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Attorney General elections, 2018

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Democrats gained control of four Republican-held attorney general offices in the November 6, 2018, elections. As a result of the elections, there were 25 Democratic state attorneys general, 23 Republicans, and two independents.

Democratic candidates flipped open seats in Colorado, Michigan, and Nevada and unseated a Republican incumbent in Wisconsin, while Republicans picked up Alaska's previously-independent attorney general office by winning the gubernatorial election.[1] In all, 30 states held elections for attorney general out of the 43 states in which the office is elected.

Democrats left the 2018 elections with 25 attorney general offices to Republicans' 24. Heading into the election, the majority of state attorney general offices were held by Republicans, with 27 attorney general offices to Democrats' 21. Hawaii's attorney general was nonpartisan.

As the state's chief legal officer, the attorney general is responsible for enforcing state law and advising the state government on legal matters. In many states, attorneys general play a large role in the law enforcement process.

Ballotpedia identified 10 attorney general elections as battleground races. In Connecticut, Illinois, and Minnesota, Democratic-held attorney general seats were open and a battleground gubernatorial election was taking place. Colorado, Florida, Michigan, Nevada, and Ohio featured open Republican-held attorney general seats and a battleground gubernatorial election. In Arizona and Wisconsin, Republican first-term attorneys general sought re-election in states which also saw a battleground gubernatorial election.

Ballotpedia provided in-depth coverage of attorney general primary elections. Click the links below for more information:

Attorney general offices that changed party control

This table lists elected attorneys general which changed parties as a result of the November 6, 2018 elections.

Attorney general offices that changed party control, 2018 elections
State Pre-election control Post-election control
Colorado Cynthia Coffman Republican Party Phil Weiser Democratic Party
Michigan Bill Schuette Republican Party Dana Nessel Democratic Party
Nevada Adam Laxalt Republican Party Aaron Ford Democratic Party
Wisconsin Brad Schimel Republican Party Josh Kaul Democratic Party

