Governor Election News

Find Governor Election News covering candidates seeking to lead state governments, their policy priorities, campaign promises, debates, and election results. See how gubernatorial races intersect with education, state spending, public safety, and economic policy.
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  • news

    Major Republican Enters New York Governor Race
    After months of teasing a run, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., has entered the race to unseat Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2026. “Elise Stefanik will clean up Kathy Hochul’s catastrophe and restore New York’s greatness,” says a narrator in Stefanik’s announcement video, released just days after democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani won New York City’s mayoral…
    George Caldwell
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  • news

    Sherrill Holds NJ Governorship for Democrats
    The Associated Press has called the New Jersey governor’s election for U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill. On Wednesday, The Associated Press was reporting Sherrill with about 56% of the vote compared with Jack Ciattarelli’s approximately 43%. With 95% of the vote counted, Sherrill earned more than 1.7 million votes, and Ciattarelli garnered 1.3 million. The race…
    Jacob Adams
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  • news

    BREAKING: Abigail Spanberger Wins Virginia Governor’s Race
    Democrat Abigail Spanberger has won the Virginia governor’s race, defeating Republican Winsome Earle-Sears, numerous outlets project. “Tonight, we sent a message,” Spanberger said in her victory speech. “Virginia chose pragmatism over partisanship. We chose our commonwealth over chaos. You all chose leadership that will focus relentlessly on what matters most: lowering costs, keeping our communities…
    Tyler O’Neil
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  • opinion

    Republicans’ Surprising Performances in Key Governor Races
    Virginia’s and New Jersey’s gubernatorial races show the Republican candidates currently matching or beating Donald Trump’s past presidential margins. This is big for these state races and for gauging the overall country’s mood. It could be bigger still if it presages a Republican threat to Democrats’ “second blue wall” in 2026 and 2028. In Virginia,…
    J.T. Young
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  • news

    Affordability Concerns Dominate Close Race for Governor in New Jersey
    Rising energy prices and record-high property taxes are among the top issues driving voters to the polls in a close, competitive gubernatorial election set for Tuesday. Jack Ciattarelli, a businessman and former Republican assemblyman who nearly unseated incumbent Democrat Gov. Phil Murphy in 2021, is taking on Rep. Mikie Sherrill, the Democrat nominee. While New…
    Kevin Mooney
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  • opinion

    CIA AGENT VS MARINE: What to Know About the Virginia Governor’s Race
    Virginia voters will elect a new governor Tuesday, and no matter which of the two major candidates wins, she will become the first woman to head the executive branch in Richmond. Abigail Spanberger, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Democrat nominee, currently leads in most polling. Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears,…
    Tyler O’Neil
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  • news

    NY GOP Congresswoman Leads Incumbent Democrat for Governor, Poll Finds
    In a surprising showing, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., is leading incumbent Democrat New York Gov. Kathy Hochul in a recent independent poll pitting the two New Yorkers against one another in a hypothetical governor’s race. The poll, conducted by the Manhattan Institute between Oct. 22 and Oct. 26, found Stefanik garnering 43% support among a…
    Jacob Adams
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  • news

    Trump Endorses Republican Winsome Earle-Sears to Be Governor of Virginia 
    Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears has been awaiting backing from President Donald Trump in her tight race for governor of Virginia, and with just 15 days left until the election, the president has now given her his support.  “I think the Republican candidate is very good and I think she should win because the Democrat…
    Virginia Grace McKinnon
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  • news

    Clintons to Help Raise Funds for Spanberger in Virginia Governor’s Race
    Bill and Hillary Clinton have found a new candidate for office to support—Virginia Democrat gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger. Spanberger, a former three-term member of Congress, is set to attend a fundraiser on Monday afternoon in McLean, Virginia. The event will be hosted by former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe and his wife, Dorothy, along with former…
    Virginia Grace McKinnon
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  • news

    5 Key Takeaways From the Virginia Governor Debate
    Virginia governor candidates, Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and Democrat former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, went head-to-head at Norfolk State University Thursday night, debating political violence, transgender issues, the government shutdown, and more. Nexstar’s WAVY-TV hosted the debate, with WAVY-TV’s Tom Schaad and WRIC-TV’s Deanna Allbrittin as moderators. Spanberger repeatedly refused to answer questions, while Earle-Sears…
    Tyler O’Neil
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  • opinion

