United States gubernatorial elections, 2010

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This article or section contains information about an upcoming or ongoing election in the United States. Content may change dramatically as the election approaches and unfolds.

Map of 2010 Gubernatorial Elections. Light Blue/Red symbolizes a retiring Governor due to term limits. Dark Red/Blue symbolizes a Governor who has the option to run for re-election.

The United States gubernatorial elections of 2010 will be held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010 in 36 states with 20 of the seats held by Democrats and 16 by Republicans. Note: Wisconsin does not have term-limits. It should be dark-blue on the map. Note 2: West Virgina elects governors in presidential election years. It should be gray on the map.

[edit] Election summaries

Sixteen governors are prohibited from seeking re-election in 2010, with others who may retire. Further open seats are possible if any of the governors listed below dies, resigns, elects to retire, or is denied re-nomination in their party's primary.

[edit] Retiring Democratic governors

[edit] Ed Rendell (Pennsylvania)

Term Limits

[edit] Phil Bredesen (Tennessee)

Term Limits

[edit] Jennifer Granholm (Michigan)

Term Limits

[edit] Kathleen Sebelius (Kansas)

Term Limits

[edit] Brad Henry (Oklahoma)

Term Limits

[edit] Dave Freudenthal (Wyoming)

Term Limits

[edit] Bill Richardson (New Mexico)

Term Limits

[edit] Janet Napolitano (Arizona)

Term Limits

[edit] Ted Kulongoski (Oregon)

Term Limits

[edit] Retiring Republican governors

[edit] Mark Sanford (South Carolina)

Term Limits

[edit] Sonny Perdue (Georgia)

Term Limits

[edit] Donald Carcieri (Rhode Island)

Term Limits

[edit] Mike Rounds (South Dakota)

Term Limits

[edit] Dave Heineman (Nebraska)

Term Limits

[edit] Arnold Schwarzenegger (California)

Term Limits. Some potential candidates include LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Congressman Darrell Issa. Maria Shriver was also thought to be a potential candidate, but she has since denied any interest in running.

[edit] Linda Lingle (Hawai'i)

Term Limits

[edit] Democratic Governors that may seek Re-election

[edit] John Baldacci (Maine)

[edit] Deval Patrick (Massachusetts)

[edit] Eliot Spitzer (New York)

[edit] Ted Strickland (Ohio)

[edit] Martin O'Malley (Maryland)

Michael Steele, former Republican nominee for the United States Senate in Maryland, has been mentioned as a possible challenger.

[edit] Rod Blagojevich (Illinois)

[edit] Chet Culver (Iowa)

[edit] Mike Beebe (Arkansas)

[edit] Bill Ritter (Colorado)

[edit] Jim Doyle (Wisconsin)

Governor Doyle was re-elected in 2006 53%-45%. Some think that Governor Doyle may elect to retire and leave a legacy than to run for re-election in 2010. He may be a target for Republicans if he runs.

[edit] Republican Governors that may seek Re-election

[edit] Jim Douglas (Vermont)

[edit] Jodi Rell (Connecticut)

[edit] Charlie Crist (Florida)

[edit] Bob Riley (Alabama)

[edit] Tim Pawlenty (Minnesota)

Governor Pawlenty was re-elected 47%-46% in the nation's closest gubernatorial election in 2006. He has been mentioned as a possible running mate of presidential hopeful John McCain in 2008. If he does run he will likely be a target for Democrats.

One possible Democratic canidate is former U.S. Senator Mark Dayton.

[edit] Rick Perry (Texas)

Perry was re-elected to his second full term in 2006 with only 39% of the vote in a four-way election considered to be one of the most bizarre in the state's history. After serving a year as the state's Lieutenant Governor, Perry assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-Governor George W. Bush resigned to become President. Rick Perry's approval ratings have remained generally low in recent years. At the conclusion of his present term, he will have been in office for roughly 10 years, making him the longest-serving governor in Texas history.
Texas is one of the most heavily Republican states in the country. However, the continuing growth of Texas' black and Hispanic populations, as well as migration to the state from other parts of the country due to a burgeoning job market have added somewhat to the state's base of Democratic voters. Perry's incumbency may work against him in some ways; by 2010, voters may simply be tired of him.
If Perry does not run, it is assumed that Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst will seek office. As for the Democrats, 2006 candidate Chris Bell may run again. Houston Mayor Bill White is another possibility, although it is rumored that he may challenge John Cornyn for a Senate seat in 2008. The state's last Democratic governor, Ann Richards, was elected 17 years ago. She lost her bid for second term in 1994 to George W. Bush.

[edit] Butch Otter (Idaho)

[edit] Jim Gibbons (Nevada)

[edit] Sarah Palin (Alaska)

[edit] See also

• United States Senate elections, 2010