2010 Governor's Chairs by State

The Green Papers: 2010 Midterm Election

2010 Governor's Chairs
by State

37 Governor's Chairs up for election in 2010

37 Elected

13 Governor's Chairs not up for election in 2010

26 Open Governor's Chairs (voluntary retirement, seeking other political office, term limits)

13 Incumbents renominated by same party

1 Incumbent lost primary - no longer a candidate for this office

1 Republican

287 Candidates seeking a Governor's Chair (Candidates may run under the banner of multiple parties. Hence, the number of parties may be greater than the number of candidates.)

This is a list of the current Governors' chairs, the incumbents occupying them, and the candidacy status of said incumbents. Chairs up for election in the year 2010 are marked as such.

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Gubernatorial Links



Alabama 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican
		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Democratic	625,710	41.87%	Agriculture and Industry Commissioner Ron Sparks
Total		1,494,273	100.00%

Alaska 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

	Democratic	96,519	37.67%	former state Representative Ethan A. Berkowitz • for Lieutenant Governor: Diane E. Benson. 16 June 2009: May run for Governor. Circa 25 July 2009: Intends to run. 8 September 2009: Filed letter of intent to run for Governor.
Total		256,192	100.00%

Arizona 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: The Governor can not serve for more than 8 years
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican
	Democratic	733,935	42.47%	Attorney General Terry Goddard
Total		1,728,081	100.00%

Arkansas 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: No one can serve more than 2 4-year terms in a lifetime
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic
	Democratic	503,336	63.73%	Governor Mike Beebe
Total		789,837	100.00%

California 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican
		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Democratic	5,428,458	53.77%	Attorney General and former Governor Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown, Jr. • 3 November 2009: Said he is not a candidate and that "there's no need to get going too soon unless you're one of the more obscure personalities." 2 March 2010: Announced he is running. Former Governor Brown has already served 2 terms as Governor-- from 1975 through 1983.

	Write-in; (Democratic)	8	0.00%	Nadia B. Smalley
	Write-in; (Democratic)			Steven Paul "Steve" Mozena
Total		10,095,485	100.00%

Colorado 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic
		Open Chair (no incumbent)

	Democratic	912,005	51.01%	Denver Mayor John W. Hickenlooper • for Lieutenant Governor: Joe Garcia

	Write-in; (Democratic)	24	0.00%	Willie Travis Chambers • for Lieutenant Governor: Ed E. Coron (Republican)
Total		1,787,730	100.00%

Connecticut 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican
		Open Chair (no incumbent)

	Democratic; Working Families	567,278	49.51%	former Mayor of the City of Stamford Dannel P. "Dan" Malloy • for Lieutenant Governor: Comptroller Nancy Wyman (Democratic)
Total		1,145,799	100.00%

Florida 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican
		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Democratic	2,557,785	47.72%	Chief Financial Officer Adelaide Alexander "Alex" Sink • for Lieutenant Governor: Rod Smith. 13 May 2009: Announced candidacy for Governor in 2010

	No Party Affiliation; (Democratic)	18,644	0.35%	Michael E. Arth • for Lieutenant Governor: Al Krulick
	No Party Affiliation; (Democratic)	7,487	0.14%	Farid A. Khavari • for Lieutenant Governor: Darcy G. Richardson. 18 June 2010: Switched from Democratic to No Party Affiliation

	Write-in; (Democratic)	121	0.00%	Josue Larose • for Lieutenant Governor: Valencia St. Louis. 16 June 2010: Switched from Democratic to write-in. Originally filed as a Republican. Changed to Democratic on 11 January 2010.
Total		5,359,735	100.00%

Georgia 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican
		Open Chair (no incumbent)

	Democratic	1,107,011	42.97%	former Governor Roy E. Barnes
Total		2,576,161	100.00%

Hawaii 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican
		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Democratic	222,724	57.79%	former Congressman Neil Abercrombie • for Lieutenant Governor: former state Representative Brian E. Schatz. Congressman CD 1
Total		385,385	100.00%

Idaho 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

	Democratic	148,680	32.85%	Keith Allred
Total		452,535	100.00%

Illinois 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic
	Democratic	1,745,219	46.79%	Governor Patrick "Pat" Quinn • For Lieutenant Governor: Sheila Simon 27 March 2010: State Democratic Party choose Sheila Simon, daughter of the late U.S. Senator Paul Simon, as the replacement Lieutenant Governor nominee.

