In addition to the congressional midterms, there are 36 governor’s races being decided Tuesday Nov. 8. Voters will choose their next state executive, ultimately giving the winner a big say in key issues including education, abortion rights and public safety.
Here are the biggest governor’s races to watch.
1. Arizona
Candidates:
Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, D
Kari Lake, R
Gov. Doug Ducey, R, is term limited. The last time he ran in 2018, he won by nearly 18 points.
But a lot has changed since then. President Biden turned Arizona blue in 2020, after he won by less than a half a percent, and both of the state’s Senate seats have flipped from Republican to Democrat.
This year’s governor’s race is between the Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs and former news anchor Kari Lake, a Trump-backed Republican.
According to The Cook Political Report, this race is a toss-up.
2. Georgia
Incumbent: Gov. Brian Kemp, R
Challenger: Stacey Abrams, D
It’s a rematch. Incumbent Gov. Brian Kemp won this contest in 2018 by about 1.5%. Democratic challenger Stacey Abrams is trying again, although she never conceded defeat the first time.
But just like Arizona, it’s a very different political landscape. In 2020, Joe Biden became the first Democrat to win Georgia in a presidential election since 1992, and two democrats ousted Republican incumbents to win both Senate seats.
Gov. Kemp is Georgia’s former Secretary of State and Trump opposed him in the primary. Stacey Abrams was the State Speaker of the House and has the backing of the whole Democratic party.
The Cook Political Report says this race is leaning in Kemp’s favor.
3. Wisconsin
Incumbent: Gov. Tony Evers, D
Challenger: Tim Michels, R
Gov. Evers flipped this seat in 2018 when he won by a little over a point. President Biden won by less than a point in 2020. That’s why The Cook Political Report calls this race a toss-up.
Evers is being challenged by Tim Michels, a Trump-backed army veteran who owns a construction company. Wisconsin has gone back and forth between Republican and Democratic control, but heading into this election, Republicans hold majorities in both the state’s Assembly and Senate.
4. Nevada
Incumbent: Gov. Steve Sisolak, D
Challenger: Sheriff Joe Lombardo, R
This race is a toss up according to Cook. Three polls conducted in August all came back within the margin of error, two showing Sisolak on top, the other showing Lombardo with the lead.
Gov. Sisolak flipped the seat in 2018. He served on the Nevada Board of Regents and then as the Chairman of the Clark County Commission. His win as governor gave democrats control of the Assembly, Senate and governor’s mansion in Nevada for the first time since 1992.
Sheriff Lombardo has a history of service. He served in the Army, National Guard and Army Reserve. Lombardo spent 26 years with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department before being elected Clark County Sheriff in 2014.
Both of these men worked together to help carry Las Vegas through the October 2017 mass shooting, which left 60 people dead and more than 850 wounded.
5. Pennsylvania
Candidates:
Attorney General Josh Shapiro, D
State Sen. Doug Mastriano, R
Incumbent Gov. Tom Wolf, D, is term limited and has to retire after winning his 2018 election by nearly 17%. While Wolf dominated, other statewide elections in Pennsylvania including those for president, have been much closer.
Shapiro has been involved in Pennsylvania politics since 2005 when he won a seat in the State Assembly. Shapiro was also a Montgomery County Commissioner before becoming the state’s Attorney General.
Mastriano made his entry into statewide politics in 2018 when he joined the Senate after a nearly three decade long career in the Army.
According to the Cook Political Report, this race leans in favor of Democrats.
6. Texas
Incumbent: Gov. Greg Abbott, R
Challenger: Beto O’Rourke, D
Beto is trying again for statewide office in Texas. O’Rourke represented El Paso in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2013 until 2019 when he attempted to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz, R. After losing the Senate race he ran for president in the Democratic primary but dropped out.
Abbott is running for his third term, he has also been the Texas Attorney General and sat on the state Supreme Court. He won his last election in 2018 by more than 13%.
Gov. Abbott will likely be the winner, according to Cook.
