US Governor Election Results by State 2026 show Democrats flipping five governorships (Georgia, Iowa, Nevada, Ohio and Texas) and winning or leading 23 of the 36 races held on November 3, 2026, enough for a majority of the nation’s governorships for the first time in 16 years. Republicans held 12 states, Alaska was still undecided, and the narrowest margins were Kansas (0.6 points), Florida (1.3) and Tennessee (2.5), with all figures unofficial and still being counted on November 4, 2026.
US Governor Election Results by State 2026 – Introduction
US Governor Election Results by State 2026 cover 36 gubernatorial races held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Republicans entered the night with a 26–24 edge in governorships, and each party had 18 seats on the ballot. Fifteen of the 36 incumbents were term-limited, and several governors who could run again did not.
This report is current as of the morning of November 4, 2026. It uses NBC News and Associated Press race calls, ABC News projections, MultiState Elections tallies, Stateline and Wikipedia’s 2022 results for comparison. Every vote share is unofficial and carries the share of votes reporting where known. Where a race had not been called in the sources reviewed, the table says “leading”, not “won”. Territorial and DC races are not included.
Interesting Facts About US Governor Election Results by State 2026
GOVERNOR RACES BY PARTY OUTCOME, 36 STATES (NOV 4, 2026)
Democratic wins or leads (23) ████████████████████████████████████████ 23
of which flips from R (5) █████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 5
Republican holds (12) █████████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 12
Undecided (Alaska) ██░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 1
| Metric | 2026 Data Point |
|---|---|
| Governor races on November 3, 2026 | 36 |
| Governors before the election (R / D) | 26 / 24 |
| Races won or led by Democrats | 23 (including 5 flips) |
| Races won or led by Republicans | 12 |
| Race still undecided | 1 (Alaska, ranked-choice count) |
| Democratic flips | Georgia, Iowa, Nevada, Ohio, Texas |
| Republican flips | None called |
| Incumbent governors defeated in the general election | 2 (Abbott, Lombardo) |
| Races decided by under 5 points | 6 (KS, FL, TN, NH, AL, SC) |
| Largest margin | Wyoming, +53.9 (Barlow R) |
| Estimated governors after the election (D / R) | 29 / 21 (range 28–30 for Democrats) |
Data source: NBC News 2026 governor results (Associated Press data, retrieved November 4, 2026); ABC News live results; MultiState Elections; Stateline (November 4, 2026); Wikipedia, 2022 United States gubernatorial elections. Counts and margins are report calculations.
Democrats won or led 23 of the 36 races, and 5 of those were flips from Republicans. They also defended 18 seats they held before the election, with Kansas the only one still very close. Republicans won 12 states, including Florida, Tennessee and South Carolina by single-digit margins. Alaska’s result depends on a ranked-choice count.
Two sitting governors lost general elections: Greg Abbott in Texas and Joe Lombardo in Nevada. In 2022 only one incumbent, Nevada’s Steve Sisolak, lost, so 2026 doubled that. Democrats’ estimated total rises to 29 governors from 24, assuming Kansas holds and Alaska stays Republican. These rows frame US Governor Election Results by State 2026 as a Democratic gain across red and purple states.
