Politics

36 States Hold Governor Races in 2026 Midterms, Many Open Seats

By Evan Semones

In the 2026 midterm elections, 36 U.S. states will elect their governors, the most powerful state officials. A record number of these contests involve open seats, with 19 incumbents either term‑limited or choosing not to run. California’s Democratic governor Gavin Newsom is term‑limited, while Iowa’s Republican governor Kim Reynolds has opted out. Governors oversee state departments, propose budgets, appoint senior officials, direct agencies, and can sign or veto legislation. They also influence reproductive rights; after the 2022 Supreme Court ruling that removed a constitutional right to abortion, state governors have played a key role in shaping abortion policy. The Guttmacher Institute notes that about a dozen governors have issued executive orders to mitigate the impact of abortion bans, providing immediate protections for providers and patients. Governors also affect election administration, sometimes appointing election officials or signing laws that change voting rules. They can challenge federal policies in court or negotiate with Washington over funding and program requirements, influencing the implementation of federally funded initiatives such as the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion. Some governors have used their office as a springboard to the presidency; at least 17 former U.S. presidents, including Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush, previously served as governors. However, only 53 percent of governors who sought the presidency won the nomination, and some, like New Jersey’s former governor Chris Christie, withdrew from presidential races amid controversies. The 2026 governor races are also seen as a preview for the 2028 presidential election. Newsom, who cannot run for a third term, is widely speculated to be a Democratic frontrunner for 2028, while other governors such as Maryland’s Wes Moore and Pennsylvania’s Josh Shapiro are also in re‑election campaigns that could signal future presidential ambitions.