DemDaily: 2026 Governors Races: New Ratings!

September 3, 2026

Thirty-six states and three US territories will elect governors in the November elections -- now just 60 days away.

With only a few state primaries left over the coming weeks, the general election opponents in this year's battleground gubernatorial contests have been decided.

An unprecedented number of governors' mansions are being vacated in 2026 -- with nine Democrats and 10 Republicans term-limited or retiring -- setting the stage for a shift in the balance of power in statehouses nationwide.

The 2026 Governors Races: Republicans and Democrats are each defending eighteen of the 36 state gubernatorial seats up in 2026. Of those, Democrats are trying to hold onto five seats -- Arizona, Kansas, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin -- which Donald Trump won in the 2024 presidential election. Republicans have only two seats -- New Hampshire and Vermont -- to protect in states Kamala Harris won.

Top Targets
Politically, governors are more independent -- in practice and in the eyes of the voters. Eleven states have split partisan control between legislative chambers and the governor's mansion.

The weight of Donald Trump's negatives, however, is being felt by Republican gubernatorial candidates nationwide, with at least eight races shifting in favor of Democrats over the last two months.

Significantly, at least five states -- Georgia, Iowa, Ohio, Maine, and Michigan -- are holding highly competitive contests for both gubernatorial and US Senate elections. The dual elections in Alaska and New Hampshire are also worth watching.

GEORGIA
Governor: In the top targeted open seat to succeed term-limited Republican Governor Brian Kemp, former Biden White House Public Engagement Director and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is in a heated contest with Republican nominee and billionaire healthcare CEO Rick Jackson.

In a major blow to Donald Trump, Jackson -- a political newcomer who self-funded $100 million of his primary race -- defeated the President's endorsed candidate, Lt. Governor Burt Jones, 52.6%-47.4%, in the June 16 runoff election for the Republican nomination.

Bottoms handily won the May 19 Democratic nomination with 56.2%, defeating six other primary contenders. As of July 31, Bottoms had raised $5.7 million, with $770,000 cash on hand.

Jackson had raised $118 million, including roughly $113 million of his own money, with $4.3 million cash on hand. This does not include outside spending by national party committees or super PACs.

An August 16-17 InsiderAdvantage poll of likely 2026 general election voters showed Lance Bottoms in a statistical dead heat with Jackson, 46%-46%, with 8% of Voters undecided (MOE: ±3.46%).

The critical presidential swing state that Joe Biden won by 0.2% in 2020, and which Donald Trump won by 2.2% in 2024, is also hosting one of 2026's most competitive US Senate race -- between incumbent Democrat Jon Ossoff and GOP Challenger Mike Collins.

NEVADA
Governor: First-term Governor Joe Lombardo, one of the GOP's most at-risk incumbents, is running for reelection in the purple-blue battleground state of Nevada.

Nevadians voted Democratic in presidential cycles between 2008 and 2020, before Silver State voters flipped Nevada back to the Republican column in 2024, awarding Trump a 3.1% victory over Harris.

The longtime Sheriff of Clark County, Lombardo unseated Democratic Governor Steve Sisolak in 2022 by just 1.5%. He faces State Attorney General Aaron Ford, who easily won the June 9 Democratic primary with 63.8% of the vote.

As of the end-of-June finance report, Ford had raised over $1.4 million for the campaign and $1.1 million from affiliated super PACs. While a record for a non-incumbent governor, it falls far short of Lombardo's war chest of $16 million, which includes $2.1 million raised directly for his campaign.

On July 29, pro-Lombardo Better Nevada PAC announced a $20 million media buy to run from August through Election Day.

Polling: A July 15–16, 2026 Public Policy Polling survey for the Democratic Governors Association showed Lombardo and Ford in a tie, 44%-44%, with 12% undecided (MOE:±4.2%).

A July 25-29 The Tarrance Group survey for Better Nevada/Republican Governors Association showed Lombardo leading Ford 51%-42% (MOE:±4.0%). If true, Democrats may find their prize flip opportunity slipping away.

Governors serve four-year terms, except for Vermont and New Hampshire, where they serve for two years, but with no term limit. Virginia is the only state that limits its governor to one four-year term. Two-term limits are imposed in 37 states, and 13 have no term limits.

OHIO
In the former top presidential battleground state, which Trump won by 11 points, the open 2026 gubernatorial and US Senate contests -- both considered toss-ups -- have put the Midwest state back in play.

Governor: In the race to succeed term-limited Governor Mike DeWine, former Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton (D) and billionaire tech entrepreneur and former 2024 GOP Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy are in a tight race.

DeWine, a center-right Republican who was reelected by 25 points in 2022, leaves office with a 26% approval rating -- influenced by Trump's net approval rating of -24% (35% approve/59% disapprove) among Ohioans.

Fundraising: As of mid-June, Acton had raised $11.5 million and had $8.1 million cash on hand. Her campaign announced that amount had expanded to a record $18.5 million by early July.

Ramaswamy had raised $9.6 million and made a personal loan of $25.65 million to his campaign, with $26.77 million cash on hand.

Acton, who gained national prominence for her handling of the COVID pandemic as the state's top health official, would be the Buckeye State's first female, and first Jewish, governor. She chose former Ohio Democratic Party Chair David Pepper as her running mate for Lieutenant Governor.

If elected, Ramaswamy would become Ohio's first Indian American and billionaire governor, and the first Hindu governor in the United States. His running mate is Ohio Senate President Rob McColley.

According to an August 11-13 Wedgewood Polls survey of likely voters, Acton and Ramaswamy are in a statistical dead heat at 47%-46%, respectively (MOE:±4%). The same poll showed former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown leading Republican Senator John Husted, 48%-44%.

WISCONSIN
Governor: In the crucial swing state of Wisconsin, which Trump carried by less than 1%, the race to succeed retiring two-term Democratic Governor Tony Evers is among the country's most competitive.

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who had Evers' endorsement, emerged the victor from the crowded and tumultuous August 11 Democratic primary, narrowly defeating State Representative Francesca Hong 39.8% to 39.4%.

According to an August 12-20 Marquette University Law School survey of likely voters, Crowley leads his Republican opponent, four-term GOP Congressman Tom Tiffany (CD-7), 49%-44%, with 7% undecided. The two are tied among all registered voters at 44% each, with 12% undecided (MOE: ±4%).

As of the last fundraising report through July 27, before the contested primary, Crowley had raised close to $1.03 million, with $463,070 cash on hand. His campaign says fundraising has since "surged," including a haul of over $1 million in the first 24 hours after Crowley won the nomination.

Tiffany, who faced only token opposition in the GOP primary, had raised $13.34 million through July, with nearly $5 million cash on hand. $4 million of that came as a transfer from the Wisconsin Republican Party.

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