Results of governors running for U.S. Senate, 1914-present

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Since the ratification of the 17th Amendment provided for the direct election of senators in 1913, a total of 336 incumbent or former governors ran for the U.S. Senate across 347 elections. Across those elections, a governor won 127 times (33%), lost the general election 116 times (30%), and was defeated in the primary 125 times (33%). Some elections had more than one governor running, and some individuals ran in multiple elections.[1]

Since 1914, 179 Democratic governors, 148 Republican governors, and nine minor-party governors have run for Senate.[2] Governors who ran for Senate did so an average of 3.5 years after leaving office. The state with the most governors running for Senate was Nebraska, with 16 governors running in 15 elections.

Since 1986, 62 governors have run in 62 elections, with some running more than once and some elections having multiple governors running. In this period, a governor has won 28 times (45%), lost the general election 22 times (35%), and lost a primary 12 times (19%). Additionally, in this period, a governor running for Senate has withdrawn once and has won posthumously once.

For 2026, one governor, Roy Cooper (D), has announced his candidacy for Senate. His candidacy is not included in this analysis, but will be after the election.

For information on U.S. senators running for governor, click here.

On this page, you will find:

  • A list of governors with declared, potential, and declined Senate candidacies in 2026
  • A table listing every governor who ran for U.S. Senate
  • A section with charts and maps showing historical trends

2026 U.S. Senate elections

In 2026, the following candidates are currently candidates, have received media speculation, or have declined to be a candidate for U.S. Senate.

Governors running for U.S. Senate, 2026
Governor Party State Source
Roy Cooper Democratic North Carolina Link
Governors speculated to run for U.S. Senate, 2026
Governor Party State Source
John Bel Edwards Democratic Louisiana Link
Janet Mills Democratic Maine Link
Governors who declined to run for U.S. Senate, 2026
Governor Party State Source
Andy Beshear Democratic Kentucky Link
Brian Kemp Republican Georgia Link
Laura Kelly Democratic Kansas Link
Chris Sununu Republican New Hampshire Link
Tim Walz Democratic Minnesota Link
Gretchen Whitmer Democratic Michigan Link

Historical data

List of previous governors

The following table shows the results of governors running for Senate since 1914. If a governor were appointed to the Senate, they would not be counted, as they would be an incumbent Senator running for a full term. Additionally, if a former Senator ran for governor and later ran for Senate, they would be counted, provided the governorship was their most recent office. If you know of any governors that should be included, please click here.

