Democrats could win majority of governor’s offices for first time in 16 years

Democrats are favored to win a majority of U.S. governorships for the first time since 2010, with Republicans currently holding a 26-24 edge heading into a midterm where 36 states pick governors. Cook Political Report has downgraded even Florida and Texas from Likely to Leans Republican, and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's own campaign emailed supporters calling his race a toss-up.

Analysts attribute the shift less to local dynamics than to dissatisfaction with President Trump over the Iran war, grocery and housing prices, and his broader approval ratings. In states like Nevada, Alaska, Georgia and Ohio, a Democratic governor could mean the first real check on one-party rule in years, while Kansas looks poised to go the other way, handing Republicans a full trifecta.

Iowa's Rob Sand is campaigning explicitly on restoring divided government, and Senate Democrats there have already started blocking gubernatorial appointments after breaking the GOP supermajority. Vermont's Republican Gov. Phil Scott, for his part, shrugged that the party in power always takes a midterm beating, like this was simply the weather.

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