2022 Governors' Races Outlook

Voters in 36 states (and three territories!) will vote on their governors this year.

After a pandemic that tested the power of state executives, governors races have become increasingly important in American politics. This year, 36 states will hold gubernatorial elections. (In addition, voters in Washington DC, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands will also vote on their respective top-level executive roles.)

Blue State, Red Governor?

One of the most fascinating things about gubernatorial races is the way these elections expose state-level political nuances that buck nationalized trends. For example, of the 12 northeastern states that supported Joe Biden in the 2020 election, five of these “blue states” currently have Republican governors. Similar trends occur in red states as well, four states that voted for Trump in both of his elections currently have Democratic governors: Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana and North Carolina.