A Century Low

When Democrats won just three of 11 gubernatorial elections (27.3 percent) during the 2020 cycle (in Delaware, North Carolina, Washington) it marked the worst showing for the party in races for the office in presidential or midterm election cycles since 1920. In 1920, Democratic nominees won only six of 35 races (17.1 percent) – in Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas. Since that dismal cycle for the party, the worst Democrats had fared was winning 11 of 36 elections (30.6 percent) three times during the last quarter-century: in 1994, 1998, and 2014. During this 51-cycle period, Democrats won more than half of all elections for governor in 27 cycles, won exactly half in two, and won less than half in the remaining 22.