Georgia Governor (General Election)
Toss-upOpen Seat
General election candidates
- DKeisha Lance Bottoms(won Democratic primary; former director of the Office of Public Engagement)
- RRick Jackson(won Republican primary runoff; healthcare executive)
2026 governor elections
36 states and 3 territories elect a governor on November 3, 2026. Who holds each seat, who is running and how forecasters rate each race.
39Governor races
17Incumbents running
21Open seats
2Toss-ups
4Rated to change party
Forecast ratings
- Safe Democratic
- Likely Democratic
- Leans Democratic
- Toss-up
- Leans Republican
- Likely Republican
- Safe Republican
- No 2026 race
Ratings are forecasts by Sabato's Crystal Ball, University of Virginia Center for Politics, as of Oct 22, 2026, not results or this site’s view. Striped states are rated in favor of the party that doesn’t hold the seat now. Territories are not rated.
Every race
39 of 39 races
Nevada Governor (General Election)
Toss-up
General election candidates
- DAaron Ford(won Democratic primary; currently serves as Nevada attorney general)
- RJoe Lombardo(won Republican primary; incumbent governor)
- IDanielle Ford(member of the Nevada State Board of Education)
Alaska Governor (General Election)
Leans DOpen Seat
General election candidates
- DJonathan Kreiss-Tomkins(advanced from the top-four primary; former state representative from the 35th district)
- RDave Bronson(advanced from the top-four primary; former mayor of Anchorage)
- RTreg Taylor(advanced from the top-four primary; former Alaska Attorney General)
- RBernadette Wilson(advanced from the top-four primary; waste management company founder and conservative activist)
Arizona Governor (General Election)
Leans D
General election candidates
- DKatie Hobbs(won Democratic primary; incumbent governor)
- RAndy Biggs(won Republican primary; U.S. Representative)
- GRisa Lombardo(won Green primary; former Arizona Republican Party precinct committee member)
- NLTeri Hourihan(won No Labels primary; therapist)
Florida Governor (General Election)
Leans ROpen Seat
General election candidates
- DDavid Jolly(won Democratic primary; former Republican U.S. representative from Florida's 13th congressional district)
- RByron Donalds(won Republican primary; U.S. Representative)
- LScott Jewett(entrepreneur)
- ICharles Burkett(former Mayor of Surfside)
- IFrank J. Russo
- IMoliere Dimanche(author)
- IDean Ocean Abrams
- IJeffery Peter "Dr. Jeff" Datto
Iowa Governor (General Election)
Leans DOpen Seat
General election candidates
- DRob Sand(won Democratic primary; currently serves as Iowa auditor of state)
- RZach Lahn(won Republican primary; businessman)
Kansas Governor (General Election)
Leans ROpen Seat
General election candidates
- DCindy Holscher(won Democratic primary; currently serves as state senator from the 8th district)
- RTy Masterson(won Republican primary; currently serves as president of the Kansas Senate)
Ohio Governor (General Election)
Leans DOpen Seat
General election candidates
- DAmy Acton(won Democratic primary; former director of the Ohio Department of Health)
- RVivek Ramaswamy(won Republican primary; founder of Roivant Sciences)
- LDon Kissick(won Libertarian primary; television station operator)
Oregon Governor (General Election)
Leans D
General election candidates
- DTina Kotek(won Democratic primary; incumbent governor)
- RChristine Drazan(won Republican primary; currently serves as state senator)
- GBrett Smith(welder)
Texas Governor (General Election)
Leans R
General election candidates
- DGina Hinojosa(won Democratic primary; currently serves as state representative from the 49th district)
- RGreg Abbott(won Republican primary; incumbent governor)
- LPat Dixon(former chair of the Libertarian Party of Texas)
Wisconsin Governor (General Election)
Leans DOpen Seat
General election candidates
- DDavid Crowley(won Democratic primary; currently serves as Milwaukee County Executive)
- RTom Tiffany(won Republican primary; U.S. Representative)
Alabama Governor (General Election)
Likely ROpen Seat
General election candidates
- DDoug Jones(won Democratic primary; former U.S. senator)
- RTommy Tuberville(won Republican primary; U.S. Senator)
Maine Governor (General Election)
Likely DOpen Seat
General election candidates
- DHannah Pingree(won Democratic primary; former director of the Maine Governor's Office of Policy Innovation)