Governors running for U.S. Senate, 1914-present
Year State Governor Party Time since leaving office Outcome
1914 CT Simeon Baldwin Democratic 0 years Lost
1914 ID James Hawley Democratic 1 year Lost
1914 KY J.C.W. Beckham Democratic 8 years Won
1914 KY Augustus Wilson Republican 3 years Lost
1914 SC Cole Blease Democratic 0 years Lost primary
1914 WI Francis McGovern Republican 0 years Lost
1916 AZ Joseph Kibbey Republican 7 years Lost
1916 CA Hiram Johnson Republican 0 years Won
1916 FL Park Trammell Democratic 0 years Won
1916 ME Bert Fernald Republican 5 years Won special election
1916 ME Bert Fernald Republican 5 years Lost primary for general election
1916 MD Phillips Lee Goldsburgh Republican 0 years Lost primary
1916 MN Adolph Eberhardt Republican 1 year Lost primary
1916 NE Chester Aldrich Republican 3 years Lost primary
1916 NJ Franklin Murphy Republican 11 years Lost primary
1916 ND John Burke Democratic 3 years Lost
1916 ND Louis Hanna Republican 0 years Lost primary
1916 OH Myron Herrick Republican 10 years Lost
1916 TN Ben Hooper Republican 1 year Lost
1916 TN Malcolm Patterson Democratic 5 years Lost primary
1916 TX Thomas Campbell Democratic 5 years Lost primary
1916 TX Oscar Branch Colquitt Democratic 1 year Lost primary
1916 VT Allen Fletcher Republican 1 year Lost primary
1916 VT Charles Gates Republican 0 years Lost primary
1916 WY John Kendrick Democratic 0 years Won
1918 ID Frank Gooding Republican 9 years Lost
1918 KS Arthur Capper Republican 0 years Won
1918 KS Walter Stubbs Republican 5 years Lost primary
1918 KY Augustus Stanley Democratic 0 years Won
1918 MA Samuel McCall Republican 0 years Withdrew before election
1918 MA David Walsh Democratic 2 years Won
1918 MI Chase Osborn Republican 5 years Lost primary
1918 MI Fred Warner Republican 7 years Withdrew before election
1918 MS Edmond Noel Democratic 6 years Lost primary
1918 MO Joseph Folk Democratic 9 years Lost
1918 NE John Morehead Democratic 1 year Lost
1918 NH Henry Keyes Republican 0 years Won
1918 NJ Walter Edge Republican 0 years Won
1918 OR Oswald West Democratic 3 years Lost
1918 SC Cole Blease Democratic 3 years Lost primary
1918 SD Frank Byrne Republican 1 year Lost primary
1918 WY John Osborne Democratic 23 years Lost
1920 ID Frank Gooding Republican 11 years Won
1920 KS George Hodges Democratic 5 years Lost
1920 LA Jared Sanders Democratic 8 years Lost primary
1920 NV Tasker Oddie Republican 5 years Won
1920 OH Frank Willis Republican 3 years Won
1920 SD Peter Norbeck Republican 0 years Won
1922 GA Thomas Hardwick Democratic 0 years Lost primary
1922 IN Samuel Ralston Democratic 5 years Won
1922 ME Oakley Curtis Democratic 5 years Lost
1922 MI Woodbridge Ferris Democratic 5 years Won
1922 NJ Edward Edwards Democratic 0 years Won
1922 ND Lynn Frazier Republican 1 year Won
1922 RI Robert Beeckman Republican 1 year Lost
1922 TX James Ferguson Democratic 5 years Lost primary
1923 MN J.A.O. Preus Republican 0 years Lost
1923 MN J.A.A. Burnquist Republican 2 years Lost primary
1924 GA Thomas Hardwick Democratic 1 year Lost primary
1924 IL Charles Deneen Republican 11 years Won
1924 OK Jack Walton Democratic 1 year Lost
1924 RI William Flynn Democratic 0 years Lost
1924 SC Cole Blease Democratic 9 years Won
1924 SD William McMaster Republican 0 years Won
1925 WI Francis McGovern Republican 10 years Lost primary
1926 CO William Ellery Smith Democratic 1 year Lost
1926 LA Jared Sanders Democratic 14 years Lost primary
1926 NH Robert P. Bass Republican 13 years Lost primary
1926 ND Louis Hanna Republican 9 years Lost special election
1926 ND Louis Hanna Republican 9 years Lost primary for general election
1926 OK Jack Walton Democratic 3 years Lost primary
1926 PA Gifford Pinchot Republican 0 years Lost primary
1926 WI John Blaine Republican 0 years Won
1928 DE John Townsend Republican 7 years Won
