Author: Lara Bonatesta
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Democrats are defending five governorships in states Trump won in 2024, Republicans are defending two in states Harris won
Welcome to the next installment of our series previewing the Nov. 3 elections by office. Next up: Governors. Thirty-six states are holding gubernatorial elections this year. Of the governorships on the ballot, Democrats and Republicans each hold 18. Democrats are defending five governorships in states President Donald Trump (R) won in the 2024 presidential election:…
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This year has the most open state executive elections since 2018
In the 2026 elections, 118 out of the 296 state executive offices up for election have no incumbent running, meaning those positions are open. This is the largest number of open offices since 2018, when we started collecting this data. One contributing factor to this year’s number of open offices is term limits. Fifty-seven offices…
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Arizona one of five Trump-won states where Democrats defend governorships in 2026
Incumbent Katie Hobbs (D), Andy Biggs (R), Risa Lombardo (G), and Teri Hourihan (No Labels Party) are running for governor. In 2022, Hobbs was elected 50.3% to 49.6%. In the 2024 presidential election, President Donald Trump (R) defeated Kamala Harris (D) 52.2% to 46.7% in the state. As a result, this is one of five…
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Incumbent Tom Barrett and William Lawrence are running in battleground Michigan's 7th Congressional District on Nov. 3
Incumbent Tom Barrett (R), William Lawrence (D), and Shane Dedrick (G) are running in the general election for Michigan's 7th Congressional District on Nov. 3. In the 2024 general election, Barrett defeated Curtis Hertel (D) 50.3% to 46.6%. In the presidential election that year, President Donald Trump (R) defeated Kamala Harris (D) in the district…
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U.S. Sen. Ed Markey (D) is the second-oldest U.S. Senator to win a contested primary this year
Incumbent Ed Markey defeated Seth Moulton in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Massachusetts on Sept. 1. Markey’s win makes him the second-oldest senator, after 83-year-old Jim Risch (R-Idaho), to defeat a primary challenger this year. This was one of several primaries in 2026 in which age was an issue. At the time of…
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Fewest candidates running for Rhode Island General Assembly since 2010
There are 157 candidates running for the Rhode Island General Assembly in the primaries on Sept. 9. This is the fewest candidates since Ballotpedia began tracking this data in 2010. All 113 seats across both state legislative chambers are up for election this year. Both major parties have the fewest candidates running since 2010. There…
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The Democratic candidates for the 25th Middlesex District in the Massachusetts House are both running on transparency
Incumbent Marjorie Decker and Evan MacKay are running in the Democratic primary for the 25th Middlesex District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives on Sept. 1. This primary a rematch of the 2024 Democratic primary in which Decker defeated McKay, 50.3% to 49.7%, or by 41 votes, following a recount. In Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey,…
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Massachusetts' Democratic primary for U.S. Senate is one of several in which age is an issue
Incumbent Ed Markey and Seth Moulton are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Massachusetts on September 1, 2026. This is one of several primaries this year in which age has become an issue. Markey is 80, and Moulton is 47. Markey is running on his record, while Moulton has said he would…
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Twenty-six incumbents are running in contested primaries for the Massachusetts General Court on Sept. 1, the most since 2010
There are 26 incumbents in Massachusetts’ General Court facing primary challengers on Sept. 1. This is the most since at least 2010. All 160 seats in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and all 40 seats in the Massachusetts Senate are up for election this year. Since 2010, Democratic incumbents have made up the vast majority…