Primary elections were held on Tuesday in three states: Arkansas, North Carolina, and Texas. Full context about women in the 2026 elections, including candidate lists, summaries, and historical comparisons, is available via the Center for American Women and Politics’ (CAWP) Election Watch . LAST UPDATE: 3/6/2026 at 11:30AM ET

Only 32 U.S. states have had a woman governor. Virginia will mark the 33rd when either Democrat Abigail Spanberger or Republican Winsome Earle-Sears wins the gubernatorial election in November. To date, 51 (31D, 20R) women have served as state governors. In addition, women have served as governors of Guam and Puerto Rico. The first woman governor in 17...