1928 FL John Martin Democratic 0 years Lost primary
1928 ME Owen Brewster Republican 0 years Lost primary
1928 MD Phillips Lee Goldsburgh Republican 13 years Won
1928 MN J.A.A. Burnquist Republican 7 years Lost primary
1928 MT Joseph Dixon Republican 3 years Lost
1928 MT Sam Stewart Democratic 7 years Lost primary
1928 NJ Edward C. Stokes Republican 20 years Lost primary
1928 NM Octaviano Larrazolo Republican 7 years Won
1928 ND Ragnvald Nestos Republican 3 years Lost primary
1928 TX Oscar Branch Colquitt Democratic 13 years Withdrew before election
1928 WV Henry Hatfield Republican 11 years Won
1930 KS Jonathan Davis Democratic 5 years Lost
1930 LA Huey Long Democratic 0 years Won
1930 ME Owen Brewster Republican 1 year Lost primary
1930 MA Eugene Foss Democratic 16 years Lost primary
1930 MA Alvin Fuller Republican 1 year Withdrew before election
1930 MN Theodore Christianson Republican 0 years Lost primary
1930 OK Lee Cruce Democratic 15 years Lost primary
1930 OK Henry Johnston Democratic 1 year Lost primary
1930 OK James Robertson Democratic 7 years Lost primary
1930 SD William Bulow Democratic 0 years Won
1930 WY Robert Carey Republican 7 years Won
1932 AR Charles Brough Democratic 11 years Lost primary
1932 GA Richard Russell Democratic 0 years Won
1932 KS Benjamin Paulen Republican 3 years Lost
1932 NH Fred Brown Democratic 7 years Won
1932 ND George Shafer Republican 0 years Lost primary
1934 MS Theodore Bilbo Democratic 2 years Won
1934 NE Charles W. Bryan Democratic 0 years Lost primary
1934 NJ A. Harry Moore Democratic 0 years Won
1934 NM Richard Dillon Republican 3 years Lost
1934 OH Vic Donahey Democratic 5 years Won
1934 OH George White Democratic 0 years Lost primary
1934 PA Gifford Pinchot Republican 0 years Lost primary
1934 TN Ben Hooper Republican 19 years Lost
1934 WI Francis McGovern Democratic 19 years Lost primary
1936 CO Edwin Johnson Democratic 0 years Won
1936 CO William Sweet Democratic 11 years Lost primary
1936 FL Doyle Carlton Democratic 3 years Lost primary
1936 GA Eugene Talmadge Democratic 0 years Lost primary
1936 ID C. Ben Ross Democratic 0 years Lost
1936 IA Clyde Herring Democratic 0 years Won
1936 LA Oscar Allen Democratic 0 years Won primary, but died before general
1936 ME Louis Brann Democratic 0 years Lost
1936 MA James Michael Curley Democratic 0 years Lost
1936 MI Wilbur Brucker Republican 3 years Lost
1936 MN Floyd Olsen Farmer-Labor 0 years Won primary, but died before general
1936 MN Theodore Christianson Republican 5 years Lost
1936 MS Martin Conner Democratic 0 years Lost primary
1936 MT Sam Stewart Democratic 15 years Lost primary
1936 NH Styles Bridges Republican 0 years Won
1936 OK E. W. Marland Democratic 0 years Lost primary
1937 AR Carl E. Bailey Republican 0 years Lost
1936 RI Theodore Green Democratic 0 years Won
1938 GA Eugene Talmadge Democratic 1 year Lost primary
1938 KS Clyde Reed Republican 7 years Won
1938 KY Happy Chandler Democratic 0 years Lost primary
1938 MO Henry S. Caulifield Republican 5 years Lost
1938 NH Charles Tobey Republican 7 years Won
1938 ND William Langer Republican 0 years Lost primary and lost write-in vote in the general election
1938 OK E. W. Marland Democratic 0 years Lost primary
1938 PA George Earle Democratic 0 years Lost
1938 SC Cole Blease Democratic 7 years Lost primary
1938 SC Olin Johnston Democratic 0 years Lost primary
1938 SD Tom Berry Democratic 1 year Lost
1938 SD Leslie Jensen Republican 0 year Lost primary
1940 FL Fred Cone Democratic 0 years Lost primary
1940 ME Lewis Barrows Republican 0 years Lost primary
1940 ME Louis Brann Democratic 3 years Lost
1940 ME Owen Brewster Republican 11 years Won
1940 MD Harry Nice Republican 1 year Lost
1940 MN Elmer Benson Farmer-Labor 1 year Lost
1940 MS Hugh White Democratic 0 years Lost primary
1940 MO Lloyd Stark Democratic 0 years Lost primary
1940 NE Robert Cochran Democratic 0 years Lost
