The 2026 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect the governor of Pennsylvania. Democratic incumbent Josh Shapiro is seeking a second term. He is being challenged by Republican state treasurer Stacy Garrity.
Primary elections were held on May 19, 2026. Shapiro and Garrity secured their nominations unopposed. This is one of five Democratic-held governorships up for election in 2026 in a state that Donald Trump won in the 2024 presidential election. If elected, Garrity would be the first female governor of Pennsylvania.
Background Pennsylvania is a purple state located in the Northeastern United States. A part of the Rust Belt, it was narrowly won by Republican Donald Trump in his non-consecutive second victory in 2024 after similarly narrow victories by Democrat Joe Biden in 2020 and Trump in his first election in 2016.
The state has a Democratic and Republican senator, making it one of only three states to have a split Senate delegation, while Republicans hold a majority in the state's House delegation, with ten seats to the Democrats' seven. Democrats also control the Pennsylvania House of Representatives while Republicans control the Pennsylvania Senate.
Republicans have not won a Pennsylvania gubernatorial election since 2010. Incumbent Democratic governor Josh Shapiro was first elected with 56.5% of the vote in 2022, succeeding term-limited Democrat Tom Wolf.
Democratic primary Governor Candidates Nominee Josh Shapiro, incumbent governor (2023–present)
Declined Bob Casey Jr., former U.S. senator (2007–2025)
Endorsements
Results
Lieutenant governor Candidates Nominee Austin Davis, incumbent lieutenant governor (2023–present) Endorsements
Results
Republican primary Governor Stacy Garrity is the only candidate on the ballot for the Republican nomination, making her the presumptive nominee. Supporters of previous nominee State Senator Doug Mastriano launched a write-in campaign, though Mastriano had previously stated he would not run for the nomination and had not expressed support for the campaign. Mastriano ultimately received 7,980 write-in votes. Candidates Nominee Stacy Garrity, Pennsylvania state treasurer (2021–present)
Withdrawn John Ventre, former Pennsylvania director for the Mutual UFO Network and perennial candidate (ran for lieutenant governor)
Declined Scott Martin, state senator from SD-13 (2017–present) and candidate for governor in 2022 (endorsed Garrity) Doug Mastriano, state senator from SD-33 (2019–present) and nominee for governor in 2022 Dan Meuser, U.S. representative from PA-09 (2019–present) (running for re-election, endorsed Garrity) Dave Sunday, Pennsylvania attorney general (2025–present) (endorsed Garrity) Glenn Thompson, U.S. representative from PA-15 (2009–present) (running for re-election, endorsed Garrity) Mike Turzai, former speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives (2015–2020) from HD-28 (2001–2020)
Endorsements
Polling
Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error StacyGarrity DougMastriano DanMeuser ScottPerry KristinPhillips-Hill Others UndecidedPublic Policy Polling (D)September 18–19, 2025524 (V)± 4.3%20%39%––––41%Public Policy Polling (D)May 2025433 (LV)–18%39%6%–––37%Pennsylvania Leadership ConferenceApril 8, 2024240 (V)–7%6%–4%3%1%79%
Results
Lieutenant governor Candidates Nominee Jason Richey, chair of the Allegheny County Republican Party and candidate for governor in 2022 Eliminated in primary John Ventre, former Pennsylvania director for the Mutual UFO Network and perennial candidate (previously ran for governor)
Withdrawn Cris Dush, state senator from SD-25 (2021–present) (endorsed Richey) Brian Thomas, businessman
Declined Tom DiBello, Montgomery County Commissioner
Endorsements
Results
Libertarian convention Governor Nominee Ken Krawchuk, member of the Libertarian Party Judicial Committee and nominee for governor in 1998, 2002, and 2018
Lieutenant governor Nominee John Thomas, educator and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2024
Green convention The Commonwealth Court ordered Dastra and Bolton off the general election ballot, after failing to reach the required threshold of 5,000 signatures. Governor Disqualified Tony Dastra, former Lancaster home rule commissioner, Green nominee for mayor in 2025 and independent candidate in 2017 (disqualified; running as a write-in)
Lieutenant governor Disqualified Craig Bolton, chair of the Philadelphia Green Party (disqualified)
General election Campaign A major issue in the general election has been the growing opposition to AI data centers, similarly experienced throughout the country. Shapiro, despite having previously supported the construction of two Amazon data center campuses estimated at $20 million the previous year and being quoted as saying Pennsylvania was "all in on AI", signed an executive order in August 2026 that implemented new regulations on them and eliminated fast-tracking of approvals to build them. Garrity has criticized Shapiro for this, claiming he "sold us out" for his prior support of Amazon's $20 million data center projects, although Garrity has similarly made comments supportive of AI data centers in the past and to which Shapiro has also capitalized on.