Democratic Governor Wins by State 2026: Winners and Margins
DEMOCRATIC MARGIN OF VICTORY OR LEAD (POINTS)
Hawaii (Green) ████████████████████████████████████████ 49.4
Maryland (Moore) ███████████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 29.4
Massachusetts (Healey) ███████████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 28.8
California (Becerra) ██████████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 28.0
Colorado (Weiser) ██████████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 27.3
Illinois (Pritzker) ██████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 23.0
Pennsylvania (Shapiro) ██████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 21.9
New York (Hochul) ████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 20.4
Maine (Pingree) ███████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 18.4
Connecticut (Lamont) ██████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 17.6
New Mexico (Haaland) ███████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 14.4
Arizona (Hobbs) ██████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 13.1
Minnesota (Klobuchar) ██████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 13.0
Iowa (Sand) █████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 11.0
Georgia (Lance Bottoms) ███████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 8.6
Ohio (Acton) ██████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 7.9
Nevada (Ford) ██████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 7.5
Texas (Hinojosa) ██████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 7.3
Wisconsin (Crowley) █████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 6.8
Oregon (Kotek) █████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 6.2
Kansas (Holscher) █░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 0.6
| State | Democrat | Vote Share | Opponent (R) | Margin | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Katie Hobbs | 55.7% | Biggs 42.6% | +13.1 | Projected hold |
| California | Xavier Becerra | 64.0% | Hilton 36.0% | +28.0 | Leading (59.3% in) |
| Colorado | Phil Weiser | 60.9% | Marx 33.6% | +27.3 | Leading (76.9% in) |
| Connecticut | Ned Lamont | 58.8% | Fazio 41.2% | +17.6 | Projected hold |
| Georgia | Keisha Lance Bottoms | 54.3% | Jackson 45.7% | +8.6 | Flip, projected |
| Hawaii | Josh Green | 74.7% | Cordery 25.3% | +49.4 | Leading (77.2% in) |
| Illinois | JB Pritzker | 59.8% | Bailey 36.8% | +23.0 | Leading (90.8% in) |
| Iowa | Rob Sand | 55.5% | Lahn 44.5% | +11.0 | Flip, projected |
| Kansas | Cindy Holscher | 50.3% | Masterson 49.7% | +0.6 | Leading (97.9% in); not called in sources reviewed |
| Maine | Hannah Pingree | 55.2% | Charles 36.8% | +18.4 | Leading (86.1% in) |
| Maryland | Wes Moore | 62.7% | Cox 33.3% | +29.4 | Leading (78.3% in) |
| Massachusetts | Maura Healey | 62.7% | Minogue 33.9% | +28.8 | Leading (80.9% in) |
| Michigan | Jocelyn Benson | 54.5% | James (R) | Not stated | Projected hold |
| Minnesota | Amy Klobuchar | 55.6% | Demuth 42.6% | +13.0 | Projected hold |
| Nevada | Aaron Ford | 51.7% | Lombardo 44.2% | +7.5 | Flip, AP projects |
| New Mexico | Deb Haaland | 57.2% | Hull 42.8% | +14.4 | Leading (98.0% in) |
| New York | Kathy Hochul | 60.1% | Blakeman 39.7% | +20.4 | Leading (87.6% in) |
| Ohio | Amy Acton | 52.3% | Ramaswamy 44.4% | +7.9 | Flip, projected |
| Oregon | Tina Kotek | 51.7% | Drazan 45.5% | +6.2 | Leading (75.1% in) |
| Pennsylvania | Josh Shapiro | 60.3% | Garrity 38.4% | +21.9 | Projected hold |
| Rhode Island | Helena Foulkes | 57.5% | Guckian 13.3% | +44.2 vs the Republican | Leading (97.1% in) |
| Texas | Gina Hinojosa | 52.9% | Abbott 45.6% | +7.3 | Flip, projected |
| Wisconsin | David Crowley | 53.4% | Tiffany 46.6% | +6.8 | Projected hold |
Data source: NBC News 2026 governor results (Associated Press data) and MultiState Elections, retrieved November 4, 2026; ABC News projections. Margins are report calculations. Rhode Island’s margin is against the Republican, not the second-place independent.
Democrats won or led in 23 states. The widest margins were in Hawaii (+49.4), Maryland (+29.4), Massachusetts (+28.8), California (+28.0) and Colorado (+27.3). Ten of the 23 Democratic wins came by more than 18 points, so many were never in doubt. The five Democratic-held seats in states Trump won in 2024 (Arizona, Kansas, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin) were the main defensive battleground, and Democrats won or led in all five.
The smallest Democratic margins came in Kansas (+0.6), Oregon (+6.2) and Wisconsin (+6.8). Kansas, where term-limited Gov. Laura Kelly leaves office, was leading for Holscher at 97.9% reporting but was not called in the sources reviewed. Oregon’s 51.7% to 45.5% rests on 75.1% of votes. Wisconsin’s David Crowley won by 6.8 points after Gov. Tony Evers retired. These rows are the Democratic side of US Governor Election Results by State 2026.
