State Governor Races: Candidates Outline Positions on Elections, Education and Taxes

Two separate state gubernatorial races are being contested in 2026, one in Pennsylvania and one in Nevada, each featuring an incumbent and a challenger with differing policy positions. In Pennsylvania, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro has taken positions on election policy that diverge from President Trump's stated priorities, while also facing difficulty advancing new election legislation through a divided state legislature. His Republican challenger, state Treasurer Stacy Garrity, has indicated she would align with Trump's approach to election policy if elected. In Nevada, incumbent Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo reinstated a third-grade reading retention policy as part of an education omnibus bill passed during the 2023 legislative session. His Democratic challenger, Aaron Ford, differs from Lombardo on education retention policy; Ford's campaign clarified in early August 2026 that he does not intend to raise taxes if elected governor. Both races remain unresolved as of the reporting dates, with no elections having yet occurred. The Pennsylvania report did not specify what new election laws Shapiro has attempted to pass or the reasons the legislature has not approved them. The Nevada report did not detail the full scope of disagreement between Lombardo and Ford on education retention policy beyond Ford's opposition to raising taxes.