1940 NE Adam McMullen Republican 11 years Lost primary
1940 NE Arthur Weaver Republican 9 years Lost primary
1940 ND William Langer Republican 1 year Won
1940 VT George Aiken Republican 0 years Won
1941 SC Burnet Maybank Democratic 0 years Won
1941 SC Olin Johnston Democratic 2 years Lost primary
1941 TX Pappy O'Daniel Democratic 0 years Won
1942 CO Ralph Carr Republican 0 years Lost
1942 DE C. Douglass Buck Republican 0 years Lost
1942 IA George Wilson Republican 0 years Won
1942 MN Elmer Benson Farmer-Labor 3 years Lost
1942 NV James Scrugham Democratic 15 years Won
1942 NH Francis Murphy Democratic 1 year Lost
1942 OK William Murray Democratic 7 years Lost primary
1942 SD Tom Berry Democratic 5 years Lost
1942 SD Harlan Bushfield Republican 0 years Won
1942 TX James Burr Allred Democratic 3 years Lost primary
1942 TX Daniel Moody Democratic 11 years Lost primary
1942 WV Matthew Neely Democratic 0 years Lost
1942 WY Alonzo Clark Republican 9 years Lost primary
1944 AR Homer Adkins Democratic 0 years Lost primary
1944 ID C.A. Bottolfsen Republican 3 years Lost
1944 IN Henry Schricker Democratic 0 years Lost
1944 IA Bourke Hickenlooper Republican 0 years Lost primary
1944 MA Leverett Saltonstall Republican 0 years Won
1944 MO Forrest Donnell Republican 0 years Won
1944 NC Clyde Hoey Democratic 3 years Won
1944 ND John Moses Democratic 0 years Won
1944 SC Olin Johnston Democratic 0 years Won
1946 CT Raymond Baldwin Republican 0 years Won
1946 CT Wilbur Cross Democratic 7 years Lost
1946 FL Spessard Holland Democratic 1 year Won
1946 IN M. Clifford Townsend Democratic 5 years Lost
1946 MD Herbert O'Connor Democratic 0 years Won
1946 MN Edward Thye Republican 0 years Won
1946 NE Dwight Griswold Republican 0 years Lost primary
1946 NY Herbert Lehman Democratic 4 years Lost
1946 OH John Bricker Republican 1 year Won
1946 PA Edward Martin Republican 0 years Won
1946 RI J. Howard McGrath Democratic 1 year Won
1948 CO John Vivian Republican 1 year Lost primary
1948 KS Andrew Schoeppel Republican 1 year Won
1948 ME Horace Hildreth Republican 0 years Lost primary
1948 ME Sumner Sewall Republican 3 years Lost primary
1948 NC J. Melville Broughton Democratic 3 years Won
1948 OK Robert Kerr Democratic 1 year Won
1948 TX Coke Stevenson Democratic 1 year Lost primary
1948 WV Matthew Neely Democratic 3 years Won
1948 WY Lester Hunt Democratic 0 years Won
1949 NY Herbert Lehman Democratic 7 years Won
1950 KS Frank Carlson Republican 0 years Won
1950 KY Earle Clements Democratic 0 years Won
1950 IA Nelson G. Kraschel Democratic 11 years Lost primary
1950 ID C.A. Robins Republican 0 years Lost primary
1950 PA James Duff Republican 0 years Won
1950 RI John Pastore Democratic 0 years Won
1950 SC Strom Thurmond Democratic 0 years Lost primary
1952 IN Henry Schricker Democratic 0 years Lost
1952 ME Frederick Payne Republican 0 years Won
1952 NE Dwight Griswold Republican 5 years Won
1952 NE Val Peterson Republican 0 years Lost primary
1952 ND Fred Aandahl Independent 1 year Lost primary as Republican, then general as Independent
1952 WY Frank Barrett Republican 0 years Won
1954 AR Sid McMath Democratic 1 year Lost primary
1954 NE Robert Crosby Republican 0 years Lost primary
1954 NE Keith Neville Democratic 35 years Lost
1954 NC W. Kerr Scott Democratic 1 year Won
1954 OK Roy Turner Democratic 3 years Lost primary
1954 SC Strom Thurmond Democratic 3 years Won
1956 CO Dan Thorton Republican 1 year Lost
1956 GA Herman Talmadge Democratic 1 year Won
1956 GA Melvin Thompson Democratic 8 years Lost primary
1956 KY Lawrence Wetherby Democratic 1 year Lost
1956 OH Frank Lausche Democratic 0 years Won
1956 OR Douglas McKay Republican 4 years Lost
1956 UT Herbert Maw Democratic 7 years Lost primary
1956 WA Arthur Langlie Republican 0 years Lost
1956 WV William Marland Democratic 0 years Lost
