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10 attorney general offices 10 states[a] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Democratic hold Republican hold No election |
The 2020 United States attorney general elections were held on November 3, 2020, in 10 states. The previous attorney general elections for this group of states took place in 2016, except in Vermont where attorneys general only serve two-year terms and elected their current attorney general in 2018. Nine state attorneys general ran for reelection and eight won, while Republican Tim Fox of Montana could not run again due to term limits and Republican Curtis Hill of Indiana was eliminated in the Republican convention.[2]
The elections took place concurrently with the 2020 presidential election, elections to the House of Representatives and Senate, and numerous state and local elections.
No attorneys general offices changed party control in 2020.[3]
Several sites and individuals published predictions of competitive seats. These predictions looked at factors such as the strength of the incumbent (if the incumbent is running for re-election), the strength of the candidates, and the partisan leanings of the state (reflected in part by the state's Cook Partisan Voting Index rating). The predictions assigned ratings to each seat, with the rating indicating the predicted advantage that a party has in winning that seat.
Most election predictors use:
State | PVI[4] | Incumbent[5] | Last race |
Cook June 12, 2020[6] |
Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Indiana | R+9 | Curtis Hill (lost re-nomination) |
61.9% R | Tossup | Rokita (58.3%) |
Missouri | R+9 | Eric Schmitt | 58.5% R | Safe R | Schmitt (59.5%) |
Montana | R+11 | Tim Fox (term-limited) |
67.7% R | Tossup | Knudsen (58.5%) |
North Carolina | R+3 | Josh Stein | 50.3% D | Lean D | Stein (50.1%) |
Oregon | D+5 | Ellen Rosenblum | 55.2% D | Solid D | Rosenblum (56.0%) |
Pennsylvania | EVEN | Josh Shapiro | 51.4% D | Likely D | Shapiro (50.9%) |
Utah | R+20 | Sean Reyes | 65.4% R | Solid R | Reyes (60.6%) |
Vermont | D+15 | T. J. Donovan | 66.6% D | Solid D | Donovan (63.1%) |
Washington | D+7 | Bob Ferguson | 66.9% D | Solid D | Ferguson (56.4%) |
West Virginia | R+19 | Patrick Morrisey | 51.6% R | Lean R | Morrisey (63.8%) |
State | Attorney General |
Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Indiana | Curtis Hill | Republican | 2016 | Incumbent lost renomination. New attorney general elected. Republican hold. |
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Missouri | Eric Schmitt | Republican | 2019[b] | Incumbent elected to full term. |
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Montana | Tim Fox | Republican | 2012 | Incumbent term-limited. New attorney general elected. Republican hold. |
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North Carolina | Josh Stein | Democratic | 2016 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Oregon | Ellen Rosenblum | Democratic | 2012[c] | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Pennsylvania | Josh Shapiro | Democratic | 2016 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Utah | Sean Reyes | Republican | 2012 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Vermont | T. J. Donovan | Democratic | 2016 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Washington | Bob Ferguson | Democratic | 2012 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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West Virginia | Patrick Morrisey | Republican | 2012 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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States where the margin of victory was under 1%
States where the margin of victory was between 1% and 5%:
Blue denotes races won by Democrats.
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County results Rokita: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Weinzapfel: 50–60% 60–70% | ||||||||||||||||
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The 2020 Indiana Attorney General election was held on November 3, 2020, to elect the attorney general of the U.S. state of Indiana. The Democratic primary convention was scheduled for June 13, 2020. The Republican primary convention was scheduled with a live stream on June 18, 2020, followed by mail-in voting between June 22 and July 9.
Incumbent Attorney General Curtis Hill ran for re-election, but was defeated at the Republican nominating convention by former U.S. Representative Todd Rokita, who eventually won after three rounds of votes. Jonathan Weinzapfel, former mayor of Evansville, narrowly won the Democratic nomination at the party's nominating convention.