Republican Governor Wins by State 2026: Winners and Margins
REPUBLICAN MARGIN OF VICTORY OR LEAD (POINTS)
Wyoming (Barlow) ████████████████████████████████████████ 53.9
South Dakota (Rhoden) ████████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 27.0
Idaho (Little) ██████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 25.0
Arkansas (Huckabee Sanders)███████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 15.3
Nebraska (Pillen) ██████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 8.3
Vermont (Scott) █████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 7.0
Oklahoma (Mazzei) ████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 6.1
South Carolina (Wilson) ███░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 4.5
Alabama (Tuberville) ███░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 4.2
New Hampshire (Ayotte) ███░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 3.9
Tennessee (Blackburn) ██░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 2.5
Florida (Donalds) █░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 1.3
| State | Republican | Vote Share | Opponent (D) | Margin | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Tommy Tuberville | 52.1% | Jones 47.9% | +4.2 | Leading (98.7% in) |
| Alaska | Undecided | Wilson 29.2% first choice | Kreiss-Tomkins 49.2% first choice | Ranked-choice count pending | 73.9% in |
| Arkansas | Sarah Huckabee Sanders | 53.9% | Love 38.6% | +15.3 | Projected hold |
| Florida | Byron Donalds | 50.0% | Jolly 48.7% | +1.3 | Projected hold |
| Idaho | Brad Little | 57.2% | Pickens 32.2% | +25.0 | Leading (94.3% in) |
| Nebraska | Jim Pillen | 50.6% | Walz 42.3% | +8.3 | Leading (90.9% in) |
| New Hampshire | Kelly Ayotte | 51.1% | Warmington 47.2% | +3.9 | Leading (90.1% in) |
| Oklahoma | Mike Mazzei | 52.0% | Munson 45.9% | +6.1 | Leading (98.2% in) |
| South Carolina | Alan Wilson | 51.6% | Johnson 47.1% | +4.5 | Leading (99.0% in) |
| South Dakota | Larry Rhoden | 63.5% | Ahlers 36.5% | +27.0 | Leading (99.0% in) |
| Tennessee | Marsha Blackburn | 45.5% | Green 43.0% | +2.5 | Won; independent Hatley 9.3% |
| Vermont | Phil Scott | 52.6% | Janoo 45.6% | +7.0 | Leading (99.0% in) |
| Wyoming | Eric Barlow | 68.6% | Casner 14.7% | +53.9 | Leading (97.0% in) |
Data source: NBC News 2026 governor results (Associated Press data) and MultiState Elections, retrieved November 4, 2026; ABC News projections. Margins are report calculations. The Alaska row shows first-choice shares before ranked-choice tabulation.
Republicans held 12 states and kept 5 of them by under 5 points: Florida (+1.3), Tennessee (+2.5), New Hampshire (+3.9), Alabama (+4.2) and South Carolina (+4.5). That is a sharp narrowing in states Trump carried comfortably in 2024. In Tennessee, Marsha Blackburn won with only 45.5% because independent David Hatley took 9.3%. In Vermont and New Hampshire, which Kamala Harris carried in 2024, Republican incumbents Phil Scott and Kelly Ayotte held on.
Alaska is the one open seat. Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins led the first-choice count with 49.2% at 73.9% reporting, but Republicans split their vote among several candidates and the state uses ranked-choice voting. Because the winner depends on how voters ranked their second choices, a call may take days. If Alaska goes Democratic, the Democratic total would reach 30. US Governor Election Results by State 2026 therefore remain open in one state.