	Independent; (Democratic)	135,705	3.64%	Scott Lee Cohen • for Lieutenant Governor: Baxter B. Swilley. circa 24 April 2010: Independent candidate for Governor. Mr. Cohen was previosuly the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor. 7 February 2010: Withdrew as the nominee for Lieutenant Governor after several issues from his past were made public. 2 February 2010: Won the Democratic Lieutenant Governor primary with 26% of the vote.
Total		3,729,989	100.00%

Indiana 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2008, 2012. Term Limit: No more than 2 4-year terms in any 3-term period
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

	Democratic			Evansille Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel

Iowa 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic
	Democratic	484,798	42.77%	Governor Chester "Chet" Culver • for Lieutenant Governor: Patty Judge

	Iowa; (Democratic)	20,859	1.84%	Jonathan Narcisse • for Lieutenant Governor: Richard Marlar. 16 August 2010: Party affiliation: Iowa Party. 18 March 2010: Decided to run as an Independent rather run in the Democratic Primary: "I heard Iowans saying to me is they do not what me to run as a partisan, but as an Iowan."
Total		1,133,430	100.00%

Kansas 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic
		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Democratic	270,166	32.21%	state Senator Tom Holland • for Lieutenant Governor: Kelly Kultala
Total		838,790	100.00%

Kentucky 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2007, 2011. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic
	*Democratic*			*Governor Steven L. "Steve" Beshear* • for Lieutenant Governor, Louisville Mayor Jerry E. Abramson
	Democratic			Otis "Bull Man" Hensley, Jr.

Maine 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms. GOVERNOR is the only Statewide elected officer
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic
		Open Chair (no incumbent)

	Independent; (Democratic)	208,270	35.88%	Eliot R. Cutler

	Democratic	109,387	18.84%	state Senator Elizabeth H. "Libby" Mitchell
Total		580,538	100.00%

Maryland 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic

	Democratic	1,044,961	56.24%	Governor Martin O'Malley • for Lieutenant Governor: Lieutenant Governor Anthony G. Brown

	Write-in; (Democratic)	319	0.02%	Ralph Jaffe • for Lieutenant Governor: Freda Jaffe. Running as a write-in after loosing the 14 September 2010 Primary.
Total		1,857,880	100.00%

Massachusetts 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic
	Democratic	1,112,283	47.94%	Governor Deval L. Patrick • for Lieutenant Governor: Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. "Tim" Murray

	Independent; (Democratic)	184,395	7.95%	Treasurer and Receiver-General Timothy P. "Tim" Cahill • for Lieutenant Governor: former state Representative Paul Loscocco (Republican). 1 October 2010: Mr. Loscocco announced he was no longer running and endorsed the Charlie Baker (Republican) ticket. Mr. Loscocco's name remains on the ballot.
Total		2,319,963	100.00%

Michigan 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic
		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Democratic	1,287,320	39.90%	Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero • for Lieutenant Governor: Brenda Lawrence
Total		3,226,088	100.00%

Mississippi 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2007, 2011. Term Limit: No one can serve more than 2 4-year terms in a lifetime
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican
	Democratic			Johnny DuPree
	Democratic			William O. "Bill" Luckett, Jr.

Nebraska 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican
	Democratic	127,343	26.10%	Mike Meister • for Lieutenant Governor: Public Service Commissioner Anne C. Boyle. 19 July 2010: Replacement nominee.
Total		487,988	100.00%

Nevada 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican
		Open Chair (no incumbent)

	Democratic	298,171	41.61%	Clark County Commissioner Rory Reid
Total		716,529	100.00%

New Hampshire 2 year term, Election Cycle: 2008, 2010. Term Limit: None. GOVERNOR is the only Statewide elected officer
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic
	Democratic	240,346	52.64%	Governor John H. Lynch
Total		456,588	100.00%

New Mexico 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic
		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Democratic	280,614	46.55%	Lieutenant Governor Diane D. Denish • for Lieutenant Governor: Brian S. Colón. Certified at Convention

	Write-in; (Democratic)			Billy J. Driggs
Total		602,827	100.00%

New York 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic
		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Democratic; Independence; Working Families	2,911,721	61.12%	Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo • for Lieutenant Governor: Rochester, NY Mayor Robert "Bob" Duffy. 23 September 2010: Received the Working Families Party nomination. 3 June 2010: Announced he will not submit his name for the The Working Families Party nomination. 27 May 2010: Endorsed for Governor by the State Democratic Convention. 26 May 2010: for Lieutenant Governor: Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy. 25 May 2010: Endorsed by the Independence Party. 22 May 2010: Announced he is running. 20 May 2010: Media reports indicate that his candidacy for this office will be announced early next week, on the eve of the State Democratic Convention (which convenes Tuesday 25 May).
Total		4,763,688	100.00%

