--- title: Ohio, Texas, Georgia: Where the 7 Top Governor Races Stand description: Ohio, Alaska, and Texas could elect their first Democratic governors in decades. Republicans also have a shot at flipping a state's top executive. canonical: https://time.com/article/2026/10/21/governor-races-to-watch-in-the-midterms/ author: Chantelle Lee article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2026-10-21T18:23:36.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-11-03T17:06:32.000Z article:section: Politics og:title: The 7 Key Governor Races to Watch in the Midterm Elections og:description: Ohio, Alaska, and Texas could elect their first Democratic governors in decades. Republicans also have a shot at flipping a state's top executive. og:url: https://time.com/article/2026/10/21/governor-races-to-watch-in-the-midterms/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt40ce0aacfb719bbb/6ad8ced2ee9a6a5a4fd82a47/Gov-Races-Acton.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: Gov-Races-Acton.jpg og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The 7 Key Governor Races to Watch in the Midterm Elections twitter:description: Ohio, Alaska, and Texas could elect their first Democratic governors in decades. Republicans also have a shot at flipping a state's top executive. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt40ce0aacfb719bbb/6ad8ced2ee9a6a5a4fd82a47/Gov-Races-Acton.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 01:13 video:published: 2026-11-03 section: politics topics: midterm elections, voter turnout, Democratic candidates, Congress, golden age of America, landslide victory, sitting president, campaign rally genre: political speech, campaign appeal tones: urgent, partisan, confident, persuasive emotions: urgency (high), confidence (high), hostility (medium), pride (medium) sentiment: neutral audience: voters, political followers, news viewers, campaign supporters organizations: Democrat Party, Congress content_suitability: politics [00:00-01:13] transcript_source: publisher captions transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # The 7 Key Governor Races to Watch in the Midterm Elections > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. Senior correspondent Philip Elliott brings sharp context to the issues driving the capital, connecting the decisions made in Washington to the institutions, industries and people they affect. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=07d610f2-e558-4d2d-9804-706113eec1c7&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: ‘We Gave This a Very Strong Shot’: Trump Delivers Closing Appeal Before the Midterms [Watch (HLS stream): ‘We Gave This a Very Strong Shot’: Trump Delivers Closing Appeal Before the Midterms](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/I8XDtlvY.m3u8) (1:13)  _Published 2026-11-03. Ohio, Alaska, and Texas could elect their first Democratic governors in decades._ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary The video presents a closing appeal made on the last day before the midterm elections, describing them as the most important midterm in the speaker's lifetime. The speaker characterizes the Democratic slate of candidates as extreme and dangerous and urges voters to decide whether they gain power. He describes the current period as the golden age of America and says Congress must stay strong. He argues that strong turnout among his previous voters would produce a landslide, while acknowledging that the sitting president's party usually does not win midterms. ## Key points - The speaker says it is the last day before the midterm elections and calls them the most important midterm in our lifetime. (00:00) - The speaker claims the Democrat Party has nominated the most extreme and dangerous slate of candidates in American history. (00:06) - The speaker says voters will decide whether these extremists are given power or not. (00:19) - The speaker describes the current time as the golden age of America and says nothing like it has been done before. (00:29) - The speaker says Congress must be kept strong and free. (00:33) - The speaker says that if even a good portion of those who voted for him in the last election vote, the party will win in a landslide. (00:41) - The speaker says the sitting president, whether Republican or Democrat, usually does not win the midterms. (00:53) - The speaker concludes that they gave this a very strong shot. (01:08) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 00:29] Framing the midterms and opponents. The speaker calls the midterms the most important in his lifetime and describes the Democratic candidates as extreme and dangerous. - [00:29 to 01:13] Turnout, landslide and midterm history. The speaker praises the current period, urges strong turnout among his voters, and notes that sitting presidents usually do not win midterms. ## Key quotes - [00:00] Speaker: "As you know, this is" - [00:06] Speaker: "The Democrat Party has nominated" - [00:14] Speaker: "These are the most dangerous candidates ever." - [00:29] Speaker: "I think we're having this is the golden age of America." - [00:48] Speaker: "if they go out and vote just a good portion of them," - [01:08] Speaker: "But we gave this a very strong shot." ## Questions this video answers - Why does the speaker call the upcoming midterms so important? [00:00] - How does the speaker describe the Democratic candidates? [00:06] - What does the speaker say is at stake in the vote? [00:19] - What does the speaker say would produce a landslide victory? [00:41] - What does the speaker say about sitting presidents and midterm elections? [00:53] ## Content suitability - politics [00:00-01:13]: Partisan campaign speech on the eve of the midterm elections that characterizes opposing candidates as extreme and dangerous and urges a vote. by [Chantelle Lee](https://time.com/author/chantelle-lee/) ## Chantelle Lee Reporter Updated: Nov 3, 2026 5:06 PM UTCPublished: Oct 21, 2026 6:23 PM UTC by [Chantelle Lee](https://time.com/author/chantelle-lee/) ## Chantelle Lee Reporter Updated: Nov 3, 2026 5:06 PM UTCPublished: Oct 21, 2026 6:23 PM UTC Listen 00:001.0x06:07 Narrated by TIME AI. On Election Day, the nation will largely be focused on who will win control of Congress. But in several states, the bid for Governor is among the tightest, and most consequential, races on the ballot. The party in control of the White House typically fares poorly in midterm elections. While that usually translates most clearly into losing congressional seats, true “wave” elections often lead to similar shifts in state governments as well. Multiple states could see the party in the governor’s seat flip. Voters in Ohio, Alaska, and Texas might end up electing their first Democratic governors in decades. In Oregon, the reverse could pan out, with a Republican in contention to upend a Democrat’s hold on the office for the first time since 1982\. **Read more:** [_Republican Panic Sets In Over Prospects of a Massive Blue Wave_](https://time.com/article/2026/09/24/republicans-midterm-election-blue-wave-polls/) Here are sevenraces for governor to watch on Election Day. ## **Ohio** Ohio's governor's race was [thrust into the national spotlight](https://abcnews.com/Politics/wireStory/democrat-ohio-governors-race-pushes-back-unattributed-ad-137424257) Oct. 19 when Republican Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign released an ad featuring the estranged mother of his Democrat opponent Amy Acton. Acton’s mother lost custody of Acton and her brother after their stepfather was arrested and indicted on a charge of raping Acton when she was a child. The ad immediately drew widespread outrage, the latest twist in a race that Republicans had thought they were well positioned to win after Trump won the state by 11 points in 2024\. Many Republicans had been expected to vie to replace Gov. Mike DeWine, who couldn’t run again because of term limits. But Trump’s endorsement of [Ramaswamy](https://time.com/6305440/vivek-ramaswamy-interview-republican-primary/) essentially cleared the field for him.  Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy speaks during the Darke County Republican Party Hog Roast on Oct. 18, 2026 in Greenville, Ohio. Michael M. Santiago—Getty Images Now Ramaswamy is in a very tight race against Acton, who previously led the Ohio Department of Health during the Covid-19 pandemic. While the [Cook Political Report](https://www.cookpolitical.com/governor/race/479566) previously marked the Ohio gubernatorial race as “Lean Republican,” it later shifted to “Toss Up.” As of Oct. 23, however, the report again changed its assessment again to "Lean Democrat." **Read more:** [_Ramaswamy Facing Tougher Fight Than Republicans Had Expected in Ohio_](https://time.com/article/2026/10/19/ramaswamy-struggles-in-ohio-race-once-seen-as-a-sure-thing/) Current [polls](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/polls/ohio-governor-election-polls-2026.html) show Acton in the lead. If she wins, it would be the first time in 20 years that Ohio voters had elected a Democrat as Governor. ## **Alaska** The Cook Political Report recently [changed](https://www.cookpolitical.com/analysis/governors/alaska-governor/governor-races-shift-republicans-alaska) its rating for the [race in Alaska](https://www.cookpolitical.com/governor/race/479451) from a “Toss Up” to “Lean Democrat.” Alaska’s current governor, Republican Mike Dunleavy, is prohibited from running again because of term limits. The open race to replace him includes one Democrat, Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, and three Republicans: Bernadette Wilson, a business owner who has received the [backing](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117435878855345862) of President Trump;Dave Bronson, the previous mayor of Anchorage; and Treg Taylor, a former state attorney general. Kreiss-Tomkins, who was previously a state legislator, finished the state’s open primary race in August in the [top spot](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/08/18/us/elections/results-alaska-governor-primary.html), with