List of attorney general elections


Updated November 9, 2018

State Triplex status (before) Triplex status (after) Incumbent Democratic candidate Republican candidate
Alabama Republican triplex Republican triplex Steve MarshallAG.jpg
Republican Party Steve Marshall		 Democratic Party Joseph Siegelman Republican Party Steve Marshall
{{{1}}}
Arizona Republican triplex Republican triplex MarkBrnovich2015.png
Republican Party Mark Brnovich		 Democratic Party January Contreras Republican Party Mark Brnovich
{{{1}}}
Arkansas Republican triplex Republican triplex Leslie Rutledge.PNG
Republican Party Leslie Rutledge		 Democratic Party Mike Lee Republican Party Leslie Rutledge
{{{1}}}
California Democratic triplex Democratic triplex Xavier Becerra.jpg
Democratic Party Xavier Becerra		 Democratic Party Xavier Becerra
{{{1}}}
 Republican Party Steven Bailey
Colorado Divided triplex control Democratic triplex CynthiaCoffman2015.jpg
Republican Party Cynthia Coffman		 Democratic Party Phil Weiser
{{{1}}}
 Republican Party George Brauchler
Connecticut Democratic triplex Democratic triplex George Jepsen.jpg
Democratic Party George C. Jepsen		 Democratic Party William Tong
{{{1}}}
 Republican Party Susan Hatfield
Delaware Democratic triplex Democratic triplex DennM.JPG
Democratic Party Matthew Denn		 Democratic Party Kathy Jennings
{{{1}}}
 Republican Party Bernard Pepukayi
Florida Republican triplex Republican triplex Pam Bondi.jpg
Republican Party Pam Bondi		 Democratic Party Sean Shaw Republican Party Ashley B. Moody
{{{1}}}
Georgia Republican triplex Republican triplex Chris Carr Georgia.jpg
Republican Party Chris Carr		 Democratic Party Charlie Bailey Republican Party Chris Carr
{{{1}}}
Idaho Republican triplex Republican triplex Lawrence Wasden.jpg
Republican Party Lawrence Wasden		 Democratic Party Bruce Bistline Republican Party Lawrence Wasden
{{{1}}}
Illinois Divided triplex control Democratic triplex Lisa Madigan.jpg
Democratic Party Lisa Madigan		 Democratic Party Kwame Raoul
{{{1}}}
 Republican Party Erika Harold
Iowa Divided triplex control Divided triplex control TomMiller2015.jpg
Democratic Party Tom Miller		 Democratic Party Tom Miller
{{{1}}}
 None
Kansas Republican triplex Divided triplex control Derek Schmidt.jpg
Republican Party Derek Schmidt		 Democratic Party Sarah Swain Republican Party Derek Schmidt
{{{1}}}
Maryland Divided triplex control Divided triplex control BrianFrosh2015.jpg
Democratic Party Brian Frosh		 Democratic Party Brian Frosh
{{{1}}}
 Republican Party Craig Wolf
Massachusetts Divided triplex control Divided triplex control MauraHealy2015.jpg
Democratic Party Maura Healey		 Democratic Party Maura Healey
{{{1}}}
 Republican Party James McMahon
Michigan Republican triplex Democratic triplex Bill Schuette.JPG
Republican Party Bill Schuette		 Democratic Party Dana Nessel
{{{1}}}
 Republican Party Tom Leonard
Minnesota Democratic triplex Democratic triplex Loriswanson.jpg
Democratic Party Lori Swanson		 Democratic Party Keith Ellison
{{{1}}}
 Republican Party Doug Wardlow
Nebraska Republican triplex Republican triplex DougPeterson.jpeg
Republican Party Doug Peterson		 None Republican Party Doug Peterson
{{{1}}}
Nevada Republican triplex Divided triplex control AdamLaxalt2015.jpg
Republican Party Adam Laxalt		 Democratic Party Aaron Ford
{{{1}}}
 Republican Party Wesley Duncan
New Mexico Divided triplex control Democratic triplex HectorBalderas.jpg
Democratic Party Hector Balderas		 Democratic Party Hector Balderas
{{{1}}}
 Republican Party Michael Hendricks
New York Democratic triplex Democratic triplex Barbara Underwood.jpg
Democratic Party Barbara Underwood		 Democratic Party Letitia James
{{{1}}}
 Republican Party Keith Wofford
North Dakota Republican triplex Divided triplex control WayneStenehjem2015.jpg
Republican Party Wayne Stenehjem		 Democratic Party David Thompson Republican Party Wayne Stenehjem
{{{1}}}
Ohio Republican triplex Republican triplex MikeDeWine2015.jpg
Republican Party Mike DeWine		 Democratic Party Steven Dettelbach Republican Party Dave Yost
{{{1}}}
Oklahoma Republican triplex Republican triplex Mike Hunter.jpeg
Republican Party Mike Hunter		 Democratic Party Mark Myles Republican Party Mike Hunter
{{{1}}}
Rhode Island Democratic triplex Democratic triplex PKilmartin.jpg
Democratic Party Peter Kilmartin		 Democratic Party Peter Neronha
{{{1}}}
 None
South Carolina Republican triplex Republican triplex AlanWilson2015.jpg
Republican Party Alan Wilson		 Democratic Party Constance Anastopoulo Republican Party Alan Wilson
{{{1}}}
South Dakota Republican triplex Republican triplex MartyJackley2015.png
Republican Party Marty J. Jackley		 Democratic Party Randy Seiler Republican Party Jason Ravnsborg
{{{1}}}
Texas Republican triplex Republican triplex KenPaxton2015.jpg
Republican Party Ken Paxton		 Democratic Party Justin Nelson Republican Party Ken Paxton
{{{1}}}
Vermont Divided triplex control Divided triplex control T.J. Donovan.jpg
Democratic Party T.J. Donovan		 Democratic Party T.J. Donovan
{{{1}}}
 Republican Party Janssen Willhoit
Wisconsin Divided triplex control Democratic triplex BradSchimel2015.png
Republican Party Brad Schimel		 Democratic Party Josh Kaul
{{{1}}}
 Republican Party Brad Schimel

Battleground elections

The following map displays which state attorney general seats were up for election in 2018 and identifies those races that were considered battleground elections. Mouse over a state for more detailed information.


