2026 United States gubernatorial elections

Going into the election, there are 26 Republican governors and 24 Democratic governors in the United States. This class of governors is made up of 18 Republicans and 18 Democrats. Republicans are defending two governorships in states that Kamala Harris won in 2024 (New Hampshire and Vermont). Democrats are defending five governorships in states that Donald Trump won in 2024 (Arizona, Kansas, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin). == Retirements ==

As of March 2026, five governors—three Democrats, one Republican, and one Independent—have announced they will not seek reelection. == Predictions ==

Several sites and individuals published predictions of competitive seats. These predictions looked at factors such as the strength of the incumbent (if the incumbent was running for reelection) and the other candidates, and the state's partisan lean (reflected in part by the state's Cook Partisan Voting Index rating). The predictions assigned ratings to each seat, indicating the predicted advantage that a party had in winning that seat. Most election predictors used: • "tossup": no advantage • "tilt" (used by some predictors): advantage that is not quite as strong as "lean" • "lean": slight advantage • "likely": significant, but surmountable, advantage • "safe" or "solid": near-certain chance of victory" after the incumbent's name. See Template:USRaceRating for how to apply rating. --> == Race summary ==

States Territories and federal district ==Alabama==

Governor Kay Ivey, a Republican, was re-elected in 2022 with 67.4% of the vote. She will be term-limited by the Constitution of Alabama in 2026 and cannot seek re-election to a third consecutive full term. Republican U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville entered the gubernatorial race in May 2025, joined by former candidate for Alabama's 6th congressional district in 2024 Ken McFeeters and event center operations manager Will Santivasci.. Democratic candidates include former U.S. Senator Doug Jones; the 2022 gubernatorial nominee Yolanda Flowers; Will Boyd, a former city councilor of Greenville, Illinois, and the nominee for Alabama Lieutenant Governor in 2018 and for U.S. Senate in 2022; pastor Ja'Mel Brown; candidate for governor in 2022 Chad Chig Martin; and former state representative Nathan Mathis. Should Jones and Tuberville win their respective primaries, the gubernatorial election will be a rematch of the 2020 United States Senate election, which saw Tuberville defeat Jones. ==Alaska==

Governor Mike Dunleavy, a Republican, was re-elected in 2022 with 50.3% of the vote. He will be term-limited by the Constitution of Alaska in 2026 and cannot seek re-election to a third consecutive term. Republican candidates include former state senator Click Bishop; former commissioner of the Alaska Department of Revenue Adam Crum; state senator Shelley Hughes; businesswoman Bernadette Wilson For the Democrats, Tom Begich, a former state senator who was the Democratic leader in the State Senate, has announced a campaign, as has District H state senator Matt Claman and former state representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins. former Democratic U.S. Representative Mary Peltola also considered a gubernatorial bid, but in January announced a campaign for Alaska's U.S. Senate seat in 2026. ==Arizona==

Governor Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, was elected in 2022 with 50.3% of the vote. Starting with this election cycle, gubernatorial candidates will be required to nominate a running mate for the newly established office of Lieutenant Governor. Hobbs is running for re-election to a second term and is the presumptive nominee, as no other candidates successfully filed for the Democratic primary. U.S. Representatives from Arizona's 5th congressional district Andy Biggs and Arizona's 1st congressional district David Schweikert, as well as business owner Ken Miceli are running in the Republican primary. Former Democratic state representative Leezah Sun and health care entrepreneur Hugh Lytlehas have announced a campaigns as independents. ==Arkansas==

Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, a Republican, was elected in 2022 with 63.1% of the vote. She is seeking re-election to a second term and ran unopposed for the Republican nomination. State senator Fredrick Love defeated former Walmart executive Supha Xayprasith Mays in the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026. Farmer Colt Shelby is running in the general election as a Libertarian. ==California==

Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom was re-elected in 2022 with 59.2% of the vote. He is term-limited by the California Constitution in 2026, and cannot seek re-election to a third term. There are currently over sixty candidates appearing on the June 2026 primary ballot. Democratic candidates include former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and former California Attorney General Xavier Becerra; San Jose mayor Matt Mahan; former congresswoman for California's 47th congressional district Katie Porter; businessman and 2020 presidential candidate Tom Steyer; State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond; and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. U.S. representative Eric Swalwell initially announced a campaign in November 2025, but withdrew and resigned from Congress in April 2026 amid sexual assault allegations, with his name still on the ballot. Former state Controller Betty Yee also withdrew from the race in April 2026 and will remain on the ballot. Former Vice President of the United States and 2024 Democratic nominee for President Kamala Harris had considered running, but ultimately decided not to enter the race. Republican candidates include Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, political commentator Steve Hilton, and businessman Leo Zacky. Butch Ware, the Green Party's 2024 vice presidential nominee, announced his candidacy but did not meet the requirements to appear on the primary ballot and is instead running as a write-in candidate. ==Colorado==

Governor Jared Polis, a Democrat, was re-elected in 2022 with 58.5% of the vote. He will be term-limited by the Colorado Constitution in 2026 and cannot seek re-election to a third consecutive term. U.S. Senator for Colorado Michael Bennet and State Attorney General Phil Weiser have each announced their candidacy for the Democratic nomination. Former U.S. Representative for Colorado's 4th congressional district Greg Lopez initially announced his campaign as a Republican but later left the party in January 2026 and is continuing his campaign as an independent. ==Connecticut==

