Smart Politics: Political Analysis By and Beyond the Numbers

For just the second time in state history, the Democratic and Republican nominees are running unopposed in Pennsylvania’s gubernatorial primaries with Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro and GOP state Treasurer Stacy Garrity advancing to the general election on Tuesday. The only other cycle in which neither party held a contested primary for the office was in 2006 when Democratic Governor Ed Rendell and former NFL Hall of Famer Lynn Swann won nominations without opposition. Uncontested primaries were also held in 1930, 2018, and 2022 for the Democrats and 1970, 1982, 1986, 1998, 2002, and 2014 for the GOP out of the 29 primaries held for the office since 1914.

In Nebraska’s Republican gubernatorial primary on Tuesday, incumbent Jim Pillen cruised to a 66.2-point victory in a five-candidate field as he seeks a second term this November. Pillen’s victory marked the 19th successful renomination bid by a sitting Nebraska GOP governor out of 19 attempts dating back to the state’s first primary in 1908 when Republican Governor George Sheldon won without opposition. Overall, Nebraska governors are 30 for 31 in securing their party’s nomination during the primary era with only Democrat Ashton Schallenberger falling short in 1910 – losing by 0.6 points to Omaha Mayor James Dahlman.