2026 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election

Last updated

2026 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election
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Party Democratic Republican
Incumbent Governor

Josh Shapiro
Democratic



The 2026 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election will take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the governor of Pennsylvania. Incumbent Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro is eligible to run for re-election to a second term but has not yet stated if he will do so. This will be one of five Democratic-held governorships up for election in 2026 in a state that Donald Trump won in the 2024 presidential election.

Contents

Background

Pennsylvania is a purple state located in the Northeastern United States. A part of the Rust Belt, it was narrowly won by Republican Donald Trump in his non-consecutive second victory in 2024 after similarly narrow victories by Democrat Joe Biden in 2020 and Trump’s first election in 2016. The state has a Democratic and Republican senator, making it one of only three states to have a split Senate delegation [a] , while Republicans hold a majority in the state’s House delegation, with ten seats to the Democrats' seven. [1] Democrats also control the Pennsylvania House of Representatives while Republicans control the Pennsylvania Senate. [2] Incumbent Democratic governor Josh Shapiro was first elected with 56.5% of the vote in 2022, succeeding term-limited Democrat Tom Wolf.

Democratic primary

Governor

Candidates

Potential
Declined

Lieutenant Governor

Potential

Republican primary

Governor

Candidates

Declared
Publicly expressed interest
Declined

Endorsements

Stacy Garrity

Statewide officials

U.S. Representatives

State legislators

Political parties

Dan Meuser (declined)
U.S. presidents

Polling

Hypothetical polling
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered		Sample
size		Margin
of error		Stacy
Garrity		Doug
Mastriano		Scott
Perry		Kristin
Phillips-Hill		Undecided
City & State [19] April 8, 2024240 (RV)7%6%4%3%80%

Lieutenant Governor

Publicly expressed interest

Libertarian convention

Governor

Candidates

Declared

General election

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
The Cook Political Report [22] Likely DSeptember 11, 2025
Inside Elections [23] Likely DAugust 28, 2025
Sabato's Crystal Ball [24] Likely DSeptember 4, 2025
Race to the WH [25] Likely DSeptember 11, 2025

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The other two are Maine, with an independent who caucuses with the Democrats and a Republican, and Wisconsin, with a Democrat and a Republican.

References

  1. ↑ "119th Congress Smashes Record Low for Number of Split US Senate Delegations". No. Smart Politics. November 19, 2024. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Democrats will again control Pennsylvania House after holding on to one-seat majority". Spotlight PA. November 8, 2024. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  3. ↑ Swartz, Katherine (December 31, 2024). "'The Feistiest I've Ever Seen Him': Inside Bob Casey's Final Days in the Senate". NOTUS . Retrieved December 31, 2024. Gov. Josh Shapiro is up for reelection in 2026, but if he runs for president over another term in Harrisburg, Casey said he's not interested in vying for the job
  4. ↑ Levy, Marc (August 18, 2025). "Republican Stacy Garrity seeks to challenge Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's reelection bid". Associated Press . Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  5. ↑ Stockburger, George; Owens, Dennis (August 21, 2025). "'Underdog' Garrity outlines vision for Pennsylvania in Governor's Race". WHTM-TV . Retrieved August 24, 2025.
  6. ↑ Wilkie, Jordan (August 25, 2025). "Pa. Sen. Doug Mastriano says he has 'grassroots' support as party lines up behind opponent". WITF-TV . Retrieved August 25, 2025. Mastriano said he is months away from deciding whether to make another run for governor.
  7. ↑ White, Jaxon (April 4, 2025). "State Sen. Scott Martin doesn't rule out potential entrance into 2026 governor's race". Lancaster Online . Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ulrich, Steve (August 25, 2025). "Garrity Consolidates PA GOP Leaders Around Gubernatorial Campaign". PoliticsPA . Retrieved August 25, 2025.
  9. ↑ Toth, Matthew (July 9, 2025). "'My focus needs to remain on doing my job': Rep. Meuser won't run for Pa governor in 2026". Lebanon Daily News . Retrieved July 9, 2025.
  10. 1 2 Lindenmuth, Kaylee; Stockburger, George (August 20, 2025). "U.S. Rep. Meuser backs Garrity for Governor". WHTM-TV .
  11. 1 2 McGoldrick, Gillian (December 8, 2024). "U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser is considering a run for Pa. governor in 2026 — and Treasurer Stacy Garrity isn't ruling one out". The Philadelphia Inquirer . Retrieved December 8, 2024.
  12. ↑ Cole, John (March 13, 2025). "Q&A: Congressman Glenn Thompson talks tariffs, SNAP, and immigration's impact on agriculture". Pennsylvania Capital-Star . Retrieved March 13, 2025. Thompson: I would be honored to serve the state of Pennsylvania as governor, but I do think at this point in time with where I'm at in Congress that my best leadership and service for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is right here in Washington, DC.
  13. 1 2 "Thompson endorses Garrity for governor". The Express. September 3, 2025. Retrieved September 7, 2025.
  14. ↑ DeJesus, Ivey (September 17, 2025). "Former Gov. Tom Corbett endorses Republican Stacy Garrity in Pa. governor's race". PennLive.com . Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  15. ↑ "U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker endorses Treasurer Stacy Garrity for governor". Lancaster Online . September 10, 2025. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  16. ↑ Turner, Ford (July 27, 2025). "GOP field begins to emerge in 2026 race for Pennsylvania Governor". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  17. ↑ Schneider, Aliya (September 20, 2025). "Stacy Garrity gets state GOP endorsement for governor: 'Help is on the way.'". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
  18. ↑ Samuels, Brett (May 30, 2025). "Trump says he would back GOP Rep. Meuser for Pennsylvania governor bid". The Hill . Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  19. ↑ City&State PA
  20. ↑ McGoldrick, Gillian (March 28, 2025). "Garrity-Mastriano 2026? Doug Mastriano floats teaming up with Stacy Garrity to beat Dan Meuser in GOP primary for Pa. governor". The Philadelphia Inquirer . Retrieved March 29, 2025.
  21. ↑ Pelullo, Antonio (June 9, 2023). "Libertarian Candidate for Governor Visiting Butler". Butler Radio Network. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
  22. ↑ "2026 CPR Governor Race ratings". Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
  23. ↑ "Gubernatorial Ratings". Inside Elections . Retrieved February 7, 2025.
  24. ↑ "2026 Governor". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
  25. ↑ "Governor Forecast - 2026-2026". Race to the WH. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
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