Governor Ned Lamont, a Democrat, was re-elected in 2022 with 56% of the vote. Because Connecticut does not have gubernatorial term limits in its Constitution, Lamont has announced that he is running for a third term. State representative for the 88th district Josh Elliott has announced that he is challenging Lamont in the Democratic primary. State senator for the 36th district Ryan Fazio, former lieutenant governor of New York Betsy McCaughey and New Britain mayor Erin Stewart have announced their candidacies for the Republican nomination. ==Florida==

Republican Governor Ron DeSantis was re-elected in 2022 with 59.4% of the vote. He is term-limited by the Florida Constitution in 2026 and cannot seek re-election to a third consecutive term. U.S. representative for Florida's 19th congressional district Byron Donalds announced his candidacy on February 25, 2025, becoming the first major Republican to enter the race. Former Republican U.S. representative for Florida's 13th congressional district David Jolly, a staunch critic of Trump, joined the Democratic Party in 2025 and announced his candidacy June 2025. ==Georgia==

Republican Governor Brian Kemp was re-elected in 2022 with 53.4% of the vote. He is term-limited by the Georgia Constitution in 2026 and cannot seek re-election to a third consecutive term. Attorney General Chris Carr, Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger have announced bids for the Republican nomination. On the Democratic side, former state senator Jason Esteves, former Mayor of Atlanta and former director of the White House Office of Public Engagement Keisha Lance Bottoms, former DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer and 2010 nominee for U.S. Senate Mike Thurmond, and state representative Derrick Jackson have all announced campaigns. Former Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan, a Republican critic of Donald Trump, has switched to the Democratic Party and is running for governor. ==Hawaii==

Governor Josh Green, a Democrat, was elected in 2022 with 63.2% of the vote. He is eligible to run for re-election, but has not yet stated if he will do so. ==Idaho==

Governor Brad Little, a Republican, was re-elected in 2022 with 60.5% of the vote. Because Idaho does not have gubernatorial term limits in its Constitution, he is running for re-election to a third term. Attorney Terri Pickens, who was the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor in 2022, is running for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. Former Twin Falls Transit Coordinator Maxine Durand is running as an independent, with the backing of local branches of the Democratic Socialists of America. ==Illinois==

Governor JB Pritzker, a Democrat, was re-elected in 2022 with 54.9% of the vote and is running for a third term. With Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton seeking Illinois's U.S. Senate seat in 2026, Pritzker's running mate is former state representative Christian Mitchell. Pritzker won the Democratic nomination unopposed. On the Republican side, former state senator and 2022 Republican nominee for governor Darren Bailey secured the nomination against former vice president of policy for the Illinois Policy Institute Ted Dabrowski, DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick, and real estate developer Rick Heidner. ==Iowa==

Governor Kim Reynolds, a Republican, was re-elected in 2022 with 58.1% of the vote. While she is eligible to run for re-election to a third full term, she has decided not to run. Republican candidates include state representative Eddie Andrews, U.S. Representative for Iowa's 4th congressional district Randy Feenstra, former director of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services Adam Steen, farmer Zach Lahn, and former state representative Brad Sherman. On the Democratic side, State Auditor Rob Sand declared his candidacy in May 2025 and is the presumptive nominee, as the only candidate to file by the deadline. He is also the only Democratic statewide officeholder in Iowa. ==Kansas==

Governor Laura Kelly, a Democrat, was re-elected in 2022 with 49.5% of the vote. She will be term limited by the Kansas Constitution and cannot seek re-election to a third consecutive term. State senators Ethan Corson and Cindy Holscher are running for the Democratic nomination, with Corson receiving Governor Kelly's endorsement. Teacher Marty Tuley is also running. U.S. Representative from Kansas's 3rd congressional district Sharice Davids has expressed interest in mounting a campaign. Candidates for the Republican nomination include former Governor Jeff Colyer, State Senate President Ty Masterson, Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt, Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, and Johnson County Commissioner Charlotte O'Hara. ==Maine==

Governor Janet Mills, a Democrat, was re-elected in 2022 with 55.4% of the vote. She will be term-limited by the Maine Constitution, and cannot seek re-election to a third consecutive term. Democratic candidates include Secretary of State Shenna Bellows; former State Senate President Troy Jackson; businessman Angus King III, the son of independent U.S. Senator and former Maine governor Angus King; former State House Speaker Hannah Pingree, the daughter of U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree; and former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention principal deputy director Nirav Shah. On the Republican side, candidates include healthcare executive and member of the Bush family Jonathan Bush; former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Robert Charles; real estate businessman David Jones; state senator and candidate for governor in 2002 James Libby; former Maine Senate majority leader and candidate for governor in 2018 Garrett Mason; entrepreneur Owen McCarthy; businessman Ben Midgley; and former Paris selectman Robert Wessels. Two state legislators have left their parties to seek the Blaine House as independents: state senator Rick Bennett, formerly a Republican, and state representative Ed Crockett, formerly a Democrat. Environmental scientist and activist John Glowa and Derek Levasseur, a former law enforcement officer are also running as independents. == Maryland ==

Governor Wes Moore, a Democrat, was elected in 2022 with 64.5% of the vote. He is running for re-election to a second term. Moore is being challenged in the Democratic primary by physician Eric Felber. A number of Republicans are vying for the party's nomination: businessman Carl Brunner, former state delegate and 2022 nominee Dan Cox, businessman Ed Hale, and John Myrick, a candidate for U.S. Senate in 2024, have announced their candidacies for governor. ==Massachusetts==