In the general election, Rokita defeated Weinzapfel by approximately 500,000 votes, a margin of more than 16 percentage points. Due to a smaller third-party vote, both Rokita and Weinzapfel received a larger percentage of the vote than their party's candidates in the state's presidential and gubernatorial elections. Rokita carried Tippecanoe County, which voted for Democrat Joe Biden in the presidential race, while Weinzapfel carried his home of Vanderburgh County, which voted for Republicans Donald Trump and Eric Holcomb in the presidential and gubernatorial races.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jonathan Weinzapfel | 1,057 | 51.2% | |
Democratic | Karen Tallian | 1,009 | 48.8% | |
Total votes | 2,066 | 100.0% |
Republican convention results | |||||||||
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Candidate | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | ||||||
Votes | % | Transfer | Votes | % | Transfer | Votes | % | ||
Todd Rokita | 479 | 27.37 | +122 | 601 | 34.66 | +272 | 873 | 52.15 | |
Curtis Hill (inc.) | 655 | 37.43 | +46 | 701 | 40.43 | +100 | 801 | 47.85 | |
Nate Harter | 327 | 18.69 | +105 | 432 | 24.91 | Eliminated | |||
John Westercamp | 289 | 16.51 | Eliminated | ||||||
Active ballots | 1,750 | 100.00 | 1,734 | 100.00 | 1,674 | 100.00 | |||
Exhausted ballots | 7 | 0.40 | +16 | 23 | 1.31 | +60 | 83 | 4.72 | |
Total ballots | 1,757 | 100.00 | 1,757 | 100.00 | 1,757 | 100.00 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Todd Rokita | 1,722,007 | 58.34 | 3.97 | |
Democratic | Jonathan Weinzapfel | 1,229,644 | 41.66 | 3.97 | |
Total votes | 2,951,651 | 100.00 | |||
Republican hold |
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County results Schmitt: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Finneran: 50–60% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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The 2020 Missouri Attorney General election was held on November 3, 2020, to elect the attorney general of Missouri. It was held concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, along with elections to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives, as well as various state and local elections. Incumbent Republican Attorney General Eric Schmitt was elected to a full term, defeating Democrat Rich Finneran. He was appointed by Governor Mike Parson after Josh Hawley was elected to the U.S Senate in 2018.[9]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Eric Schmitt (incumbent) | 602,577 | 100.0 | |
Total votes | 602,577 | 100.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Richard Finneran | 272,516 | 55.39% | |
Democratic | Elad Gross | 219,462 | 44.61% | |
Total votes | 491,978 | 100.0% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Eric Schmitt (incumbent) | 1,752,792 | 59.38% | +0.88% | |
Democratic | Rich Finneran | 1,117,713 | 37.87% | –3.63% | |
Libertarian | Kevin C. Babock | 81,100 | 2.75% | N/A | |
Total votes | 2,951,605 | 100.00% | |||
Republican hold |
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County results Knudsen: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% 90-100% Graybill: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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The 2020 Montana Attorney General election was held on November 3, 2020, to elect the attorney general of the U.S. state of Montana. Incumbent Republican Montana Attorney General Tim Fox was re-elected in 2016 with 67.7% of the vote. Fox was term-limited and was ineligible to run for re-election. Fox decided to run for the Governor of Montana election, losing the nomination to Greg Gianforte.[12] Republican Austin Knudsen defeated Republican Jon Bennion in the primary and defeated Democrat Raph Graybill in the general election by over 14 points.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Austin Knudsen | 116,113 | 59.8% | |
Republican | Jon Bennion | 78,161 | 40.2% | |
Total votes | 194,274 | 100.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Raph Graybill | 79,772 | 57.1% | |
Democratic | Kimberly Dudik | 59,963 | 42.9% | |
Total votes | 139,735 | 100.0% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Austin Knudsen | 348,322 | 58.51% | ||
Democratic | Raph Graybill | 247,025 | 41.49% | ||
Total votes | 595,347 | 100.00% | |||
Republican hold |
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County results Stein: 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% 80–90% O'Neill: 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% | |||||||||||||||||
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The 2020 North Carolina Attorney General election was held on November 3, 2020, to elect the attorney general of North Carolina, concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the United States Senate and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
Party primary elections were held on March 3, 2020.
Incumbent Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein, first elected in 2016, ran for re-election against Republican Forsyth County District Attorney Jim O'Neill.[14] With a narrow margin separating Stein and O'Neill, the Associated Press was finally able to call Stein the winner on Nov. 17, 2020 (two weeks after Election Day).[15]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Jim O'Neill | 338,567 | 46.55% | |
Republican | Sam Hayes | 226,453 | 31.14% | |
Republican | Christine Mumma | 162,301 | 22.31% | |
Total votes | 727,321 | 100.00% |
This primary was canceled because Attorney General Josh Stein was uncontested.[17]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Josh Stein (incumbent) | 2,713,400 | 50.13% | −0.14% | |
Republican | Jim O'Neill | 2,699,778 | 49.87% | +0.14% | |
Total votes | 5,413,178 | 100.00% | N/A | ||
Democratic hold |
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County results Rosenblum: 40-50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Cross: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | ||||||||||||||||
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The 2020 Oregon Attorney General election was held on November 3, 2020, to elect the attorney general of Oregon. Incumbent Democratic Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum was originally appointed to the role by former Governor John Kitzhaber on June 29, 2012 to finish the term of her predecessor John Kroger, who resigned from office.[19] She was elected to a full term in 2012 and re-elected in 2016. This office is not subject to term limits, and Rosenblum won a third full term, defeating Republican activist Michael Cross who led an unsuccessful 2019 attempt to recall Governor Kate Brown.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Michael Cross | 279,909 | 96.71% | |
Republican | Write-ins | 9,537 | 3.29% | |
Total votes | 289,446 | 100.0% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Ellen Rosenblum (incumbent) | 483,273 | 99.04% | |
Democratic | Write-ins | 4,661 | 0.96% | |
Total votes | 487,934 | 100.0% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Ellen Rosenblum (incumbent) | 1,264,716 | 55.97% | +0.79% | |
Republican | Michael Cross | 934,357 | 41.35% | −0.04% | |
Libertarian | Lars Hedbor | 52,087 | 2.30% | −0.88% | |
Write-in | 8,490 | 0.38% | +0.08% | ||
Total votes | 2,259,650 | 100.0% | |||
Democratic hold |
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County results Shapiro: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 80–90% Heidelbaugh: 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% 80-90% | |||||||||||||||||
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The 2020 Pennsylvania Attorney General was held on November 3, 2020. Primary elections were originally due to take place on April 28, 2020. However, following concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States including Pennsylvania, the primaries were delayed until June 2, 2020.[22] Incumbent Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro defeated Republican Heather Heidelbaugh to win a second term.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Heather Heidelbaugh | 1,055,168 | 100.0% | |
Total votes | 1,055,168 | 100.0% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Josh Shapiro (incumbent) | 1,429,414 | 100.0% | |
Total votes | 1,429,414 | 100.0% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Josh Shapiro (incumbent) | 3,461,215 | 50.85% | −0.56% | |
Republican | Heather Heidelbaugh | 3,153,677 | 46.33% | −2.28% | |
Libertarian | Daniel Wassmer | 120,478 | 1.77% | N/A | |
Green | Richard Weiss | 71,069 | 1.04% | N/A | |
Total votes | 6,806,439 | 100.0% | |||
Democratic hold |
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County results Reyes: 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% 80-90% Skordas: 40-50% 50-60% | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2020 Utah Attorney General election was held on November 3, 2020 along with several federal and state elections.