another Democratic candidate, Tom Begich, in second place. In Alaska, the top four candidates in the open primary move on to the general election. But Begich later [announced](https://x.com/TomBegich4AK/status/2093547702357291092) that he was dropping out of the race and endorsed Kreiss-Tomkins, allowing Taylor to land a spot in the general election ballot. “The data we’ve seen makes clear that the strongest path to winning in November is not two Democratic candidates competing for the same donors and resources—it’s bringing those people together behind one ticket,” Begich said in a video announcing the suspension of his campaign in August. Many recent [polls](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/polls/alaska-governor-election-polls-2026.html) show Kreiss-Tomkins leading his three opponents. This month, Trump expressed frustration with all the Republicans still in the race, noting on [Truth Social](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117435878855345862) that he had urged Bronson to drop out. “All Bronson and Taylor will do is take away Votes from the Candidate that has, by far, the best chance of winning,” Trump said in his post. “Now is the time for all Republicans to unite behind Bernadette to ensure she has a tremendous Victory in November!” ## **Texas** The last time Texas [Gov. Greg Abbott](https://time.com/collections/100-most-influential-people-2024/6965199/greg-abbott/) ran for re-election in 2022, he won by double digits. He now may be facing his most [competitive re-election fight](https://time.com/article/2026/10/06/texas-governor-race-polls-abbott-hinojosa/) yet; some [polls](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/polls/texas-governor-election-polls-2026.html) show him holding a slim lead over Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, while others show Hinojosa ahead by a small margin. “This is an unusual situation in Texas politics,” Joshua Blank, the research director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin, [previously told TIME](https://time.com/article/2026/10/06/texas-governor-race-polls-abbott-hinojosa/). “It’s rather uncommon to see any Democratic candidate leading in anything other than a single outlying poll leading up to the election.” If Hinojosa were to win, it would be the first time voters chose to put a Democrat in the state’s governor’s mansion in more than three decades. The tightness of the race mirrors that of the [state’s Senate race](https://time.com/article/2026/09/17/trump-paxton-talarico-texas-senate/), where Democrat [James Talarico](https://time.com/article/2026/09/30/can-james-talarico-make-texas-competitive-again/) and Republican [Ken Paxton](https://time.com/article/2026/10/09/angela-paxton-texas-senate-race-midterm-elections-republicans/) are locked in an expensive fight. **Read More:** [_Could Texas Elect a Democratic Governor for the First Time in More Than 30 Years? Polls Show a Tight Race_](https://time.com/article/2026/10/06/texas-governor-race-polls-abbott-hinojosa/) Still, the [Cook Political Report](https://www.cookpolitical.com/governor/race/479606) suggests that the odds are in Abbott’s favor, rating the race as “Lean Republican.” ## **Oregon** Amid talk of a national blue wave, the race for governor in Oregon may prove to be a bright spot for Republicans. Gov. Tina Kotek, a Democrat, is trying to fend off a challenge by Republican Christine Drazan, a state senator. Some [polls](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/polls/oregon-governor-election-polls-2026.html) show Kotek ahead by a narrow margin, while others show Drazan in the lead by a similarly small measure. The Cook Political Report previously rated the race as “Likely Democrat,” but has since shifted it slightly in Republicans’ favor, to “Lean Democrat.” The [Cook Political Report](https://www.cookpolitical.com/governor/race/479576) says the battle “is one of the rare races moving in Republicans’ direction.” If Drazan were to defeat Kotek, it would mark the first time since 1982 that Oregonians have elected a Republican to the governorship. ## **Georgia** Georgia is shaping up to be one of the tightest gubernatorial races in the country. It’s one of few that the [Cook Political Report](https://www.cookpolitical.com/governor/race/479486) has marked as a “Toss Up.” Republican Gov. Brian Kemp couldn’t run for re-election because of term limits, leaving the field open for another member of his party, billionaire Rick Jackson, and Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, the previous mayor of Atlanta. [Polls](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/polls/georgia-governor-election-polls-2026.html) suggest the race is essentially tied, with a slight majority indicating Jackson in the lead. A win by Bottoms would mark a significant shift in the southern state’s politics. While both of Georgia’s current Senators are Democrats, it has been led by a Republican governor since 2003\. It would also mean the breaking of a national barrier: Georgia