Win at the State Level
Governors and state legislatures control redistricting and set the rules for how elections are run. Which party wins power in the states in 2026 will shape control of the House—and the White House—for years to come.
To fight back against Republican gerrymandering and voter suppression, a key part of our long-term strategy, we need to win in the states. These races are some of the most important, and overlooked, on the map. By organizing early in key states, we’re building power that lasts far beyond a single election cycle.
State governments also have enormous influence over people’s daily lives. For Democrats to rebuild trust with voters, elected officials need to show they can deliver results when in power. While the federal government remains gridlocked, state government is often where that work can happen fastest.
Win in the States Fund
Republicans at the state level are counting on locking in favorable maps and voting rules before 2028. In order to block them, we need to first secure Democratic control. Swing Left has determined the most competitive races that will determine the balance of state-level power—so you can focus your support where it will have the greatest impact.
Target states
Arizona
Goal: Win a trifecta
Governor: Reelect Katie Hobbs | Must Hold
State Senate: Must-Flip
State House: Must-Flip
Governor Katie Hobbs has called this race "the toughest in the country," defending a seat she won by fewer than 17,000 votes in 2022 while Republicans fielded an aggressive primary field backed by Trump.
Arizona is one of the most contested presidential and Senate battlegrounds in the country, and with the state legislature divided, Governor Hobbs has been the critical check on Republican attempts to restrict voting access and manipulate election administration. Losing this seat would give Republicans unified control over Arizona's election infrastructure heading into 2028, making it one of the highest-stakes gubernatorial races on the map.
Georgia
Goal: Break the Republican trifecta
Governor: Elect Keisha Lance Bottoms | Must-Flip
State Senate: Reach
State House: Reach
Governor Brian Kemp is term-limited, and Democrats are surging after flipping two seats on the Public Service Commission in 2025—their first non-federal statewide election wins in Georgia since 2006. Flipping the governor's mansion would cement Georgia's status as a true battleground and give Democrats a critical check on Republican power in the South.
Republicans currently hold a full trifecta in Georgia, giving them unchecked control over a state that has become a true presidential and Senate battleground. Winning the governor's mansion would break that trifecta, giving Democrats a critical veto over any Republican efforts to restrict voting access, redraw district maps, or tilt the playing field ahead of 2028.
Iowa
Goal: Protect potential gubernatorial veto
Governor: Elect Rob Sand | Reach
State Senate: Block supermajority
State House: Block supermajority
Iowa's governor's seat is open for the first time since 2006, and with the state's economy reeling from tariffs, Democrats have a strong recruit in State Auditor Rob Sand, who has high approval ratings across party lines. This is a real opportunity to deny Republicans an unchecked trifecta in a state feeling the pain of their agenda. Flipping this seat would give Democrats a veto over Republican legislation in a state that has been swinging harder right with every cycle.
Kansas
Goal: Break Republican supermajority and protect KS-03
Governor: Elect Cindy Holscher | Must-Hold
State House: Break supermajority
With Democratic Governor Laura Kelly term-limited out, Republicans are working hard to seize back the governorship and complete their hold on a state where they already control a legislative supermajority. Keeping a Democrat in the governor's office is the only remaining check on that supermajority, and losing it would give the GOP the ability to push through their full agenda without any opposition, including potentially redistricting the 3rd Congressional District held by Democratic U.S. Representative Sharice Davids
Michigan
Goal: Win a trifecta
Governor: Elect Jocelyn Benson | Must-Hold
State Senate: Must-Hold
State House: Must-Flip
Governor Gretchen Whitmer is term-limited, leaving an open seat in a state Trump carried by just 1.4 points in 2024.
Michigan is a must-win presidential state and hosts one of the most competitive Senate races of the cycle. With the governorship open and the legislature divided, holding this seat is critical to maintaining a check on redistricting and election administration in a state where both parties are fighting for every advantage heading into 2028.
Minnesota
Goal: Win a trifecta
State Senate: Must-Hold
State House: Must-Flip
Democratic U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar is favored to succeed current Democratic Governor Tim Walz. Democrats and Republicans each hold 67 seats in the State House, but a power sharing agreement gave the speakership to Republicans, while Democrats have a one-seat majority in the State Senate. Prior to the 2024 elections, the state had a Democratic trifecta that delivered a number of progressive policy accomplishments.
Nevada
Goal: Win a trifecta
Governor: Elect Aaron Ford | Must-Flip
Democrats already hold majorities in both the Nevada State Assembly and Senate, and adding a Democratic governor would mean a full trifecta in a critical presidential battleground. That trifecta would put Democrats in a position to protect the 2028 election results and lock in legislative gains before the next redistricting cycle.
North Carolina
Goal: Maintain supermajority break
State Senate: Break supermajority
State House: Block supermajority
Democrats successfully broke Republicans' veto-proof supermajority in 2024—preserving Governor Josh Stein's ability to block the most extreme legislation.
In 2026, the goal is to keep it that way. Holding key State House and State Senate seats will ensure the governor's veto remains a meaningful check on legislative power, preventing one-party rule in a state that will play a pivotal role in the 2028 presidential election.
Ohio
Goal: Protect potential gubernatorial veto
Governor: Elect Amy Acton | Reach
State Senate: Gain seats
State House: Break supermajority
Governor Mike DeWine is term-limited, and Republicans have rallied around Vivek Ramaswamy, who has the backing of both Trump and Vice President Vance. Democrats have a strong candidate in Dr. Amy Acton, and with Sherrod Brown driving massive turnout in the Senate race, the governor's race is poised to benefit directly from Ohio's biggest Democratic mobilization effort in years.
Ohio Republicans already hold a full trifecta and have used it aggressively to entrench their power through redistricting and election law changes. Flipping the governor's mansion would break that trifecta and give Democrats a veto in a state that is also home to one of the most competitive Senate races in the country, making a coordinated Democratic effort here one of the highest-leverage investments of the entire cycle.
Pennsylvania
Goal: Win a trifecta
State Senate: Must-Flip
State House: Must-Hold
Popular Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro is expected to be reelected, and his coattails can help Democrats widen their one-seat majority in the State House and potentially even put control of the State Senate in play. If Democrats can win a trifecta heading into 2028 in this critical swing state, it could have major impacts on the presidential election.
Wisconsin
Goal: Win a trifecta
Governor: Primary August 11 | Must-Hold
State Senate: Must-Flip
State House: Must-Flip
Governor Tony Evers announced he will not seek re-election, opening up a seat in one of the most consequential battleground states in the country for both presidential and Senate races.
The governor controls the redistricting process that will shape the state's political map for the next decade. With the current governorship open and the legislature divided, holding this seat is essential to keeping Republicans from drawing themselves a structural advantage before 2028.
Get involved
Join a local group near you
Organizing is better with friends! Connect with likeminded folks in your area to canvass, phone bank, and more!
Contact swing state voters
With Ground Truth, we’re starting earlier than ever and listening deeply to all swing district voters.
Call voters from anywhere
Join a virtual phone bank and have Ground Truth conversations with voters in swing districts from wherever you live.