1957 WI Walter Kohler Republican 0 years Lost
1958 AK Ernest Gruening Democratic 5 years Won
1958 AK Mike Stepovich Republican 0 years Lost
1958 AZ Ernest McFarland Democratic 0 years Lost
1958 CA Goodwin Knight Republican 0 years Lost
1958 DE Elbert Carvel Democratic 5 years Lost
1958 IN Harold Handley Republican 0 years Lost
1958 ME Edmund Muskie Democratic 0 years Won
1958 MN Hjalmar Petersen Democratic 21 years Lost primary
1958 PA George Leader Democratic 0 years Lost
1958 TN Prentice Cooper Democratic 13 years Lost primary
1958 UT J. Bracken Lee Independent 1 year Lost
1958 VT Lee Emerson Republican 3 years Lost primary
1958 WV William Marland Democratic 1 year Lost primary
1959 HI Oren Long Democratic 6 years Won
1960 DE J. Caleb Boggs Republican 0 years Won
1960 IA Herschel Locveless Democratic 0 years Lost
1960 KY Keen Johnson Democratic 17 years Lost
1960 MA Foster Furcolo Democratic 0 years Lost primary
1960 MO James Blair Democratic 0 years Lost special convention
1960 MT John Bonner Democratic 7 years Lost primary
1960 NE Ralph Brooks Democratic 0 years Won primary, but died before general
1960 ND John E. Davis Republican 0 years Lost
1960 OR Elmo Smith Republican 3 years Lost
1960 RI Dennis J. Roberts Democratic 1 year Lost primary
1960 WV Cecil Underwood Republican 0 years Lost
1962 CT Abraham Ribicoff Democratic 2 years Won
1962 CT John Davis Lodge Republican 7 years Lost convention
1962 KS Edward F. Arn Republican 7 years Lost primary
1962 SC Ernest "Fritz" Hollings Democratic 0 years Lost primary
1962 WI Gaylord Nelson Democratic 0 years Won
1962 WY Milward Simpson Republican 3 years Won
1964 AZ Paul Fannin Republican 0 years Won
1964 CA Fred Hall Republican 7 years Lost primary[3]
1964 CT John Davis Lodge Republican 9 years Lost
1964 DE Elbert Carvel Democratic 0 years Lost
1964 OK Raymond Gary Democratic 5 years Lost primary
1964 TN Frank Clement Democratic 0 years Lost primary
1966 MA Endicott Peabody Democratic 1 year Lost
1966 MI G. Mennen Williams Democratic 5 years Lost
1966 MT Tim Babcock Republican 0 years Lost
1966 NE Frank B. Morrison Democratic 0 years Lost
1966 NH Lane Dwinell Republican 7 years Lost primary
1966 NH Wesley Powell Republican 3 years Lost primary
1966 OR Mark Hatfield Republican 0 years Won
1966 SC Ernest "Fritz" Hollings Democratic 3 years Won
1966 TN Frank Clement Democratic 0 years Lost
1966 WY Clifford Hansen Republican 0 years Won
1968 AL Jim Folsom Democratic 9 years Lost primary
1968 CO Stephen McNichols Democratic 5 years Lost
1968 FL LeRoy Collins Democratic 7 years Lost
1968 IA Harold E. Hughes Democratic 0 years Won
1968 KS William H. Avery Republican 1 year Lost primary
1968 NH John King Democratic 0 years Lost
1968 OK Henry Bellmon Republican 1 year Won
1968 SD Archie Gubbrud Republican 3 years Lost
1970 FL C. Farris Bryant Democratic 5 years Lost primary
1970 NE Frank B. Morrison Democratic 3 years Lost
1970 NM David Cargo Republican 0 years Lost primary
1970 OH Jim Rhodes Republican 0 years Lost primary
1970 VT Phillip Hoff Democratic 1 year Lost
1972 ID Robert Smylie Republican 5 years Lost primary
1972 KY Louie Nunn Republican 1 year Lost
1972 LA John McKeithen Independent 0 years Lost
1972 NH Wesley Powell Republican 9 years Lost
1972 NM David Cargo Republican 1 year Lost primary
1972 OK Dewey Bartlett Republican 1 year Won
1972 RI John Chafee Republican 3 years Lost
1974 AR Dale Bumpers Democratic 0 years Won
1974 KY Wendell Ford Democratic 0 years Won
1974 NV Paul Laxalt Republican 3 years Won
1974 ND William Guy Democratic 1 year Lost
1976 HI William Quinn Republican 14 years Lost
1976 IN Edgar Whitcomb Republican 3 years Lost primary
1976 MO Warren Hearnes Democratic 3 years Lost primary, won convention to replace deceased nominee, then lost general
1976 RI John Chafee Republican 7 years Won
1976 RI Philip Noel Democratic 0 years Lost primary