Ohio 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic
	Democratic	1,812,047	47.04%	Governor Ted Strickland • for Lieutenant Governor: Yvette McGee Brown
Total		3,852,453	100.00%

Oklahoma 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic
		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Democratic	409,261	39.55%	Lieutenant Governor Jari Askins
Total		1,034,767	100.00%

Oregon 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: No more than 2 4-year terms in any 3-term period
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic
		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Democratic; Independent Party of Oregon	716,525	49.29%	former Oregon Governor John A. Kitzhaber
Total		1,453,548	100.00%

Pennsylvania 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic
		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Democratic	1,814,788	45.51%	Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato • for Lieutenant Governor: State Representative H. Scott Conklin
Total		3,987,551	100.00%

Rhode Island 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican
		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Democratic	78,896	23.05%	General Treasurer Frank T. Caprio
Total		342,290	100.00%

South Carolina 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican
		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Democratic	630,534	46.91%	state Senator Vincent A. Sheheen
Total		1,344,198	100.00%

South Dakota 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican
		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Democratic	122,037	38.49%	state Senator Scott N. Heidepriem • for Lieutenant Governor: Ben Arndt
Total		317,083	100.00%

Tennessee 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms. GOVERNOR is the only Statewide elected officer
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic
		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Democratic	529,851	33.08%	Mike McWherter
Total		1,601,549	100.00%

Texas 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican
	Democratic	2,106,395	42.30%	former City of Houston Mayor Bill White
Total		4,979,870	100.00%

Utah 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2008, 2012. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican
	Democratic	205,246	31.90%	Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon • for Lieutenant Governor: state Representative Sheryl L. Allen (Republican)
Total		643,307	100.00%

Vermont 2 year term, Election Cycle: 2008, 2010. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican
		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Democratic; Working Families	119,543	49.48%	state Senator Peter Shumlin • 24 August 2010 Primary: 18,301 votes
Total		241,605	100.00%

West Virginia 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2008, 2012. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic
	Democratic			state Senator Jeffrey V. "Jeff" Kessler

Wisconsin 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic
		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Democratic	1,004,303	46.48%	Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett • for Lieutenant Governor: state Representative Thomas "Tom" Nelson
Total		2,160,832	100.00%

Wyoming 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: No more than 2 4-year terms in any 4-term period. The Wyoming Supreme Court determined on 4 May 2004 that term limits require an amendment to the state constitution rather than, as they were, imposed by a 1992 ballot initiative. At the time, the ruling was not applied to statewide offices. Reference: CATHCART v. MEYER, 2004 WY 49, 88 P.3d 1050, Case Number: 04-32, 04-33, 04-34, Decided: 05/04/2004
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic
		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Democratic	43,240	21.13%	Leslie Petersen
Total		204,618	100.00%

Political Parties Parties appear in parenthesis and italics when a candidate receives the endorsement of a given Party and/or official sources indicate a candidate's association with a particular Party but only where the Party in question does not appear on the actual ballot as such.

Major Parties
	• Democratic
	• Democratic-Farmer Labor
	• Republican
Major Third Parties
	• Constitution
	• Green
	• Green-Rainbow
	• Libertarian
	• Reform
Other Third Parties
	• Alaskan Independence
	• American Constitution
	• American Independent
	• Anti-Prohibition
	• Boston Tea
	• Conservative
	• Free Energy
	• Freedom
	• Independence
	• Independent American
	• Independent Party of Connecticut
	• Independent Party of Oregon
	• Iowa
	• Liberty Union
	• Marijuana
	• Moderate
	• Peace And Freedom
	• Prohibition Party
	• Rent is 2 Damn High
	• Socialist Party USA
	• Socialist Workers Party
	• Taxpayer
	• U.S. Taxpayers
	• United Citizens
	• Working Families
Independents
	• Independent
	• No Party Affiliation
	• Nominated By Petition
	• Nonpartisan
	• Unaffiliated
	• Unenrolled
Write-in/Scattered/otherwise not readily classifiable
	• None of these candidates
	• Scattering
	• Write-in

Notes

Candidates for office appear on this page in italics where 'The Green Papers' does not yet have independent confirmation from a legal election authority that the person has been officially certified to appear on the ballot.