Democrats and abortion rights dominated the 2023 elections. Here are 5 takeaways.

Tuesday's elections brought victories for Democrats and supporters of abortion rights in many states, including those that voted for former President Donald Trump in 2020.

Democrats won key legislative and gubernatorial elections in Virginia and Kentucky. Democratic candidates in both states advocated for access to abortion.

"I think it speaks to [abortion rights] as an issue, that it's not just a Republican or Democratic issue," said Jessica Taylor of the Cook Political Report. "There are Republicans who clearly vote for it because Ohio is a state where Trump won twice with an 8-point margin."

Democrats nationwide are already focused on the 2024 presidential race and view Tuesday's elections as a possible litmus test of national sentiments.

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However, Taylor warns against interpreting these results as tea leaves for 2024.

Abortion rights again prevailed in the 2023 elections. ELECTIONS Abortion rights again prevailed in the 2023 elections. Nevertheless, many national Democrats rushed to celebrate Tuesday's victory.

"Tonight, Americans once again voted to protect their fundamental freedoms—and democracy won," President Biden wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

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Ohio voted to protect abortion rights in its constitution Ohio residents voted to amend the state constitution to guarantee the right to abortion and other reproductive rights.

Ohio was the only state directly voting on abortion access in this election cycle. Campaigns for and against the proposed amendment dominated the airwaves locally and drew national attention.

Ohio votes on amending the state constitution to secure the right to abortion ELECTIONS Ohio votes on amending the state constitution to secure the right to abortion Over 56% of voters supported the amendment. Various polls consistently show that between 55% and 58% of Ohio residents support at least some abortion rights, according to the Statehouse News Bureau.

The state's Republican governor and the Republican-led Congress opposed the amendment, unsuccessfully attempting to change the state constitution to require a 60% vote threshold for constitutional amendments instead of a simple majority.

Abortion is on the ballot in Ohio. The results may signal what awaits us in 2024. REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS IN AMERICA Abortion is on the ballot in Ohio. The results may signal what awaits us in 2024. Passing this amendment effectively nullifies the state law that bans abortions upon detection of fetal heart activity—already at six weeks of pregnancy—with no exceptions for rape or incest. It went into effect for a few months in 2022 but was put on hold as legal challenges reached the state's Supreme Court.

Virginia Democrats regain control of the state legislature

The Virginia State Capitol, pictured in Richmond. Democrats won both the House of Delegates and the Senate on Tuesday. Steve Helber/AP All 140 seats in the Virginia state legislature were up for grabs this year. Democrats not only retained control of the state Senate but also gained enough seats to flip the House of Delegates, giving them more opportunities to push back against Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin and his agenda.

Don Scott, the Democratic minority leader in the House of Delegates, who preferred to become the new speaker, told NPR that Democratic candidates have a "message, candidates, and momentum to put an end to the programs of extreme Republicans."

Virginia Democrats gain full control of the state legislature, AP reports ELECTIONS Virginia Democrats gain full control of the state legislature, AP reports Access to abortion played a significant role in many of these campaigns, according to VPM. Virginia has become something of a southern sanctuary for abortion rights after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the "Roe v. Wade" decision last year.

Youngkin led Republican candidates from Virginia advocating for a ban on abortions starting at 15 weeks, with exceptions for rape, incest, and to save the mother's life. He refrained from using the term "ban," characterizing it as a "restriction."

Taylor from the Cook Political Report said this is a "real test of whether Republicans can message this differently."

While abortion rights undoubtedly motivated many Virginia voters, it's worth noting that there were also many other campaign issues, including crime and the economy.

Kentucky re-elected a Democratic governor

Democratic Governor Andy Beshear won a second term in Kentucky, defeating Republican state Attorney General Daniel Cameron, a Trump-endorsed candidate.

Beshear's popularity remains high in the deeply red state. Voters praise him for his leadership during the COVID pandemic, deadly tornadoes, record floods, and ice storms, according to Kentucky Public Radio.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, a Democrat, wins re-election ELECTIONS Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, a Democrat, wins re-election According to Taylor, incumbent governors rarely lose, but it wasn't just Beshear's popularity working in his favor. She said he managed to "pivot" on abortions due to the state's strict law that allows no exceptions for rape or incest.

There are signs that Kentucky voters have shifted away from the legislature, rejecting an amendment last year that would have added language to the state constitution making it harder to challenge abortion restrictions.