Governor Party Flips 2026: Georgia, Iowa, Nevada, Ohio and Texas
SHARE OF VOTE: 2022 REPUBLICAN WINNER VS 2026 DEMOCRATIC WINNER (%)
Georgia 2022 R (Kemp) ██████████████████████████████████░░░░░░ 53.4
Georgia 2026 D ██████████████████████████████████░░░░░░ 54.3
Iowa 2022 R (Reynolds) ████████████████████████████████████████ 58.0
Iowa 2026 D ██████████████████████████████████████░░ 55.5
Nevada 2022 R (Lombardo) ██████████████████████████████░░░░░░░░░░ 48.8
Nevada 2026 D ████████████████████████████████░░░░░░░░ 51.7
Ohio 2022 R (DeWine) ████████████████████████████████████████ 62.4
Ohio 2026 D ████████████████████████████████░░░░░░░░ 52.3
Texas 2022 R (Abbott) ██████████████████████████████████░░░░░░ 54.8
Texas 2026 D █████████████████████████████████░░░░░░░ 52.9
| State | 2022 Winner | 2026 Winner | 2026 Margin | How the Seat Opened |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | Brian Kemp (R), 53.4% | Keisha Lance Bottoms (D), 54.3% | +8.6 | Kemp term-limited |
| Iowa | Kim Reynolds (R), 58.0% | Rob Sand (D), 55.5% | +11.0 | Reynolds retired |
| Nevada | Joe Lombardo (R), 48.8% | Aaron Ford (D), 51.7% | +7.5 | Incumbent defeated |
| Ohio | Mike DeWine (R), 62.4% | Amy Acton (D), 52.3% | +7.9 | DeWine term-limited |
| Texas | Greg Abbott (R), 54.8% | Gina Hinojosa (D), 52.9% | +7.3 | Incumbent defeated |
Data source: Wikipedia, 2022 United States gubernatorial elections and 2026 United States gubernatorial elections (candidate and incumbent status); NBC News and MultiState Elections (2026 results, November 4, 2026); Stateline.
Democrats flipped 5 governorships, all from Republicans and all in states Donald Trump carried in 2024. Georgia elected Keisha Lance Bottoms, who becomes the first Black woman elected governor in US history and the first Democratic governor there since 2002. Iowa elected Rob Sand, the first Democratic governor since 2006. Nevada elected Aaron Ford, the state’s first Black governor, and Ohio elected Amy Acton, the state’s first woman governor. In Texas, Gina Hinojosa unseated Greg Abbott.
Ohio shows the largest swing. DeWine won 62.4% in 2022, while Republican Vivek Ramaswamy took 44.4% this time, a drop of 18.0 points in the Republican share (report calculation). Iowa’s Republican share fell 13.5 points from Reynolds’s 58.0% to Lahn’s 44.5%. Texas’s Abbott dropped from 54.8% to 45.6%. Ramaswamy, whom Trump and Vice President Vance backed, lost Ohio. These swings define US Governor Election Results by State 2026.
Closest and Biggest Governor Races 2026: Narrow Margins and Landslides
SIX NARROWEST RACES (POINTS)
Kansas (D lead) █░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 0.6
Florida (R) ███░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 1.3
Tennessee (R) ██████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 2.5
New Hampshire (R) █████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 3.9
Alabama (R) ██████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 4.2
South Carolina (R) ███████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 4.5
| Group | State and Margin |
|---|---|
| Narrowest (under 5 points) | Kansas +0.6 (D), Florida +1.3 (R), Tennessee +2.5 (R), New Hampshire +3.9 (R), Alabama +4.2 (R), South Carolina +4.5 (R) |
| Next narrowest (5–10 points) | Oklahoma +6.1 (R), Oregon +6.2 (D), Wisconsin +6.8 (D), Vermont +7.0 (R), Texas +7.3 (D), Nevada +7.5 (D), Ohio +7.9 (D), Nebraska +8.3 (R), Georgia +8.6 (D) |
| Landslides (over 25 points) | Wyoming +53.9 (R), Hawaii +49.4 (D), Rhode Island +44.2 (D vs R), Maryland +29.4 (D), Massachusetts +28.8 (D), California +28.0 (D), South Dakota +27.0 (R), Colorado +27.3 (D) |
| Count of races under 10 points | 15 of 34 with reported margins |
| Count of races decided by 20 points or more | 12 |
Data source: NBC News 2026 governor results (Associated Press data) and MultiState Elections, retrieved November 4, 2026. Counts are report calculations from the tables above; Michigan’s margin and Alaska’s result are not included.
Fifteen of the 34 races with reported margins were within 10 points. Six were within 5, and five of those six were Republican wins. Democrats’ largest gains came where Republican margins shrank sharply, not only in the five flips. Florida’s 1.3-point margin in a state Trump won comfortably in 2024 shows how far the national environment moved.
Twelve races were decided by 20 points or more, and those landslides were mostly in deep-blue or deep-red states. Wyoming’s 53.9-point margin is the widest, and Hawaii follows at 49.4. Landslides do not change control of any seat. The tight races, plus Kansas, decide the final count of US Governor Election Results by State 2026.