1976 VT Thomas Salmon Democratic 0 years Lost
1978 AR David Pryor Democratic 0 years Won
1978 MN Harold Stassen Republican 35 years Lost primary
1978 MS Cliff Finch Democratic 0 years Lost primary
1978 MS Bill Waller Democratic 2 years Lost primary
1978 NE J. James Exon Democratic 0 years Won
1978 OK David Boren Democratic 0 years Won
1978 VA Linwood Holton Republican 4 years Lost convention
1978 WV Arch Moore Republican 1 year Lost
1980 NH Wesley Powell Republican 17 years Lost primary
1982 CA Jerry Brown Democratic 0 years Lost
1982 NM Jerry Apodaca Democratic 3 years Lost primary
1984 KY John Brown Democratic 0 years Withdrew before election
1984 MS William Winter Democratic 0 years Lost
1984 NC James Hunt Democratic 0 years Lost
1984 WV Jay Rockefeller Democratic 0 years Won
1986 FL Bob Graham Democratic 0 years Won
1986 ID John Evans Democratic 0 years Lost
1986 MD Harry Hughes Democratic 0 years Lost primary
1986 MO Kit Bond Republican 0 years Won
1986 NH Endicott Peabody Democratic 21 years[4] Lost
1986 NC Terry Sanford Democratic 21 years Won
1986 SD Bill Janklow Republican 0 years Lost primary
1986 VT Richard Snelling Republican 1 year Lost
1988 FL Reubin Askew Democratic 9 years Withdrew before election
1988 FL Claude Kirk Jr. Democratic 17 years Lost primary
1988 NE Bob Kerrey Democratic 1 year Won
1988 NV Richard Bryan Democratic 0 years Won
1988 VA Chuck Robb Democratic 2 years Won
1988 WI Tony Earl Democratic 2 years Lost primary
1991 PA Dick Thornburgh Republican 4 years Lost
1992 AZ Evan Meachem Independent 4 years Lost
1992 CO Dick Lamm Democratic 5 years Lost primary
1992 NH Judd Gregg Republican 0 years Won
1994 MO John Ashcroft Republican 1 year Won
1994 WY Mike Sullivan Democratic 0 years Lost
1994 MN Harold Stassen Republican 51 years Lost primary
1996 KS Joan Finney Democratic 1 year Lost primary
1996 MA Bill Weld Republican 0 years Lost
1996 ME Joseph Brennan Democratic 5 years Lost
1996 NE Ben Nelson Democratic 0 years Lost
1998 IN Evan Bayh Democratic 1 year Won
1998 OH George Voinovich Republican 0 years Won
2000 DE Tom Carper Democratic 0 years Won
2000 MO Mel Carnahan Democratic 0 years Won Posthumously
2000 NE Ben Nelson Democratic 1 year Won
2000 NJ James Florio Democratic 5 years Lost primary
2000 VA George Allen Republican 2 years Won
2002 NH Jeanne Shaheen Democratic 0 years Lost
2002 OK David Walters Democratic 7 years Lost
2002 TN Lamar Alexander Republican 15 years Won
2004 AK Tony Knowles Democratic 1 year Lost
2004 SC David Beasley Republican 5 years Lost primary
2008 ID Jim Risch Republican 1 year Won
2008 MS Ronnie Musgrove Democratic 5 years Lost
2008 NE Mike Johanns Republican 3 years Won
2008 NH Jeanne Shaheen Democratic 5 years Won
2008 VA Mark Warner Democratic 2 years Won
2008 VA Jim Gilmore Republican 6 years Lost
2010 DE Mike Castle Republican 19 years Lost primary
2010 FL Charlie Crist Independent 0 years Lost
2010 ND John Hoeven Republican 0 years Won
2010 WV Joe Manchin Democratic 0 years Won
2012 HI Linda Lingle Republican 2 years Lost
2012 ME Angus King Independent 9 years Won
2012 VA Tim Kaine Democratic 2 years Won
2012 WI Tommy Thompson Republican 11 years Lost
2014 SD Mike Rounds Republican 3 years Won
2016 NH Maggie Hassan Democratic 0 years Won
2016 OH Ted Strickland Democratic 5 years Lost
2018 FL Rick Scott Republican 0 years Won
2018 NM Gary Johnson Libertarian 15 years Lost
2018 TN Phil Bredesen Democratic 7 years Lost
2018 UT Mitt Romney Republican 11 years[5] Won
2020 CO John Hickenlooper Democratic 1 year Won
2020 MT Steve Bullock Democratic 0 years Lost
2022 MO Eric Greitens Republican 4 years Lost primary
2022 NC Pat McCrory Republican 5 years Lost primary
2024 MD Larry Hogan Republican 1 year Lost
2024 WV Jim Justice Republican 0 years Won
347 elections 50 states 336 governors 179 D-148 R-9 Other[6] 3.5 years 127 W-116 L-125 LP-16 Other  

