2024 United States gubernatorial elections (Dark Brandon)

United States gubernatorial elections were held on November 5, 2024, in 11 states and two territories. The previous gubernatorial elections for this group of states took place in 2020, except in New Hampshire and Vermont where governors only serve two-year terms. These two states elected their current governors in 2018. 
Four incumbent governors, all of them Republicans, ran for re-election and won, including Phil Scott of Vermont, despite the state supporting Joe Biden by the largest margin of any state (excluding the District of Columbia). In three states, Democratic incumbents were forced to retire due to term limits, but were all replaced by Democrats, including a close race in North Carolina, where Attorney General Josh Stein defeated Republican Mark Robinson.
Democrats flipped an open seat in New Hampshire, which had been previously held by popular moderate Republican Chris Sununu, who ran for President in 2024, but lost in the primary to Donald Trump; he did not seek re-election to the governorship.
The elections took place concurrently with the 2024 presidential election, elections to the House of Representatives and Senate, and numerous state and local elections. This round of gubernatorial elections marked the first time 2019 that Republicans failed to flip a single governorship. This was the last election in which Puerto Rico participated as a territory, rather than as a state.
|
|
|
|
|
== Delaware ==
The incumbent governor of Delaware, John Carney, was term-limited and could not run for re-election to a third term in office.
Bethany Hall-Long, the incumbent Democratic Lieutenant Governor of Delaware, ran for the open governorship and won against her Republican opponent.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
== Indiana ==
The incumbent governor of Indiana, Eric Holcomb was term-limited and could not seek re-election to a third consecutive term in office.
Mike Braun, the junior senator from Indiana, ran for the open governorship and won against his Democratic opponent, Jennifer McCormick.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
== Missouri ==
Incumbent Republican governor Mike Parson was term-limited and therefore could not seek a third term.
Jay Ashcroft, Missouri's Secretary of State, ran for the open governorship and won against his Democratic opponent, Crystal Quade.
|
|
|
|
|
|
== Montana ==
Incumbent Republican governor Greg Gianforte ran for re-election to a second term and defeated his Democratic opponent, Pat Flowers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
== New Hampshire ==
Incumbent moderate Republican governor Chris Sununu ran for President in 2024, lost in the primary to Donald Trump, and did not run for re-election as governor. 
Joyce Craig, the Democratic mayor of Manchester, NH, ran for the open governorship and defeated her Republican opponent, Chuck Morse, the President of the New Hampshire Senate.
New Hampshire was the only governorship to flip from one party to the other in the 2024 election cycle.
|
|
|
||
== North Carolina ==
Incumbent Democratic governor Roy Cooper was term-limited and therefore could not seek a third term.
Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein ran for the open governorship and defeated his Republican opponent, Mark Robinson, the lieutenant governor of North Carolina. His margin of victory was nearly identical to that of Kamala Harris in her victory against Donald Trump by roughly 1% in the state of North Carolina.
This was the closest gubernatorial race of the 2024 election cycle.
|
|
|
== North Dakota ==
Incumbent Republican governor Doug Burgum was eligible to run for a third term, having been sworn in before the passage of a 2022 amendment to North Dakota's constitution limiting governors to two terms; the amendment contained a grandfather clause. 
Burgum easily defeated his Democratic opponent, Michael Steele, a small business owner.
|
|
|
|
|
|
== Utah ==
Incumbent Republican governor Spencer Cox ran for re-election to a second term and won, defeating his Democratic opponent.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
== Vermont ==
Incumbent Republican governor Phil Scott ran for a fifth term and won easily against his Progressive opponent, David Zuckerman, despite the state supporting Joe Biden by the largest margin of any state (excluding the District of Columbia).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
== Washington ==
Incumbent Democratic Governor Jay Inslee was eligible to run for a fourth term, but decided to retire.
State Attorney General Bob Ferguson ran for the open governorship and won, defeating his Republican opponent, John Braun, the minority leader of the Washington State Senate.
|
|
|
|
|
|
== West Virginia ==
Incumbent Governor of West Virginia, Jim Justice, was term limited and chose to run for Senate. He would go on to defeat incumbent Senator Joe Manchin in the general election.
Moore Capito, the son of West Virginia senator Shelley Moore Capito, ran for the open governorship and won, defeating his Democratic opponent, Steve Williams, the mayor of Huntington, WV.
While Williams greatly over-performed Joe Biden's near-40% loss to Donald Trump in the state of West Virginia, he was not able to overcome the state's overwhelming tilt towards the Republican Party.
Category:Dark Brandon