Seven governor races to watch as voters weigh Trump, economy
SPY•Three dozen governors’ races will be decided in the November 3 elections, with Trump’s unpopularity and the cost of living among voters’ top concerns. The article highlights seven contests in Arizona, Michigan, Georgia, Ohio, Iowa, Nevada and Wisconsin.
1. Competitive races
The seven races highlighted are Arizona, Michigan, Georgia, Ohio, Iowa, Nevada and Wisconsin. Democrats hold 24 governorships and Republicans 26; a net Democratic gain of at least two seats would give the party a majority of states for the first time since 2010.
2. Issues vary by state
Water and abortion rights are prominent in Arizona, while Michigan is an open-seat contest between Jocelyn Benson and John James. In Georgia, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms is challenging Republican Rick Jackson; a Bottoms win would make her the first Black woman elected governor in the US and the first Democrat elected governor of Georgia in more than a quarter century.
3. Local concerns shape contests
Ohio’s race between Vivek Ramaswamy and Amy Acton drew attention over an attack ad featuring Acton’s estranged mother. Iowa’s campaign has focused on the state’s high cancer incidence, affordability and education; Nevada’s on affordability and data centers; and Wisconsin’s on Trump’s influence and abortion rights.