State data

The following table breaks down the number of governors who ran in a state and how often a governor won, lost the general election, lost the primary, or faced a fourth unique outcome such as withdrawal, death, or write-in campaigns after a primary loss. If a governor ran more than once, their results will be added to the columns but will not affect the number of governors who ran.

State data of governors running for U.S. Senate 1914-present
State Governors
ran
Won Lost
general election
Lost
primary
Other
Alabama 1 0 0 1 0
Alaska 3 1 2 0 0
Arkansas 6 2 1 3 0
Arizona 4 1 3 0 0
California 4 1 2 1 0
Colorado 9 2 4 3 0
Connecticut 5 2 3 0 1[7]
Delaware 6 3 3 1 0
Florida 12 4 2 5 1[8]
Georgia 5 2 0 5 0
Hawaii 3 1 2 0 0
Iowa 6 3 1 2 0
Idaho 8 2 5 2 0
Illinois 1 1 0 0 0
Indiana 6 2 4 1 0
Kansas 11 4 3 4 0
Kentucky 10 4 4 1 1[9]
Louisiana 4 1 1 2 1[10]
Massachusetts 9 2 3 2 2[11]
Maryland 5 2 2 2 0
Maine 11 5 4 6 0
Michigan 5 1 2 1 1[12]
Minnesota 9 1 4 7 1[13]
Missouri 10 3 2 2 3[14]
Mississippi 8 1 2 5 0
Montana 5 0 3 3 0
North Carolina 6 4 1 1 0
North Dakota 11 4 4 4 2[15]
Nebraska 16 5 6 7 1[16]
New Hampshire 13 7 5 4 0
New Jersey 6 3 0 3 0
New Mexico 5 1 2 3 0
Nevada 4 4 0 0 0
New York 1 1 1 0 0
Ohio 9 5 2 2 0
Oklahoma 13 4 2 9 0
Oregon 4 1 3 0 0
Pennsylvania 6 2 3 2 0
Rhode Island 8 4 3 2 0
South Carolina 6 5 0 8 0
South Dakota 10 5 3 3 0
Tennessee 6 1 4 3 0
Texas 7 1 0 6 1[17]
Utah 3 1 1 1 0
Virginia 6 4 1 0 1[18]
Vermont 7 1 3 3 0
Washington 1 0 1 0 0
Wisconsin 6 2 3 3 0
West Virginia 8 5 4 1 0
Wyoming 9 6 2 1 0

Tables and maps of governors running for Senate

The following tabs show charts and maps highlighting information, such as how many governors ran per decade, win/loss rate, which states have the highest rate of victory, partisan information on governors, and a full breakdown of every possible outcome that is not counted as a win, loss, or primary loss.

The following table shows the number of governors running for Senate by decade

See also

Footnotes

  1. Additionally, a governor has withdrawn six times, lost at convention votes three times, lost the primary and subsequent general election campaigns via write-in or replacement three times, won their primaries and died before the general election three times, and was elected posthumously one time. These results are not counted in this analysis.
  2. One governor ran as a Democrat and a Republican in different elections.
  3. Was Governor of Kansas.
  4. Was Governor of Massachusetts.
  5. Was Governor of Massachusetts.
  6. One governor ran for two parties.
  7. Lost convention
  8. Withddrew before election
  9. Withdrew before election
  10. Won primary, but died before general
  11. Two withdrawals before election
  12. Withdrew before election
  13. Won primary, but died before general
  14. One lost a special convention, one lost the primary, won convention to replace deceased nominee, then lost general, and one won posthumously
  15. One lost the primary and lost write-in vote in the general election, and one lost the primary as Republican, then general as Independent
  16. Won primary but died before the general election
  17. Withdrew before election
  18. Lost convention