Gubernatorial Races to Watch in 2026

Although much national attention in the 2026 midterms will be on the top prize—control of Congress—a series of gubernatorial races will also be held across the country.

In the House, and increasingly the Senate, Democrats have seen favorable signs as President Donald Trump’s approval rating remains in the low 40s.

However, state-level politics often involve different dynamics than federal elections and can be more insulated from broader national issues.

There are competitive primaries on both sides of the aisle, and in competitive states such as Georgia, Michigan, and Wisconsin, general election matchups will likely draw significant spending from both sides.

Here are the races to watch.

Georgia

Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, is at the end of his second term as Georgia’s executive, leaving the race open.

As Georgia has become a pivotal swing state in recent election cycles, a crowded field is vying for both major parties’ nominations.

The GOP primary field is led by Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.

Raffensperger has been a controversial figure in Republican politics since the 2020 election, when he was involved in disputes with Trump over the legitimacy of the results in the state.

The Democratic side includes former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, former state Sen. Jason Esteves, state Reps. Derrick Jackson and Ruwa Romman, and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

Duncan was formerly a Republican, but switched to the Democratic Party, citing the changes that the GOP has seen under Trump.

Trump won the Peach State by less than 2 percentage points in 2024.

Michigan

In Michigan, a swing state that Trump won by less than 2 percentage points in 2024 after losing it in 2020, both sides’ primaries are full of candidates vying to replace outgoing Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat who is term-limited.

Given Michigan’s high status in national politics and the impact the governor could exert on future elections, both sides are likely to pour substantial resources into the race.

The GOP field includes Rep. John James (R-Mich.), former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox, state Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt, and former Michigan House Speaker Tom Leonard. James dominates the group, leading by a commanding margin.

Democrats running include Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist.

Polls show Benson with a substantial lead in the primary.

Wisconsin

In the neighboring Badger State, another battleground in national politics, several candidates have announced their intention to pursue the nomination to replace outgoing Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat.

Evers is term-limited in the state, which backed Trump by a narrow margin in 2024.

On the Democratic side, only Wisconsin Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski has announced a run.

Among Republicans, Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.), Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann, and medical service technician Andy Manske have announced a bid for the office.

Trump won the Badger State by less than 1 percentage point in 2024. By comparison, Evers carried the state by about 4 points in 2022.

Arizona

Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, is running for reelection in the national battleground state.

Hobbs has a long history in Arizona state politics, having previously served as secretary of state before becoming governor in 2022.

The Republican primary includes Karrin Taylor Robson, who unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2022, and Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.). Trump has endorsed both of them.

An Emerson College poll shows Biggs overwhelmingly leading the GOP field, but Hobbs narrowly winning against him and Robson. The same poll shows the incumbent governor’s approval rating at 44 percent, with 40 percent unfavorable.

Trump won Arizona by a little less than 6 percentage points in 2024.

Nevada

In Nevada, another national swing state in recent cycles, Gov. Joe Lombardo, a Republican, is running for reelection and has been endorsed by Trump.

Lombardo won with 49 percent of the vote to Democratic incumbent Steve Sisolak’s 47 percent in 2022. Before Sisolak’s election in 2018, the executive mansion had been occupied by Republicans since 1999.

Only a handful of Democrats have announced bids for the nomination so far, including Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford and Washoe County Commission Chair Alexis Hill.

Trump won the Silver State by a little more than 3 percentage points in 2024, ending the state’s two-decade streak of supporting Democratic presidential candidates.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire has long had an unusual partisan division between its state and federal races.

In national elections, including for the U.S. House and Senate, New Hampshire voters have often favored Democrats. However, in local and state elections, Republicans have fared far better.

Unlike in most states, Granite State voters reelect a governor every two years rather than every four years.

That means that incumbent Gov. Kelly Ayotte, a Republican, will face off against a Democrat to maintain control of the governor’s mansion after she and her party won sweeping gains in the 2024 elections despite then-Vice President Kamala Harris carrying the state by 3 percent in the presidential election.

Jon Kiper, a former town councilor and 2024 gubernatorial candidate, is the only one so far to enter the Democratic primary.

An August poll showed Ayotte’s approval rating at 47 percent, with 46 percent disapproving of her job performance.

California

The race to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat whose final term as governor will end in 2026, has begun to heat up as several Democrats vie for the chance to lead America’s wealthiest state.

The top candidates for the Democratic nomination in the Democrat-dominated state include Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), former Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.), Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, billionaire and former presidential candidate Tom Steyer, and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Harris, who served as California attorney general and a U.S. senator from the state ahead of her ascent to the vice presidency, passed on a run after much consideration.

The GOP field includes former Fox News host Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.

Florida

In Florida, the second term of Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, is set to come to a close, leaving the race to succeed the popular governor wide open.

Once considered the most important swing state in national politics, Florida has increasingly veered toward Republicans in recent years, voting for Trump by a double-digit margin in 2024.

On the GOP side, Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) is running with Trump’s endorsement.

Declared competitors for the nomination include Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett, business executive James Fishback, and former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner.

A Victory Insights poll shows Donalds with a commanding lead in the primary.

The Democratic field includes Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and former Rep. David Jolly, who represented Florida in Congress as a Republican from 2014 to 2017.

A victory in the race would require Democrats to achieve a more than 20-point swing to overcome DeSantis’s record-setting margins in 2022.

New York

In the Empire State, Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, is seeking reelection.

Hochul ascended to the governorship in 2021 following the departure of Gov. Andrew Cuomo amid a sexual harassment scandal.

She later won reelection to a full term in 2022. However, it was a narrow victory, meaning that Republicans are likely to devote resources to the race.

The Republican frontrunner is Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) entered the race in November 2025 but then dropped out.

On Dec. 19, Stefanik said she did not want to go through “an unnecessary and protracted” primary, preferring to be at home with her son.

Following Stefanik’s announcement, Trump endorsed Blakeman.

“Bruce is [Make America Great Again] all the way, and has been with me from the very beginning,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Democrats are favored in the state.

Ohio

In the Buckeye State, which Trump won by double digits in 2024, polls are showing a governor’s race that is on track to be much closer.

Entrepreneur and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is the overwhelming favorite on the GOP side, having been endorsed by Trump, Ohio’s senators, and the House GOP members from Ohio.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, has not endorsed Ramaswamy.

The Democratic field is led by former Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton.

The RealClearPolitics average shows Ramaswamy beating Acton by 1 percentage point.