Predictions SourceRankingAs ofThe Cook Political ReportSeptember 17, 2026Decision Desk HQOctober 2, 2026Fox NewsJuly 23, 2026Inside ElectionsSeptember 17, 2026RealClearPoliticsJune 5, 2026Sabato's Crystal BallSeptember 3, 2026Silver Bulletin August 25, 2026
Debates + 2026 Pennsylvania gubernatorial debates and forums Date Host Moderator Link Democratic RepublicanKey: Participant Absent Not invited Invited Withdrawn Shapiro Garrity1 Oct. 7, 2026 abc27 Dennis Owens
Post-primary endorsements
Polling Aggregate polls Source of pollaggregationDatesadministeredDatesupdatedJoshShapiro (D)StacyGarrity (R)Other/UndecidedMargin270toWinSeptember 15–September 22, 2026October 2, 202656.5%33.0%10.5%Shapiro +23.5%Decision Desk HQthrough September 22, 2026October 2, 202656.3%31.2%12.5%Shapiro +25.1%FiftyPlusOnethrough October 2, 2026October 2, 202655.6%33.4%11.0%Shapiro +22.2%RealClearPoliticsAugust 17 – September 22, 2026October 2, 202654.5%32.5%13.0%Shapiro +22.0%Silver Bulletinthrough October 2, 2026October 2, 202656.7%34.2%9.1%Shapiro +22.5%Average55.9%32.9%11.2%Shapiro +23.0% Poll sourceDate(s)administeredSamplesizeMarginof errorJoshShapiro (D)StacyGarrity (R)OtherUndecidedPennLiveSeptember 16–22, 2026624 (RV)± 4.3%55%28%10%8%The New York Times/The Philadelphia Inquirer/Siena UniversitySeptember 15–22, 2026615 (LV)± 4.4%58%38%—4%615 (RV)± 4.5%57%38%—5%PennLiveAugust 18–22, 2026711 (RV)± 4.4%56%25%—19%Franklin & Marshall CollegeAugust 17–23, 2026501 (RV)± 5.5%50%25%7%18%The New York Times/The Philadelphia Inquirer/Siena UniversityAugust 17–21, 2026760 (LV)± 4.6%55%39%—6%760 (RV)± 4.5%54%37%—8%National Public Affairs (R)July 26–30, 2026600 (LV)± 4.0%50%43%—7%Quinnipiac UniversityJuly 9–13, 2026895 (RV)± 4.3%53%40%3%4%PennLiveJune 18–25, 2026644 (RV)± 4.14%54%29%7%9%Franklin & Marshall CollegeJune 8–14, 2026546 (RV)± 5.1%50%28%6%16%MAD Global StrategyJune 9–11, 2026600 (LV)± 4.0%48%31%—18%PennLiveMay 20–24, 2026683 (LV)± 5.0%53%29%—18%Susquehanna Polling & Research (R)March 18–29, 2026700 (LV)± 3.7%58%36%—5%Franklin & Marshall CollegeFebruary 18 – March 1, 2026834 (RV)± 4.1%48%28%7%17%Quinnipiac UniversityFebruary 19–23, 2026836 (RV)± 4.7%55%37%1%7%Quinnipiac UniversitySeptember 25–29, 20251,579 (RV)± 3.3%55%39%1%5%Susquehanna Polling & Research (R)September 22–28, 2025700 (LV)± 3.7%54%36%—9%
Josh Shapiro vs. Doug Mastriano Aggregate polls Source of pollaggregationDatesadministeredDatesupdatedJoshShapiro (D)DougMastriano (R)Other/UndecidedMarginRealClearPoliticsSeptember 22–29, 2025November 24, 202555.5%38.0%6.5%Shapiro +17.5% Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error JoshShapiro (D) DougMastriano (R) Other UndecidedQuinnipiac UniversitySeptember 25–29, 20251,579 (RV)± 3.3%56%39%—5%Susquehanna Polling & Research (R)September 22–28, 2025704 (LV)± 3.7%55%37%—7%
Results
See also 2026 United States elections 2026 Pennsylvania elections 2026 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania 2026 Pennsylvania Senate election 2026 Pennsylvania House of Representatives election
Notes
Partisan clients
References
External links Official gubernatorial campaign websites Tony Dastra (G) Stacy Garrity (R) Ken Krawchuk (L) Josh Shapiro (D)
Official lieutenant gubernatorial campaign websites Austin Davis (D) Jason Richey (R)