The races that could shape the next two years
As the midterms approach, Democratic governors are positioning themselves as a check on Donald Trump's agenda.
With fewer than 100 days until Election Day, most of the political conversation is understandably focused on Washington. Control of Congress is on the line, with one-third of the Senate and every House seat on the ballot. The outcome of those races will have enormous consequences for the remainder of Donald Trump's presidency.
But governors’ races deserve far more attention than they often receive.
Governors have enormous influence over everything from healthcare and education to election administration and voting rights. They can serve as a check on federal policy, shape the direction of their states for years, and in some cases determine how future elections are conducted.
I recently had the opportunity to discuss the upcoming 2026 election with Meghan Meehan-Draper, Executive Director of the Democratic Governors Association (DGA). We talked about why this year’s governors’ races matter, which contests she’s watching most closely, and what’s at stake as we head into the final stretch before Election Day.
Below is our conversation.
Q: We’re now under 100 days from Election Day. Why should people who are primarily focused on Washington also be paying attention to governors’ races this November?
Meghan Meehan-Draper: I get why there is a focus on DC, but in reality, Democratic governors are the last line of defense against Donald Trump and Republicans’ cost-raising agenda. Democratic governors represent 60% of the U.S. population including in 7 states Trump won in 2024. And while Trump and Republicans are sowing chaos nationwide, Democratic governors are fighting back to lower costs and protect the people in their states. Whether that’s eliminating medical debt like Gov. Katie Hobbs in Arizona, or fixing a collapsed bridge in just 12 days like Gov. Josh Shapiro in Pennsylvania, or taking direct action toward stopping Trump’s Medicaid cuts like Gov. Andy Beshear in Kentucky, Democratic governors are getting stuff done.
Q: When people hear “governors’ race,” they often think about state politics. But what are the national stakes of these elections?
Meghan Meehan-Draper: The national stakes of governors’ races are extremely high, especially when it comes to ensuring we have free and fair elections. It feels like every day I’m reading about how Republicans and Trump are finding new ways to attack our voting rights, but Democratic governors have enormous power to stop them, from vetoing rigged maps to expanding access to voting.
This year in particular, there are election deniers running for governor in key swing states like Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Michigan who supported Trump trying to steal the election in 2020 and now are hoping to have more power to do their party nominee’s bidding in 2028. Democratic governors and the DGA are not going to let that happen.
Q: How much has Donald Trump shaped this year’s gubernatorial races? Are these races becoming referendums on his agenda, or are voters looking at something different?
Meghan Meehan-Draper: We know that lowering costs is top of mind for voters in every corner of our country. And that’s a direct result of Trump driving up costs and starting reckless wars that are making everything more expensive. Republicans running for governor have to own this disastrous agenda, and we’re going on offense to hold them accountable at every opportunity.
That being said, Democratic governors have won in purple and red states like Kansas and Kentucky by staying laser-focused on the issues that impact people every day in their states, like creating jobs, funding public schools, and fixing the roads. This year is no different, and our Democratic candidates are on the campaign trail sharing their own positive visions that fit the biggest issues in each of their states.
Q: If you had to narrow it down, which gubernatorial races are you watching most closely, and why?
Meghan Meehan-Draper: We are all-in on re-electing our ten incumbent governors and holding onto our Democratic-led states, but we’re also really excited to go on offense to flip swing and red states. In particular, we see a big opportunity to flip states like Georgia, Nevada, Iowa, and Ohio, where polls show dead-heat races. It won’t be easy, but if anyone can do it, it’s our fantastic candidates Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Attorney General Aaron Ford, State Auditor Rob Sand, and Dr. Amy Acton.
Q: Is there one race that isn’t getting enough national attention but probably should be?
Meghan Meehan-Draper: I know I just mentioned it, but I don’t think enough people are paying attention to Nevada. Republican Governor Joe Lombardo is the most vulnerable incumbent governor up for re-election this November, and recent polls have the race completely tied, despite Lombardo and his allies already spending tens of millions of dollars to try to hold onto this seat.
Notably, a poll from just last week showed that voters are seriously concerned about Lombardo’s refusal to stand up to Trump and his cost-raising agenda, yet he continues to closely align himself with the president – even calling him his “commanding officer” in recently revealed audio. And if you haven’t seen this viral video of Lombardo abusing the power of his office to get out of a traffic ticket, it’s a must watch to see just how out of touch he is with hardworking Nevada families.
Q: How can my audience learn more about the DGA? And in what ways can they best support candidates running for governor?
Meghan Meehan-Draper: Everyone should go to democraticgovernors.org to learn more about how to sign up to volunteer and donate to our 36 races across the country! And of course, follow us here on Substack @DemGovs to stay up to date on our races!
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As someone in a red state our governor races are being ignored as well. There is not a snowballs chance in he$$ that our cheating, corrupt governor will be replaced right?
I am tired of all of the chaos at the national level. At the state level our governor is more cagey than that. He just quietly makes decisions or gets BS passed that we the people don’t find out about until later. Sending all our voter information to agent orange without our knowledge comes to mind. Ten commandments in school classrooms. Why?
I feel the same way as Julie. We live in a red state that does exactly what Trump wants. We have a chance to vote them out in November, but it's a slim margin. Most of the people around here are sickening MAGA’s. We need to do something to stop this corruption.