    Why School Board Elections May Be Just as Critical as Virginia’s Governor’s Race
    September was not a good month for the advocates of government schools—across the nation and here in Virginia. In Des Moines, Iowa, the city’s school superintendent was the subject of a high-speed car chase followed by a K-9 manhunt leading to his capture. Why? He’s been in the country illegally since 2000 and has been…
    Joe Thomas
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  • news

    Virginia Governor’s Race Sees Rise in New Donors
    As the final stretch of the race to Richmond approaches, the Virginia gubernatorial campaigns are seeing a rise in new donors. The governor’s race has attracted more first-time donors than a Virginia gubernatorial election has seen since 2013.  Sixty-three percent of Republican nominee Winsome Earle-Sears’ donors are new. She has attracted almost four times the…
    Virginia Grace McKinnon
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  • opinion

    The Poll Numbers Are Changing in Virginia’s Race for Governor, Lieutenant Governor
    So much of the media coverage of a political cycle revolves around (or devolves into) stories about polls and fundraising totals, and this story is no different. Well, … it’s a little different. >>> Sign up for our Virginia email newsletter In a poll of 512 Virginia likely voters conducted Sept. 3-5, Winsome Earle-Sears, the…
    Joe Thomas
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  • news

    Maine Governor Ponders Senate Bid Against Collins
    Democrat Maine Gov. Janet Mills is reportedly interviewing people to staff a possible Senate campaign challenge against five-term Republican Sen. Susan Collins in 2026. Mills, 77, is expected to make a final decision about attempting to unseat Collins by November. She has had a long career in Maine politics, including serving as governor since 2019….
    Jacob Adams
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  • news

    South Carolina Rep Explains Why He’s Exiting Congress to Run for Governor
    Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina will have to leave Capitol Hill behind to run for governor in his home state, but he says the work he would do in the state capital, Columbia, would build off his conservative record in Congress. “I see the challenges coming to South Carolina … . We need to…
    George Caldwell
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  • opinion

    One Picture Worth Just 15 Words Could Change the Entire Virginia Governor’s Race
    While the expression is “a picture is worth a thousand words,” as the race for Virginia’s next governor heats up, could it be worth only 15? That’s not due to inflation. It’s just that sometimes, 15 words may be all that are needed to change the course of history. >>> Sign up for our Virginia…
    Joe Thomas
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  • news

    Pennsylvania Congressman, Governor Spar Over Food Stamp Costs, Error Rates
    Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., is taking Democrat Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro to task over what the congressman says is the mismanagement of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which he says wasted $450 million in 2024.  “In 2024, Pennsylvania paid more than $450 million in SNAP [food stamp] benefits incorrectly, a combination of both overpayments and…
    Jacob Adams
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  • news

    Arizona Republican Ponders Leaving Swing District for Governor’s Race
    Rep. David Schweikert, R-Ariz., is weighing jumping into the GOP primary in Arizona’s governor race in 2026, potentially leaving his swing district seat vulnerable to a Democrat pickup. Schweikert, 63, who was first elected in 2010 as part of the Republican wave election, comes from a battleground district where he was narrowly reelected in 2024….
    Jacob Adams
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  • news

    Ohio Governor Sending National Guard to Assist in Fighting Crime in DC
    President Donald Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi are on a mission to curb crime in the nation’s capital, and it turns out they’re getting an assist from Republican governors. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is among those announcing over the weekend that he would be sending the National Guard to help. DeWine’s announcement that Ohio…
    Rebecca Downs
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  • opinion

    Why the Virginia Police Association Backed Democrat Spanberger for Governor
    This week, the Virginia Police Benevolent Association announced its endorsements for the three statewide executive races in Virginia. One of the endorsements raised eyebrows, as it was for Democrat Abigail Spanberger for governor. Four years ago, the association endorsed Republican Glenn Youngkin, and in 2017, it endorsed Republican Ed Gillespie, and in 2013, it was…
    Joe Thomas
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