Nov. 2, 2010 Governor Races   ...page in development

Gov.
 Sen.
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 x
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 x
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2010
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2009

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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








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 +
AR 30.79
HI 17.10*
 CA 12.88*
CO 14.67
CT 0.56*
IL 0.85
 		FL 1.15*
 IA 9.60*
 GA 10.05
AZ 11.86

 AL 15.71
 AK 21.38
 ID 26.25
KS 31.07*
 *Seat changed parties.


2010 GOVERNOR RACE OVERVIEW [links/logos]

By any measure the 2010 mid-term elections were a resounding setback for Democrats (>).  The near collapse of the economy in 2008 created a difficult hole to dig out of, and the slow recovery weighed heavily against Democrats at every level.  In gubernatorial races, jobs was the top issue. Many states were grappling with budget shortfalls.  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."  The red wave started in November 2009 as Republicans won governorships in New Jersey and Virginia.

Most noteworthy 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. 

Heading into Election Day most observers foresaw a strong likelihood of Republican gains. Although Democrats pointed to opportunities in the difficult environment (>), this was a Republican year.  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.
  • The closest Governor's race of the cycle was
  • 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 Chaffee won in Rhode Island, Eliot Cutler came very close in Maine and Tim Cahill faded in Massachusetts.  The strongest third party candidates included Tom Tancredo (C) in Colorado and Tom Horner (IP) in Minnesota. 







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