The top story from Tuesday’s elections is clear: Democrats won big-time on the national level, dominating U.S. Senate and House races across the country. And on the state level, clean energy could get a jolt from Democratic wins for state offices and utility commissions and new approved ballot measures. Here’s a roundup of top results.

The blue wave overtook several state legislatures and governor’s mansions last night. Come January, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and likely Arizona will all have Democratic trifectas — control of both houses of the legislature and the governor’s office. And some of the states are highly likely to use that power to further climate and clean energy action.

Take Michigan, where Democrats gained control of the legislature and governor’s seat in 2022 and then used that power to enact a target of 100% clean energy by 2040. That goal is still in place despite the Republican-controlled House’s attempt to repeal it earlier this year. Now, Democratic leaders may use their restored power to pass additional ambitious measures.

Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party passed a similar clean energy mandate with the blue trifecta it won in 2022, and has the opportunity to further similar goals now that the DFL has regained control of the House. 

Next door, in Wisconsin, clean energy advocates suggest the Democrats use their new trifecta to end policies that keep old, polluting power plants running and instead build more solar and batteries.

Total Democratic control is a fresh phenomenon in Pennsylvania, which hasn’t seen a blue trifecta in more than 30 years .

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