would be the first state in the country to have elected a Black woman as Governor. ## **Nevada** A perennial swing state, Republicans are vying to hold on to its leadership of Nevada’s government. Gov. Joe Lombardo is fending off a challenge from Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford. [Polls](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/polls/nevada-governor-election-polls-2026.html) mostly show Lombardo in the lead as of Nov. 3\. The [Cook Political Report](https://www.cookpolitical.com/governor/race/479546) rates the race as a “Toss Up.” ## **Wisconsin** The race to lead this swing state became a wide open free-for-all last year, when Democratic Gov. Tony Evers announced he wasn't running for another term. The race was on the verge of becoming a marquee one for democratic socialists**,** with progressive Francesca Hong leading in the polls ahead of the Democratic primary,before she ultimately lost the nomination toMilwaukee County Executive [David Crowley](https://time.com/article/2026/08/12/wisconsin-democratic-gubernatorial-primary-result-hong-crowley/), a moderate. Crowley is now vying for the job against Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany in a race where campaign funding has become a prominent issue, as Tiffany’s bid has been largely [bankrolled by three billionaires](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/01/us/billionaires-republicans-wisconsin-governor.html). The Cook Political Report on Oct. 29 changed its assessment from [“Toss Up"](https://www.cookpolitical.com/governor/race/479616) to "Lean Democrat," and the latest [polls](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/polls/wisconsin-governor-election-polls-2026.html) show Crowley ahead. ## Transcript [00:00] As you know, this is [00:01] the last day before the midterm elections, [00:03] the most important midterm, [00:05] I believe in our lifetime. [00:06] The Democrat Party has nominated [00:09] the most extreme and dangerous slate [00:12] of candidates in American history. [00:14] These are the most dangerous candidates ever. [00:17] Put up with your vote. [00:19] We will decide these extremists [00:22] will be given power or not. [00:25] Power will either keep America strong. [00:29] I think we're having this is the golden age of America. [00:32] We've never done anything like it. [00:33] But we have to keep our Congress strong, free. [00:38] A little bit of apple pie is [00:40] something very nice about that. [00:41] If the people that voted for me and [00:44] voted in the last election [00:46] where we had such a great victory, [00:48] if they go out and vote just a good portion of them, [00:51] we will win in a landslide. [00:53] Now, that doesn't happen because usually whoever [00:56] the sitting president is Republican or Democrat, [01:00] good or bad, good president, great president, [01:03] bad for some reason [01:06] the sitting president doesn't win the midterms. [01:08] But we gave this a very strong shot. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/10/21/governor-races-to-watch-in-the-midterms/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/10/21/governor-races-to-watch-in-the-midterms/"},"headline":"The 7 Key Governor Races to Watch in the Midterm Elections","datePublished":"2026-10-21T18:23:36.000Z","dateModified":"2026-11-03T17:06:32.000Z","description":"Ohio, Alaska, and Texas could elect their first Democratic governors in decades.","url":"https://time.com/article/2026/10/21/governor-races-to-watch-in-the-midterms/","keywords":["Midterm Elections","News Desk"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt40ce0aacfb719bbb/6ad8ced2ee9a6a5a4fd82a47/Gov-Races-Acton.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Chantelle Lee","jobTitle":"Reporter","url":"https://time.com/author/chantelle-lee/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt40ce0aacfb719bbb/6ad8ced2ee9a6a5a4fd82a47/Gov-Races-Acton.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Gov-Races-Acton.jpg","caption":"","creditText":"Jon Cherry—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/tag/midterm-elections/","name":"Midterm Elections"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/10/21/governor-races-to-watch-in-the-midterms/","name":"The 7 Key Governor Races to Watch in the Midterm Elections"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"‘We Gave This a Very Strong Shot’: Trump Delivers Closing Appeal Before the Midterms","description":"Ohio, Alaska, and Texas could elect their first Democratic governors in decades.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/I8XDtlvY/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2026-11-03T18:21:46.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/I8XDtlvY.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/article/2026/10/21/governor-races-to-watch-in-the-midterms/","duration":"PT1M13S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/article/2026/10/21/governor-races-to-watch-in-the-midterms/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```