2027 Legislative Leadership Changes

Key Takeaways

• Twenty-nine states will have at least one chamber leader who is not returning in 2027. The other 21 states have no announced leadership changes.
• Fifteen states will have new leaders in both chambers. Eight states will have a new Senate leader only, and five states will have a new House leader only.
• Democrats gained control of 12 chambers in nine states in the 2026 elections (Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin). Republicans gained none. In all 12 of those chambers, the current leader is not returning in 2027.
• A new leader does not always mean a new majority party. Florida, Indiana, Kansas, and Missouri will have new leaders in both chambers with no change in partisan control.

Which States Will Have New Legislative Leaders in 2027?

Twenty-nine (29) states will have at least one chamber leader who is not returning in 2027 (Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming). The other 21 states have no announced changes to their chamber leaders.

On the map, “Senate leader” means the leader of the upper chamber and “House leader” means the leader of the lower chamber.

Right-click (or press and hold on mobile) to save or download this map.

Which States Will Have New Leaders in Both Chambers?

Fifteen (15) states will have new leaders in both chambers (Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Wyoming). Nebraska, which has a single nonpartisan chamber, will also have a new leader.

Which States Will Have a New Senate Leader Only?

Eight (8) states will have a new Senate leader and no announced change to the House leader (Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, and Washington).

Which States Will Have a New House Leader Only?

Five (5) states will have a new House leader and no announced change to the Senate leader (Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota).

Which Chambers Changed Partisan Control in the 2026 Elections?

Democrats gained control of 12 chambers in nine states, and Republicans did not gain any. Arizona, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin flipped both chambers. Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Texas flipped their House, and Pennsylvania flipped its Senate. Minnesota’s House was tied before the election.

State	Upper Chamber	Lower Chamber
Arizona	R → D	R → D
Georgia	No change	R → D
Michigan	No change	R → D
Minnesota	No change	Split → D
New Hampshire	R → D	R → D
North Carolina	No change	R → D
Pennsylvania	R → D	No change
Texas	No change	R → D
Wisconsin	R → D	R → D

Partisan control reflects election results as of November 10, 2026. Results are not yet certified in every state. Alaska’s legislature has not been called (likely coalition). In North Carolina, one Senate race is still being counted. If the Republican leading it holds on, Republicans keep a 26-24 Senate majority. If the Democrat wins, the chamber splits 25-25.

2027 Legislative Leadership Changes Chart

The chart lists the current leader of each chamber in all 50 states. A bold name marks a leader who is not returning in 2027, and a check mark marks a state with at least one leader who is not returning. States where a chamber changed partisan control in the 2026 elections are highlighted. Leaders and parties shown are current as of November 10, 2026.

We will publish a document with the names of all the new leaders soon.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean when a chamber leader is “not returning”?

A leader is marked as not returning if they will not hold their chamber’s top leadership post in 2027. The reasons vary. A leader may be retiring, may have lost an election, may be leaving for another office, or may lead a chamber that changed partisan control.

Who counts as a chamber leader?

The chart lists the leader of each chamber. The title depends on the state and can be Speaker, Senate President, President Pro Tempore, Majority Leader, or Lieutenant Governor. In Nebraska, the chart lists the Speaker of the single-chamber legislature.

Does a new leader mean a change in partisan control?

No. Florida, Indiana, Kansas, and Missouri will have new leaders in both chambers with no change in which party holds the majority. In the other direction, all 12 chambers that flipped to Democratic control also have a leader who is not returning.

Which chambers changed partisan control in the 2026 elections?

Democrats gained control of the Arizona Senate and House, the Georgia House, the Michigan House, the Minnesota House, the New Hampshire Senate and House, the North Carolina House, the Pennsylvania Senate, the Texas House, and the Wisconsin Senate and Assembly. Republicans did not gain control of any chambers.

Why are some lieutenant governors listed as chamber leaders?

In Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas, the chart lists the lieutenant governor as the upper chamber leader because the office holds the top leadership role in the Senate. In Texas, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick lost his race to Democrat Vikki Goodwin.

How are new legislative leaders chosen?

Chamber leaders are usually chosen by the majority party caucus and then confirmed by a vote of the full chamber, often when the legislature convenes or at an organizational session. Lieutenant governors in Georgia, Mississippi, and Texas are elected statewide. Tennessee’s Senate elects its own Speaker, who holds the title of lieutenant governor.

Why does Nebraska appear with only one leader?

Nebraska has a unicameral legislature, which means it has a single chamber. The legislature is also nonpartisan, so the chart does not assign a party to its leader.

Where can I find the names of the new leaders?

The chart shows the current leaders and marks which ones are not returning. We will publish a document with the names of all the new leaders soon.

How current is this chart?

Leaders and parties shown are current as of November 10, 2026. Some states have already named their incoming leaders, and others will do so before or when their legislatures convene. The chart does not show new leaders yet.

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