Historic Number of Black Candidates Run for Governor in 2026
For the first time in U.S. history, eight Black candidates are running for governor in the 2026 election cycle, marking a significant increase in representation. This development is notable given that only three Black individuals have been elected as governors in the entire 250-year history of the United States.
Among the candidates is Byron Donalds, who has secured the Republican nomination in Florida. If elected, Donalds would become the state's first Black governor. This diverse field of candidates includes both Democratic and Republican contenders, as well as female candidates, though none have yet won.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore, who is the chair of the National Governors Association and one of the three Black individuals elected as governor, described this election cycle as a 'unique moment' in American politics. Moore's election in 2022 followed those of L. Douglas Wilder in Virginia in 1990 and Deval Patrick in Massachusetts in 2007.
Historically, two other Black individuals, P.B.S. Pinchback and David Paterson, have served as governors through succession rather than election. Pinchback was the acting governor of Louisiana for 35 days during the Reconstruction era, and Paterson completed Governor Eliot Spitzer's term in New York from 2008 to 2011.