There’s a lot more at stake in 2020 than just who sits in the White House.
For example, redistricting will happen in 2020, and in most states, governors either sign or veto the maps that the state legislatures draw up. The more Democrats we have in these seats, the better position we’ll be in to stop Republican gerrymandering.
Today we’re looking at the races that will determine who is governor in 11 states. Right now, 7 of those states have Republican governors, and 4 have Democratic governors. For each race, I have noted its rating (which I pull from Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, and Sabato’s Crystal Ball.)
The ratings: Safe D ➡️ Likely D ➡️ Lean D ➡️ Toss Up ⬅️ Lean R ⬅️ Likely R ⬅️ Safe R
Delaware
The current governor is 🔵 Democrat John Carney Jr. This race has been incredibly stable but it should be noted that Carney’s challenger slightly outraised him in donations this last reporting period.
This race is currently rated as Safe Democratic.
Indiana
The current governor is 🔴 Republican Eric Holcomb. He faces Dr. Woody Myers (D), a former State Health Commissioner and medical doctor. Indiana’s COVID19 cases have been climbing steadily since June and Holcomb’s response has been a big topic for this race.
This race is currently rated between Likely and Safe Republican.
Missouri
The current governor is 🔴 Republican Mike Parson. Parson was the Lt. Governor of Missouri when the then governor, Eric Greitens, was forced to resign after he was charged with multiple crimes and was facing impeachment in the Republican-led legislature. He’s facing state Auditor Nicole Galloway (D) who has kept the race within single digits.
This race has moved away from Likely Republican and softened to Lean Republican. This is the one governor’s race that the Democrats could flip, with help.
Montana
The current governor is 🔵 Democrat Steve Bullock, but of course he is term-limited and is running for the Senate. Bullock’s Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney is the Democratic candidate, running against Rep. Greg Gianforte (R).
This race is currently rated as a Toss Up. If there’s one governor’s race you want to invest in, this would be a good one.
New Hampshire
The current governor is 🔴 Republican Chris Sununu. He faces Dan Feltes, a current state Senator, who was recently endorsed by Elizabeth Warren.
This race is currently rated between Lean and Likely Republican.
North Carolina
The current governor is 🔵 Democrat Roy Cooper. He faces Republican Dan Forest. Although Cooper is favored to win, North Carolina is a battleground state on a number of levels, including the presidential race, and there are widespread concerns about voter suppression in the state.
This race is currently rated as Lean Democratic.
North Dakota
The current governor is 🔴 Republican Doug Burgum. He faces Dr. Shelley Lenz (D), a veterinarian and businesswoman.
This race is currently rated as Safe Republican.
Utah
The current governor is 🔴 Republican Gary Herbert, who declined to run for a third term. The Democratic candidate is Chris Peterson, and the Republican candidate is the current Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox. Peterson has been calling into question Cox’s leadership role on the state’s coronavirus response team, as cases were growing.
This race is currently rated as Safe Republican.
Vermont
The current governor is 🔴 Republican Phil Scott. He’s especially strong right now especially considering that Dr. Anthony Fauci called Vermont’s response to COVID19 a “model” for the rest of the county. The Democratic candidate is David Zuckerman.
This race has moved from Likely Republican to Safe Republican.
Washington
The current governor is 🔵 Democrat Jay Inslee. Inslee has received widespread praise for his handling of the pandemic, particularly as Washington was the first to have a COVID19 death.
This race is currently rated as Safe Democratic.
West Virginia
The current governor is 🔴 Republican Jim Justice. Back in 2016, Jim Justice ran as a Democrat and won with 49% of the vote. In 2017, he announced that he was switching his party registration to Republican at a Trump rally. He faces Ben Salango, currently a county commissioner. Just a few days ago, a poll was published that showed Justice only 6 points ahead of Salango.
This race is currently rated between Likely and Safe Republican.
How you can help
Check out 9 Ways to Help a Campaign From Afar.
Be sure to follow your favorite Democratic candidates on social media and share information about their campaigns on your accounts, as well as how people can donate to their campaigns.
Get involved with a texting campaign to register voters in these states and/or turn them out on election day. There are several organizations that run texting campaigns, but I can personally vouch for Open Progress and can attest to how great their program works.
Get Out the Vote Tip of the Day: Request a yard sign for one (or more!) of the candidates you’ll be voting for. This is a great way to boost their name recognition and show others that they are getting visible support!
Get the rest of my tips here: 19 Quick Ways to Turn Out the Vote in 2020
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