- RBobby Charles(won Republican primary; lawyer and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State)
- IRick Bennett(currently serves as state senator)
Michigan Governor (General Election)
Likely DOpen Seat
General election candidates
- DJocelyn Benson(won Democratic primary; currently serves as Michigan secretary of state)
- RJohn James(won Republican primary; U.S. Representative)
- LAnthony Hudson(nominated at Libertarian convention; truck driver)
- USTDonna Brandenburg(nominated at U.S. Taxpayers convention; businesswoman and U.S. Taxpayers Party nominee for governor in 2022)
- GDouglas Campbell(nominated at Green convention; engineer)
Nebraska Governor (General Election)
Likely R
General election candidates
- DLynne Walz(won Democratic primary; former state senator from the 15th district)
- RJim Pillen(won Republican primary; incumbent governor)
- LMNRick Beard(won Legal Marijuana NOW primary; private chef)
- AFBrett Lindstrom(advanced from the primary; former state senator from the 18th district)
New Hampshire Governor (General Election)
Likely R
General election candidates
- DCinde Warmington(won Democratic primary; former New Hampshire Executive Councilor)
- RKelly Ayotte(won Republican primary; incumbent governor)
- LStephen Villee(software developer)
Oklahoma Governor (General Election)
Likely ROpen Seat
General election candidates
- DCyndi Munson(won Democratic primary; currently serves as minority leader of the Oklahoma House of Representatives)
- RMike Mazzei(won Republican primary runoff; former Oklahoma Secretary of Budget)
Vermont Governor (General Election)
Likely R
General election candidates
- DAmanda Janoo(won Democratic primary; economist)
- RPhil Scott(won Republican primary; incumbent governor)
Arkansas Governor (General Election)
Safe R
General election candidates
- DFredrick Love(won Democratic primary; currently serves as state senator from SD-15)
- RSarah Huckabee Sanders(won Republican primary; incumbent governor)
- LColt Shelby(won Libertarian primary; farmer)
California Governor (General Election)
Safe DOpen Seat
General election candidates
- DXavier Becerra(advanced from the top-two primary; former Attorney general of California)
- RSteve Hilton(advanced from the top-two primary; political commentator and former adviser to UK prime minister David Cameron)
Colorado Governor (General Election)
Safe DOpen Seat
General election candidates
- DPhil Weiser(won Democratic primary; currently serves as attorney general of Colorado)
- RVictor Marx(won Republican primary; ministry leader)
- ACStephen Hamilton
- IGreg Lopez(former U.S. representative from CO-4)
- LEric Mulder
- UJeff Peckman(won Unity primary; UFO disclosure activist)
- AVErik Underwood
Connecticut Governor (General Election)
Safe D
General election candidates
- DNed Lamont(won Democratic primary; incumbent governor)
- RRyan Fazio(won Republican primary; currently serves as state senator from the 36th district)
Hawaii Governor (General Election)
Safe D
General election candidates
- DJosh Green(won Democratic primary; incumbent governor)
- RGary Cordery(won Republican primary; businessman)
Idaho Governor (General Election)
Safe R
General election candidates
- DTerri Pickens(won Democratic primary; attorney)
- RBrad Little(won Republican primary; incumbent governor)
- IJohn Stegner(former justice of the Idaho Supreme Court)
Illinois Governor (General Election)
Safe D
General election candidates
- DJB Pritzker(won Democratic primary; incumbent governor)
- RDarren Bailey(won Republican primary; former state senator from the 55th district)
- ICollin Corbett
Maryland Governor (General Election)
Safe D
General election candidates
Massachusetts Governor (General Election)
Safe D
General election candidates
- DMaura Healey(won Democratic primary; incumbent governor)
- RMichael Minogue(won Republican primary; former CEO of Abiomed)
- IAndrea James(criminal justice nonprofit executive)
Minnesota Governor (General Election)
Safe DOpen Seat
General election candidates
- DAmy Klobuchar(won Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary; U.S. Senator)
- RLisa Demuth(won Republican primary; currently serves as speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives)
- GSteve Young(member of the Minneapolis Food Council)