2018 Attorney General Battleground Races
State Current Incumbent Open Seat (Y/N) 2018 Winner
Arizona Republican Party Mark Brnovich No Republican Party Mark Brnovich
Colorado Republican Party Cynthia Coffman Yes Democratic Party Phil Weiser
Connecticut Democratic Party George C. Jepsen Yes Democratic Party William Tong
Florida Republican Party Pam Bondi Yes Republican Party Ashley B. Moody
Illinois Democratic Party Lisa Madigan Yes Democratic Party Kwame Raoul
Michigan Republican Party Bill Schuette Yes Democratic Party Dana Nessel
Minnesota Democratic Party Lori Swanson Yes Democratic Party Keith Ellison
Nevada Republican Party Adam Laxalt Yes Democratic Party Aaron Ford
Ohio Republican Party Mike DeWine Yes Republican Party Dave Yost
Wisconsin Republican Party Brad Schimel No Democratic Party Josh Kaul


About the office

See also: Attorney General (state executive office)

The attorney general is an executive office in all 50 states that serves as the chief legal advisor and chief law enforcement officer for the state government and is empowered to prosecute violations of state law, represent the state in legal disputes and issue legal advice to state agencies and the legislature. In most states, the attorney general has a substantial influence on a state's approach to law enforcement. Attorneys general often set particular law enforcement priorities (e.g. drug law, civil rights violations or sexual crime) and focus extra resources on these issues. This puts them, in the words of the National Association of Attorneys General, at the "intersection of law and public policy."[2][3]

Selection process

The attorney general is directly elected in 43 states. The attorney general is appointed by the state Legislature in Maine, by the state Supreme Court in Tennessee, and by the governor in the remaining five states.

Partisan affiliation

Compensation


According to compensation figures for 2023 compiled by the Council of State Governments in the Book of the States, the highest salary for an attorney general was $222,639 in Massachusetts, while the lowest was $82,220 in Oregon. To view the compensation of a particular attorney general, hover your mouse over the state.

Vacancy fill methods

Initiate local prosecution

In 47 states—all except Connecticut, North Carolina, and Arkansas—the attorney general has the power to initiate prosecution at the local level, although 28 states place limits on this power.[4]

Supersede local prosecution

In 36 states, the attorney general has the power to take over a case handled by a local prosecutor without instructions from the governor or legislature, although this power is restricted to certain cases in 22 of those states. This differs from general power of oversight over legal matters in a state and the ability of some attorneys general to initiate local prosecution or to step in and provide assistance to a local prosecutor without instructions from the governor or legislature. In Alaska and Delaware, the attorney general's office is responsible for handling all local prosecution by default.[4]

Criminal appeals

The attorney general has the power to represent the state in criminal appeals in 46 states, although this power is restricted in five of those states.[4]


Term limits

A total of 17 states impose some form of term limits on attorneys general.

Historical elections

In 1977, the Democratic Party held a total of 27 elected attorney general offices to the Republican Party's 16. The Democratic lead in attorney general offices would be maintained through the 1990s, as opposed to the other three top executive offices, which became majority-Republican following the 1994 midterm elections. In the 2010 midterm elections, the Republican Party gained a lead in elected attorney general offices, with 22 elected attorneys general to the Democrats' 21. The Democratic victory in the 2013 Virginia election for attorney general caused the party to briefly regain a 22-21 majority of elected attorney general offices. This lead was lost in the 2014 midterm elections. After that point, the Republican Party continued to grow its majority control of elected attorney general offices.

See also


Footnotes

  1. ↑ In Alaska, the attorney general is appointed by the governor.
  2. ↑ The National Association of Attorneys General, "Home," accessed March 26, 2013
  3. ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of States 2012," accessed October 17, 2012
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2017 - Attorneys General: Prosecutorial and Advisory Duties," accessed December 3, 2017
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