2026 State Primaries: Governors' Races Take Shape in Florida, Hawaii, Tennessee and Arkansas

Several U.S. states conducted primary elections in 2026 to select party nominees for governor and other offices ahead of November general elections. In Florida, primaries for governor and Congress were held and described as a test of former President Trump's influence in the state he has adopted as home. In Hawaii, Democratic Gov. Josh Green won his party's primary, aided by a 56% approval rating and a $3.5 million campaign fund that left three underfunded rivals without a viable path to victory; he will face a Republican nominee in the fall general election. In Tennessee, Republican Marsha Blackburn defeated John Rose to win the GOP nomination for governor, positioning her to run in the general election to succeed term-limited Gov. Bill Lee. In Arkansas, state Sen. Fred Love won the Democratic nomination for governor, setting up a challenge to Republican incumbent Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Reported financial disparities were notable in several races. Green's $3.5 million war chest significantly outpaced his Democratic primary opponents in Hawaii. In Arkansas, Sanders held more than $4.1 million in campaign funds compared to Love's approximately $4,400, a substantial gap heading into the general election. Tennessee election officials set voter registration and early voting deadlines for the fall: registration closes October 5, with early voting running October 14 through October 29, 2026. If elected in November, Love would become Arkansas's first minority governor and its first Democratic governor in more than a decade. General election matchups are now set in Hawaii, Tennessee, and Arkansas, with voters to decide these races in November 2026. The outcome and broader implications of Florida's primary results, including specific vote totals and how they may reflect on Trump's political standing, were not detailed in available reporting. It remains unresolved which Republican candidate emerged as Hawaii's gubernatorial nominee to face Green, as this was not specified in the sourced reporting.