenger toppled the Republican governor of Pennsylvania on Tuesday in one of the first blows to incumbents across the nation who struggled with an uncertain economy and unpopular fiscal policies in their re-election bids.
Republican Tom Corbett lost to Democrat Tom Wolf, according to a projection from Reuters/Ipsos, and becomes the first incumbent governor in Pennsylvania history to fail to win a second term.
For voters deciding the governorships in 36 U.S. states, the economy was the salient issue, and an uneven recovery could prove the undoing of sitting governors being held accountable for their states' fiscal woes.
"We've had a very difficult economy for years and anyone in office is going to be held partly accountable, especially governors," said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics. "They're not called 'little presidents' for nothing."
Several incumbents emerged victorious from Eastern states and the Midwest, once voting had ended.
Reuters/Ipsos projected re-elections for South Carolina Republican Governor Nikki Haley, Ohio Republican Governor John Kasich and Tennessee Republican Governor Bill Haslam. Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo was the projected winner in New York.
In Texas, Reuters/Ipsos projected Republican Greg Abbott, the state's attorney general, would defeat his Democratic opponent, state Senator Wendy Davis.
Reuters/Ipsos projected Nebraska Republican Pete Ricketts, a co-owner of the Chicago Cubs, as the winner over Democrat Chuck Hassebrook.
Incumbent Republican Governor Mary Fallin was the projected winner in Oklahoma, as was sitting Republican Governor Matt Mead in Wyoming.
The race was too close to call in Florida, where Republican Governor Rick Scott faced off against Charlie Crist, a former Republican governor turned Democrat.
At Crist's election night headquarters, emotions rose and fell as early returns showed the Democrat ahead and subsequent results showed him falling behind.
"It's going to be another Florida photo-finish," said U.S. Representative Kathy Castor, a Tampa Democrat.
Some Florida voters said their ballots were meant to punish the incumbent governor.
"It's really a vote against Rick Scott," said Diane Darby, 45, a Miami Beach accountant who said she voted for Crist.
Nathan Gonzalez, deputy editor of the Rothenberg Political Report, described the Florida race as "two unpopular politicians running against each other in a very large and expensive state."
Party control of governorships is seen as critical in the 2016 White House contest, when candidates use governors to help build state-by-state support toward a possible nomination.
Going into Tuesday, Republicans held 29 governorships compared with the Democrats' 21.
CLOSE WISCONSIN RACE
Potential 2016 presidential hopeful Scott Walker was among the incumbents seeking re-election on Tuesday in Wisconsin.
The Republican became a champion of conservatives when he led the state's efforts to cut back the powers of public-sector unions.
Recent polls had him running neck and neck with Democrat Mary Burke, a former business executive.
Voter Greg Tellijohn, 63, a small business owner, said he was decidedly opposed to re-electing Walker.
"Get rid of him. He's not for the people. He's not for health care. He turned down money for rapid transit. He doesn't compromise," Tellijohn said.
Another voter, John Schumacher, 62, said he recently moved to Wisconsin and had made sure he was registered so he could cast a ballot for Walker.
"I like the fact that he's not afraid to go against public opinion," Schumacher said. "He's not scared about what people are thinking or feeling."
Fourteen governors' races were seen as toss-ups, and at least 10 incumbent governors are battling to save their jobs.
"There's a strong anti-incumbent mode," said John Green, professor of political science at the University of Akron and director of the Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics.
"Although the economy is definitely better than it was a year ago, it's not up to anybody's expectations, and governors are in a real hot spot," Green said. "They're the ones who have to cut programs or raise taxes."
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