Incumbent Attorney General Sean Reyes was re-elected to a third term, defeating Democratic nominee Greg Skordas and Libertarian nominee Rudy Bautista.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Sean Reyes (incumbent) | 275,212 | 54.04% | |
Republican | David O. Leavitt | 234,036 | 45.96% | |
Total votes | 509,248 | 100% |
Greg Skordas ran unopposed for the nomination.
Defense attorney Rudy Bautista won the nomination.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Sean Reyes (incumbent) | 878,853 | 60.58% | ||
Democratic | Greg Skordas | 489,500 | 33.74% | ||
Libertarian | Rudy Bautista | 82,444 | 5.68% | ||
Total votes | 1,450,797 | 100.00% | |||
Republican hold |
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County results Donovan: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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The 2020 Vermont Attorney General election was held on November 3, 2020 along with several federal and state elections.
Incumbent Democratic Attorney General T. J. Donovan won re-election in a landslide over Republican H. Brooke Paige.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | T.J. Donovan (incumbent) | 94,198 | 99.1 | |
Democratic | Other | 885 | 0.9 | |
Total votes | 95,083 | 100.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | H. Brooke Paige | 21,572 | 49.4% | |
Republican | Emily Peyton | 20,376 | 46.7% | |
Republican | Other | 1,707 | 3.9% | |
Total votes | 43,655 | 100.0% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Progressive | Cris Ericson | 409 | 59.1% | |
Progressive | Other | 283 | 40.9% | |
Total votes | 692 | 100.0% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
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Democratic | T.J. Donovan (incumbent) | 234,081 | 63.10% | ||
Republican | H. Brooke Paige | 94,892 | 25.58% | ||
Progressive | Chris Ericson | 15,846 | 4.27% | ||
Total votes | 344,819 | 100.00% | |||
Democratic hold |
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County results Ferguson: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Larkin: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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The 2020 Washington Attorney General election was held on November 3, 2020 along with several federal and state elections.
Incumbent Attorney General Bob Ferguson ran for re-election. He finished first in the open primary, receiving 56% of the vote, and then defeated primary runner-up Republican Matt Larkin in the general election.
Primary election | ||||
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Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | Bob Ferguson (incumbent) | 1,356,225 | 55.8 | |
Republican | Matt Larkin | 575,470 | 23.7 | |
Republican | Brett Rogers | 296,843 | 12.2 | |
Republican | Mike Vaska | 199,826 | 8.2 | |
Write-in | 2,372 | 0.1 | ||
Total votes | 2,430,736 | 100.0 | ||
General election | ||||
Democratic | Bob Ferguson (incumbent) | 2,226,418 | 56.43 | |
Republican | Matt Larkin | 1,714,927 | 43.47 | |
Write-in | 3,968 | 0.1 | ||
Total votes | 3,945,313 | 100 | ||
Democratic hold |
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County results Morrisey: 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% 80-90% Petsonk: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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The 2020 West Virginia Attorney General election was held on November 3, 2020 along with several federal and state elections.
Republican incumbent Patrick Morrisey ran for re-election after being re-elected with 51.6% of the vote in 2016. He was unopposed in the Republican primary and faced Democrat Sam Petsonk on election day. He defeated Petsonk in a landslide.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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Republican | Patrick Morrisey (incumbent) | 175,837 | 100.0% | |
Total votes | 175,837 | 100.0% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Sam Petsonk | 86,849 | 50.04% | |
Democratic | Isaac Sponaugle | 86,704 | 49.96% | |
Total votes | 173,553 | 100.0% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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Republican | Patrick Morrisey (incumbent) | 487,250 | 63.77% | |
Democratic | Sam Petsonk | 276,798 | 36.23% | |
Total votes | 764,048 | 100.0% |