New Mexico Governor (General Election)
Safe DOpen Seat
General election candidates
- DDeb Haaland(won Democratic primary; former secretary of the interior)
- RGregg Hull(won Republican primary; former mayor of Rio Rancho)
New York Governor (General Election)
Safe D
General election candidates
- DKathy Hochul(won Democratic primary; incumbent governor)
- RBruce Blakeman(won Republican primary; currently serves as Nassau County executive)
Pennsylvania Governor (General Election)
Safe D
General election candidates
- DJosh Shapiro(won Democratic primary; incumbent governor)
- RStacy Garrity(won Republican primary; currently serves as Pennsylvania state treasurer)
- LKen Krawchuk(nominated at Libertarian convention; member of the Libertarian Party Judicial Committee)
Rhode Island Governor (General Election)
Safe D
General election candidates
- DHelena Foulkes(won Democratic primary; former CVS executive)
- RAaron Guckian(won Republican primary; former chair of the Warwick Sewer Authority)
- IKen Block(founder of the Moderate Party of Rhode Island)
- IJasjit Gotra(businessman)
- ICD Reynolds(perennial candidate)
South Carolina Governor (General Election)
Safe ROpen Seat
General election candidates
- DJermaine Johnson(won Democratic primary; currently serves as state representative from the 80th district)
- RAlan Wilson(won Republican primary runoff; currently serves as attorney general of South Carolina)
- GWalid Hakim
- UCMichael Addison
South Dakota Governor (General Election)
Safe R
General election candidates
- DDan Ahlers(won Democratic primary; executive director of the South Dakota Democratic Party)
- RLarry Rhoden(won Republican primary runoff; incumbent governor)
Tennessee Governor (General Election)
Safe ROpen Seat
General election candidates
- DJerri Green(won Democratic primary; currently serves as Memphis city councilor from the 2nd district)
- RMarsha Blackburn(won Republican primary; U.S. Senator)
- IDavid Hatley(businessman)
Wyoming Governor (General Election)
Safe ROpen Seat
General election candidates
- DKenneth Casner(won Democratic primary; candidate for governor in 2002 and 2018)
- REric Barlow(won Republican primary; currently serves as state senator from the 23rd district)
Guam Governor (General Election)
Open Seat
General election candidates
- DTherese Terlaje(won Democratic primary; currently serves as territorial legislator)
- RVicente Ada(won Republican primary; state senator)
Northern Mariana Islands Governor (General Election)
Open Seat
General election candidates
- RRalph Torres(former governor)
- IBlas T. Attao(former speaker of the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives)
- ILawrence F. Camacho(currently serves as commissioner of education)
U.S. Virgin Islands Governor (General Election)
Open Seat
General election candidates
- DStacey Plaskett(won Democratic primary; Delegate to the U.S. House)
No governor’s race in 2026
- DelawareGov. Matt Meyer DemocraticNext election: 2028
- IndianaGov. Mike Braun RepublicanNext election: 2028
- KentuckyGov. Andy Beshear DemocraticNext election: 2027
- LouisianaGov. Jeff Landry RepublicanNext election: 2027
- MississippiGov. Tate Reeves RepublicanNext election: 2027
- MissouriGov. Mike Kehoe RepublicanNext election: 2028
- MontanaGov. Greg Gianforte RepublicanNext election: 2028
- New JerseyGov. Mikie Sherrill DemocraticNext election: 2029
- North CarolinaGov. Josh Stein DemocraticNext election: 2028
- North DakotaGov. Kelly Armstrong RepublicanNext election: 2028
- UtahGov. Spencer Cox RepublicanNext election: 2028
- VirginiaGov. Abigail Spanberger DemocraticNext election: 2029
- WashingtonGov. Bob Ferguson DemocraticNext election: 2028
- West VirginiaGov. Patrick Morrisey RepublicanNext election: 2028
Governors, incumbents, term limits and primary dates: National Governors Association (nga.org). Candidates on the general election ballot, how each got there and the office they hold: each race’s Wikipedia article (2026 gubernatorial elections); write-in candidates aren’t listed, and each state’s election office certifies its official ballot. 2024 presidential margins: Federal Election Commission, official 2024 results. Ratings: Sabato's Crystal Ball, University of Virginia Center for Politics. America, in numbers is independent and not affiliated with any of these organizations.