Governor Balance of Power 2026: Democrats Win a Majority of Governorships
GOVERNORS BY PARTY, BEFORE AND AFTER (50 STATES, ESTIMATED)
Before: Republican ██████████████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 26
Before: Democratic ████████████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 24
After: Republican █████████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 21
After: Democratic █████████████████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░ 29
| Measure | Before November 3 | After (Estimated) |
|---|---|---|
| Republican governors | 26 | 21 (range 20–22) |
| Democratic governors | 24 | 29 (range 28–30) |
| Seats not up in 2026 (R / D) | 8 / 6 | 8 / 6 |
| Seats up in 2026 (R / D) | 18 / 18 | 12 + Alaska / 23 |
| Democratic net gain | Not applicable | +5 |
| Majority of governorships | Republican | Democratic, first time in 16 years |
Data source: Wikipedia, 2026 United States gubernatorial elections (seats before: 26 R, 24 D); NBC News and Stateline (November 4, 2026). The after-election range assumes Kansas holds for Democrats (28 if it flips) and Alaska goes Republican (30 if Democratic). Counts are report calculations.
Republicans began with 26 governors to 24 for Democrats. With 14 governors not up for election (8 Republicans and 6 Democrats), Democrats’ 23 wins or leads in the 36 races lift their total to 29 (report calculation). NBC News and Stateline report Democrats clinched a majority of the nation’s governorships for the first time since 2010, after a 16-year Republican majority. The Democratic Governors Association had said it expected to hold a majority.
The estimate carries a range. If Kansas’s narrow lead reverses, Democrats would have 28. If Alaska elects Kreiss-Tomkins, they would have 30. Majority control of governorships matters for redistricting vetoes, budget fights and responses to federal policy, though governors do not control Congress. The final 2026 count of US Governor Election Results by State 2026 will be certified by state election officials in the coming weeks.
US Governor Election Results by State 2026 FAQ
Who Won the Most Governor Races in 2026?
Democrats won or led 23 of 36 races, including 5 flips from Republicans. Republicans won 12, and Alaska was undecided.
Which States Flipped Governors in 2026?
Georgia, Iowa, Nevada, Ohio and Texas flipped from Republican to Democratic. No state was called as a flip to Republicans.
Did Democrats Win a Majority of Governorships in 2026?
Yes. Democrats will hold an estimated 29 of 50 governorships, their first majority in 16 years, according to NBC News and Stateline.
Who Won the Texas Governor Race in 2026?
Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated incumbent Greg Abbott, 52.9% to 45.6%, with 96.3% of votes reporting.
Who Won the Georgia Governor Race in 2026?
Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms won 54.3% to 45.7% over Republican Rick Jackson. She is the first Black woman elected governor in US history.
Who Won the Florida Governor Race in 2026?
Republican Byron Donalds won 50.0% to 48.7% over Democrat David Jolly, a 1.3-point margin.
Who Won the Ohio Governor Race in 2026?
Democrat Amy Acton defeated Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, 52.3% to 44.4%. She is Ohio’s first woman governor.
Who Won the Kansas Governor Race in 2026?
Democrat Cindy Holscher led Republican Ty Masterson 50.3% to 49.7% with 97.9% reporting. The race was the closest in the country and was not called in the sources reviewed.
Who Won the Tennessee Governor Race in 2026?
Republican Marsha Blackburn won with 45.5%, ahead of Democrat Jerri Green at 43.0% and independent David Hatley at 9.3%.
Who Won the Alaska Governor Race in 2026?
It was undecided on November 4, 2026. Alaska uses ranked-choice voting, and Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins led the first-choice count with 49.2% at 73.9% reporting.
Which Governors Lost Reelection in 2026?
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo (R). Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee (D) lost his primary in September.
Are the 2026 Governor Election Results Final?
No. All figures are unofficial and still being counted as of November 4, 2026. States certify final results in the weeks after the election.
Disclaimer: This research report is compiled from publicly available sources. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is given as to the completeness or reliability of the information. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions, losses, or damages of any kind arising from the use of this report.