All 50 States — Governor Approval Ratings
Sorted by approval rating (descending). Data: Morning Consult state governor tracking + state polls, April 2026.
| State | Governor | Party | Approve | Disapprove | Net | Trend (90d) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vermont | Phil Scott | R | 72% | 19% | +53 | ▲ +2 | Most popular governor in US; bipartisan appeal |
| Kentucky | Andy Beshear | D | 61% | 29% | +32 | ▲ +1 | D governor in R+15 state; flood relief boost |
| Maryland | Wes Moore | D | 58% | 30% | +28 | ▶ 0 | Rising national profile; Baltimore investment focus |
| Massachusetts | Maura Healey | D | 57% | 32% | +25 | ▶ 0 | Strong on healthcare, climate policy |
| Pennsylvania | Josh Shapiro | D | 57% | 35% | +22 | ▲ +3 | 2028 presidential mentioned; swing-state leader |
| New Hampshire | Kelly Ayotte | R | 56% | 34% | +22 | ▲ +2 | First-year governor; bipartisan reputation |
| Montana | Greg Gianforte | R | 55% | 36% | +19 | ▼ −1 | Stable in deep-red state |
| Utah | Spencer Cox | R | 54% | 34% | +20 | ▶ 0 | Moderate R; bipartisan outreach efforts |
| Colorado | Jared Polis | D | 53% | 39% | +14 | ▼ −2 | Libertarian-leaning D; property tax tension |
| North Dakota | Kelly Armstrong | R | 53% | 31% | +22 | ▲ +4 | New governor (2025); strong start |
| Iowa | Kim Reynolds | R | 52% | 40% | +12 | ▼ −3 | Education cuts cause friction |
| Virginia | Glenn Youngkin | R | 52% | 42% | +10 | ▼ −2 | Term-limited; post-pres-run settling |
| Ohio | Mike DeWine | R | 51% | 41% | +10 | ▶ 0 | Moderate R in increasingly red state |
| Michigan | Gretchen Whitmer | D | 51% | 43% | +8 | ▼ −2 | High-profile D; national ambitions noted |
| North Carolina | Josh Stein | D | 51% | 36% | +15 | ▲ +5 | New (2025); hurricane recovery boost |
| Wisconsin | Tony Evers | D | 50% | 44% | +6 | ▶ 0 | Stable in key swing states |
| Georgia | Brian Kemp | R | 50% | 43% | +7 | ▼ −1 | Term-limited; maintained post-2020 credibility |
| Minnesota | Tim Walz | D | 49% | 45% | +4 | ▼ −3 | Post-VP run; policy popularity mixed |
| Nebraska | Jim Pillen | R | 49% | 38% | +11 | ▶ 0 | Hog farm ban controversy; solid base |
| Tennessee | Bill Lee | R | 49% | 38% | +11 | ▼ −2 | Gun legislation tension after Nashville |
| Nevada | Joe Lombardo | R | 48% | 43% | +5 | ▲ +2 | R gov in D-leaning state; budget disputes |
| Missouri | Mike Kehoe | R | 48% | 34% | +14 | ▲ +3 | New (2025); early polling positive |
| Indiana | Mike Braun | R | 47% | 37% | +10 | ▶ 0 | Transition from Senate; early term |
| Texas | Greg Abbott | R | 47% | 46% | +1 | ▼ −4 | Border/grid policy dragging approval |
| Washington | Bob Ferguson | D | 47% | 37% | +10 | ▲ +2 | New (2025); competence-focused branding |
| Illinois | JB Pritzker | D | 46% | 47% | −1 | ▼ −3 | Budget shortfalls, crime; 2028 dark horse |
| Florida | Ron DeSantis | R | 46% | 48% | −2 | ▼ −5 | Post-presidential run slide; D gains in state |
| Oregon | Tina Kotek | D | 46% | 44% | +2 | ▲ +1 | Homelessness crisis recovery efforts |
| New Mexico | Michelle Lujan Grisham | D | 46% | 46% | 0 | ▼ −2 | Oil revenue debates; last term |
| New Jersey | Phil Murphy | D | 45% | 48% | −3 | ▼ −2 | Lame duck; successor race underway |
| California | Gavin Newsom | D | 45% | 49% | −4 | ▼ −3 | Wildfire recovery ongoing; national ambitions |
| Arizona | Katie Hobbs | D | 44% | 51% | −7 | ▼ −4 | Border, water issues; thin 2022 margin haunts |
| New York | Kathy Hochul | D | 44% | 50% | −6 | ▼ −3 | Congestion pricing, cost-of-living pressure |
Source: Morning Consult Governor Approval Rankings + state-level pollsters. Selected major states shown; full 50-state data updated quarterly.
Why Phil Scott Dominates
Vermont's Republican governor maintains 72% approval in one of America's most Democratic states. Scott has broken with national Republican positions on guns, climate, and abortion — building a cross-partisan coalition that is nearly impossible to replicate in high-profile states. His longevity (serving since 2017) and locally focused governance define his brand.
Cross-Partisan Governors
The highest-rated governors share a common trait: they govern against their state's partisan grain. Andy Beshear (D) in Republican Kentucky, Phil Scott (R) in Democratic Vermont, and Josh Shapiro (D) in purple Pennsylvania all demonstrate that localized, pragmatic governance earns approval that national party alignment alone cannot deliver — a lesson the 2026 governor candidates will study closely.
2026 Governor Races
36 states hold gubernatorial elections in 2026. Current approval ratings predict competitive races in: Arizona (Hobbs at 44% faces tough re-election), New Hampshire, Nevada, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania (open seat), and North Carolina (Stein first-term). Republicans look to flip AZ, NV, and possibly MI. Democrats target FL, OH, and TX as longer-shot opportunities.
Party Average Approval — Trend 2023–2026
Top 10 Most Popular Governors
| # | Governor | State | Party | Approve |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phil Scott | Vermont | R | 72% |
| 2 | Andy Beshear | Kentucky | D | 61% |
| 3 | Wes Moore | Maryland | D | 58% |
| 3 | Josh Shapiro | Pennsylvania | D | 57% |
| 3 | Maura Healey | Massachusetts | D | 57% |
| 6 | Kelly Ayotte | New Hampshire | R | 56% |
| 7 | Greg Gianforte | Montana | R | 55% |
| 8 | Spencer Cox | Utah | R | 54% |
| 9 | Jared Polis | Colorado | D | 53% |
| 9 | Kelly Armstrong | North Dakota | R | 53% |
Lowest-Rated Governors (Watch List)
| Governor | State | Party | Approve | Key Issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Katie Hobbs | Arizona | D | 44% | Border, water |
| Kathy Hochul | New York | D | 44% | Cost of living |
| Ron DeSantis | Florida | R | 46% | Post-pres run |
| Greg Abbott | Texas | R | 47% | Grid, border ops |
| JB Pritzker | Illinois | D | 46% | Budget, crime |
Key pattern: Governors in states with significant cost-of-living or public safety concerns tend to fall below 48% regardless of party. Unpopular governors can drag down their party's entire statewide ticket in 2026.
