Nov. 2, 2010 Governor Races

Gov.
 Sen.
2023
 x
2022
 x x
2021
 x
2020
 x x
2019
 x
2018
 x x
2017
 x x
2016
 x
 x
2015
 x
2014
 x x
2013
 x
 x
2012
 x x
2011
 x
2010
x
2009
 x
2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

1998

1997

1996

1995

1994

1993

1992

1991

1990

1989


At Stake: 37 Seats
Before Nov. 2: 26D, 24R.

AL  -  AK  -  AZ  -  AR  -  CA  -  CO  -  CT  -  FL  -  GA  -  HI  -  ID  -  IL  -  IA  -  KS  -  ME  -  MD  -  MA  -  MI  -  MN -  NE  -  NV  -  NH  -  NM  -  NY  -  OH  -  OK  -  OR  -  PA  -  RI  -  SC  -  SD  -  TN  -  TX  -  UT(sp)  -  VT  -  WI  -  WY
  

Democrats Republicans Third Party/Independent
Alabama




Alaska




Arizona




Arkansas




California

D+




Colorado




Connecticut

D+




Florida

R+




Georgia




Hawaii

D+




Idaho




Illinois




Iowa

R+




Kansas

R+




Maine

R+




Maryland




Massachusetts
  




Michigan

R+




Minnesota

D+
 




Nebraska




Nevada




New Hampshire




New Mexico

R+




New York




Ohio

R+




Oklahoma

R+




Oregon




Pennsylvania

R+




Rhode Island

I+




South Carolina




South Dakota




Tennessee

R+




Texas




Utah




Vermont

D+




Wisconsin

R+




Wyoming

R+






After Nov. 2: 29R, 20D, 1I.
 
*Does not include Guam, USVI and CNMI.

25.01 +
 20.01-25.0
 15.01-20.0
 10.01-15.0
 5.01-10.0
 0-5.0
 0-5.0
 5.01-10.0
 10.01-15.0
 15.01-20.0
 20.01-25.0
 25.01 +
NY 29.26
AR 30.79
HI 17.10*
 CA 12.88*
MD 14.46
CO 14.67
 MA 6.42
NH 7.61
 		MN 0.42*
CT 0.56*
IL 0.85
OR 1.53
VT 1.79*
 		FL 1.15*
ME 1.71*
OH 2.00*
SC 4.46
 		WI 5.77*
NM 6.74*
PA 8.97*
IA 9.60*
 GA 10.05
NV 11.75
AZ 11.86
TX 12.67
 AL 15.71
MI 18.21*
 OK 20.90*
AK 21.38
SD 23.03
 		ID 26.25
KS 31.07*
TN 31.95*
UT 32.16
WY 42.74
NE 47.80
  AND Rhode Island: Independent Chafee won with plurality of 2.53* percentage points.
*Seat changed parties.


2010 GOVERNOR RACE OVERVIEW [links/logos]

All forecasts saw a difficult cycle for Democrats.  The November 2009 off-year elections set the stage, as Republicans won the governorships at stake in New Jersey and Virginia.

The near collapse of the economy in 2008 and the slow recovery created a difficult electoral environment for governors around the country.  Jobs was the top issue; many candidates produced detailed jobs plans.  Most states were grappling with budget shortfalls, necessitating difficult policy decisions. 

Additionally, Republicans were able to feed off of the energy generated by Tea Party activists, while Democrats, after successful cycles in 2006 and 2008, suffered from an "enthusiasm gap." 

A further key factor in 2010 gubernatorial races was the large number of open seats.  Of 37 seats at stake, there were 24 open seats—15 term limited, 8 retiring and 1 defeated in primary—compared to four years earlier in 2006 when 36 seats were up but only nine governors were term limited or retiring. 

Amid very significant turnover, the net result was a big setback for Democrats (>).  Following the Nov. 2, 2010 elections, the balance went from 26 Democrats and 24 Republicans to 29 Republicans, 20 Democrats  and 1 Independent.  Republicans flipped 12 seats and Democrats 5 (>) and 1 Independent took a seat that had been held by a Republican.  Of the 26 new governors* who took office in Dec. 2010 and Jan. 2011, 17 were Republicans, 8 Democrats and 1 Independent.


Balance before Nov. 2 was 26 Democrats, 24 Republicans.

37 seats at stake: 19 held by Democrats and 18 by Republicans.

24 open seats of which12 held by Democrats and 12 by Republicans.

15 Governors were term limited, 8 retiring and 1 defeated in primary.

Of 13 sitting Governors seeking re-election or election on Nov. 2, 11 succeeded.

26 new* Governors were elected: 17 Republicans, 8 Democrats and 1 Independent.

Republicans won 23 seats, Democrats 13 seats and Independent 1 seat.

Balance after Nov. 2 was 29 Republicans, 20 Democrats and 1 Independent.

*Three had served previously.





HIGHLIGHTS
 
  • According to FollowtheMoney.org, the most expensive race of the cycle was in California, where the Whitman campaign raised $176.7 million ($144.2 million from Whitman herself) and the Brown campaign raised $40.6 million.
  • Eight races were decided by a margin of 2.0 percentage points or less.  The closest race was in Minnesota, a Democratic pick-up, where Mark Dayton (D) defeated Tom Emmer (R) by 0.42 percentage points.  Other close races were Connecticut, another Democratic pickup (0.56%), Illinois, a Democratic hold (0.85%), Florida, a Republican pickup (1.15%), Oregon, a Democratic hold (1.53%), Maine, a Republican hold (1.71%), Vermont, a Democratic pickup (1.79%) and Ohio, a Republican pickup (2.00%).  The Minnesota and Maine races had strong independent candidates.  The most lopsided races were in Nebraska (47.80%) and Wyoming (42.74%), both Republican holds.
  • Ten of the 74 major party nominees were women; four of the five Republican women were elected and none of the five Democratic women were elected. 
  • Five former governors sought to reclaim their old offices: CA-Jerry Brown (D), GA-Roy Barnes (D), IA-Terry Branstad (R), MD-John Ehrlich (R), and OR-John Kitzhaber (D); Brown, Branstad and Kitzhaber succeeded. 
  • There were a few strong independent candidates; Lincoln Chafee (36.10%) won in Rhode Island and Eliot Cutler (36.36%) came a close second in Maine.  Tim Cahill (8.03%) faded in Massachusetts.  The strongest third party candidates included Tom Tancredo (C) (36.38%) in Colorado and Tom Horner (IP) (11.94%) in Minnesota. 



see also: campaign managers

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