Governor News & Analysis

Gubernatorial Report Shorts (Nov. 1, 2018)

November 1, 2018 · 2:29 PM EDT

Alaska. Open; Bill Walker (I), not seeking re-election. Independent Gov. Bill Walker dropped his re-election bid, boosting the prospects of former Democratic Sen. Mark Begich. The two men were at risk of dividing Democratic and left-of-center voters, which would have allowed Republican Mike Dunleavy to win with less than 50…

Republican Migraines and the Midterm Elections

by Nathan L. Gonzales October 14, 2018 · 8:45 AM EDT

Weather metaphors are often used (and overused) in election analysis, but there’s a better way to describe the Republicans’ challenge in 2018. The GOP is dealing with many headaches as it tries to preserve the Republican congressional majorities.

From tension to cluster to migraine, they can vary in frequency and…

2018 Election Preview: GOP Bump or Trend?

October 12, 2018 · 2:30 PM EDT

By Nathan L. Gonzales and Leah Askarinam

With less than a month before Nov. 6, the fundamentals of these midterm elections are set and broadly good news for Democrats. But with dozens of close races around the country, a shift of just a couple points across the board is the…

Gubernatorial Report Shorts (Oct. 12, 2018)

October 12, 2018 · 2:27 PM EDT

Arizona. Doug Ducey (R), elected 2014 (53%). The governor and his GOP allies are enjoying a tremendous spending advantage on television in the final weeks of the campaign — $13 million to $500,000. It’s tough to see how Democrat David Garcia is going to overcome that dynamic in a state…

Education Takes Leading Role in Governor’s Races

by Leah Askarinam October 4, 2018 · 1:14 PM EDT

As teacher protests in West Virginia, Arizona, Oklahoma, and Kentucky fade from the national spotlight, education continues to shine as a campaign issue as a handful of candidates bring academic credentials to high-profile elections.

Because education is largely considered a state issue, the fallout from teacher strikes throughout the country…

2018 Gubernatorial Overview (Aug. 31, 2018): Mix and Match Opportunities

by Nathan L. Gonzales August 31, 2018 · 11:00 AM EDT

By now it should be clear that the fights for the House and Senate majorities are being played out on two politically different maps. But the race to collect governorships is being fought on yet another battleground.

Democrats need to defend and win GOP-leaning states in order to take back…

2018 Gubernatorial Overview (Aug. 31, 2018): Alabama - Illinois

August 31, 2018 · 10:59 AM EDT

ALABAMA. Kay Ivey (R), assumed governorship April 2017. *Redistricting role. Ivey, the first female governor of Alabama since the late 1960s, ascended to the office when GOP Gov. Richard Bentley resigned in disgrace, so she hasn’t been elected in her own right. But Ivey won the June Republican primary outright…

2018 Gubernatorial Overview (Aug. 31, 2018): Iowa - New Mexico

August 31, 2018 · 10:58 AM EDT

IOWA. Kim Reynolds (R) ascended to office May 2017. *Redistricting role. Reynolds, a former state senator and lieutenant governor, is running for a full term after taking office last year when Gov. Terry Branstad became President Trump’s ambassador to China. She ran unopposed in the GOP primary, while wealthy businessman…

2018 Gubernatorial Overview (Aug. 31, 2018): New York - Wyoming

August 31, 2018 · 10:57 AM EDT

NEW YORK. Andrew Cuomo (D) elected 2010 (63%), 2014 (54%). Sept. 13 primary. *Redistricting role. Actress Cynthia Nixon’s primary challenge to Cuomo has received plenty of national attention, but public polling still shows her distinctly behind with less than two weeks to go. Law professor Zephyr Teachout challenged the governor…

California House: Parties Regroup after Primary

by Nathan L. Gonzales June 14, 2018 · 3:59 PM EDT

Despite the breathless analysis in the run up to California’s Top Two primary, Democrats successfully navigated complicated races and have a nominee in each of their targeted House races. 

Getting locked out of the general election by not finishing in the top two would have been a disappointment and an…