Governor News & Analysis

2026 Gubernatorial Overview (Feb. 6, 2025): Beyond the Beltway

February 6, 2025 · 2:30 PM EST

By Jacob Rubashkin & Nathan L. Gonzales

The biggest potential for turnover in the 2026 midterms isn’t in Congress. It’s not even in Washington, DC, but in the states hosting 38 gubernatorial races over the next two years, including at least 14 open seats. 

The 36 races taking place in…

2026 Gubernatorial Overview (Feb. 6, 2025): Alabama - Illinois

February 6, 2025 · 2:29 PM EST

ALABAMA. Open; Kay Ivey (R), term-limited. Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth appears the likeliest to run out of a deep bench of Alabama Republicans that also includes state Agriculture Commissioner Rick Pate, former state Secretary of State John Merrill, and former Veterans Affairs commissioner Kent Davis. But looming over the entire…

2026 Gubernatorial Overview (Feb. 6, 2025): New York - Wyoming

February 6, 2025 · 2:27 PM EST

NEW YORK. Kathy Hochul, assumed office August 2021, elected 2022 (52%). Hochul escaped an upset loss to Rep. Lee Zeldin in 2022 but remains in a difficult political position after 2024, a mixed bag of a year for New York Democrats that saw Trump make significant gains but Democrats also…

Virginia Governor: Historic No Matter What

by Jacob Rubashkin January 24, 2025 · 2:30 PM EST

Democrats reeling from Donald Trump’s election and the GOP sweep of Congress will have their first chance to bounce back this fall, when voters in Virginia will choose a successor to term-limited GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

Old Dominion’s gubernatorial races always attract a national spotlight, both because of the commonwealth’s…

Report Shorts (Jan. 24, 2025)

January 24, 2025 · 2:27 PM EST

Alabama Governor. Gov. Kay Ivey is term-limited, setting up a competitive GOP primary to replace her. Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth had said he’d make up his mind in February or March, but now says he’ll wait until the upcoming legislative session ends in May. Agriculture Commissioner Rick Pate said he’d…

Governor & House Report Shorts (Jan. 9, 2025)

January 9, 2025 · 2:26 PM EST

California’s 9th District. Strength coach John McBride, a Republican who placed third in the 2024 all-party primary with 13 percent, filed to run against Rep. Josh Harder a second time in this northern California seat.

California’s 40th District. Art gallery owner Esther Kim Varet filed paperwork to run as a…

Report Shorts (December 19, 2024)

December 19, 2024 · 2:29 PM EST

Florida’s 7th District. The House Ethics Committee is investigating GOP Rep. Cory Mills, but it’s not clear what he potentially did wrong. Mills just won re-election by 14 points in the Central Florida seat, and Donald Trump finished ahead of Kamala Harris by 12.5 points, according to elections analyst Matt…

Podcast Episode 37: 2024 Election Hits & Misses, Nebraska 2, Online Scams

December 13, 2024 · 1:50 PM EST

Nathan Gonzales and Jacob Rubashkin talk about what they got right (and wrong) in the 2024 elections, do a deep dive into one of the most competitive House races in the country and how Rep. Don Bacon was able to survive, and look ahead to the 2026 fight for the…

Podcast Episode 36: 2024 Election Results & Analysis w/ Amy Walter of The Cook Political Report

November 19, 2024 · 5:05 PM EST

Nathan Gonzales, Jacob Rubashkin, and Amy Walter of The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter discuss the 2024 election results including the fights for the White House, Senate, and House. In addition, Jacob finally gets around to watching L.A. Confidential, Amy talks about the hottest ticket in Washington, D.C. and…

2024 Governor Results Recap

November 15, 2024 · 2:26 PM EST

Delaware. Open; John Carney Jr. (D) term-limited. New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer will be the First State’s next governor after defeating former state Rep. Mike Ramone by 12 points, 56-44 percent. Carney was elected mayor of Wilmington after running unopposed in the general election.

Indiana. Open;…