--- title: "Eight Black candidates nominated for US governor in 2026, only three elected in history" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/eight-black-candidates-nominated-for-us-governor-in-2026-only-three-elected-in-h" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/eight-black-candidates-nominated-for-us-governor-in-2026-only-three-elected-in-h" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/eight-black-candidates-nominated-for-us-governor-in-2026-only-three-elected-in-h.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/eight-black-candidates-nominated-for-us-governor-in-2026-only-three-elected-in-h" category: "Politics" area: "United States" published: "2026-08-19T14:46:32.973Z" source_reported: "2026-08-19T14:14:41.000Z" updated: "2026-08-19T15:15:30.519Z" trust_score: 65 critic_score: 55 hype_score: 15 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-08-19T16:46:25.876984+00:00" --- # Eight Black candidates nominated for US governor in 2026, only three elected in history *Florida Republicans nominated Byron Donalds, bringing the total to eight major-party Black nominees on November ballots* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 65 of 100, higher is better. Two independent full reports corroborate AP's central claim. - Craft 55 of 100, higher is better. Full reports quote affected figures; digests lack context. - Hype 15 of 100, lower is better. Headline matches body; no sensationalism detected. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Only three Black governors have been elected in U.S. history, all Democrats and all men, as reported by Washington Top News and Associated Press News. - Eight Black major-party candidates are on the ballot for governor in November 2026, including incumbents and first-time nominees from both parties. - Florida Republicans nominated Byron Donalds for governor on 18 August 2026, the seventh Black nominee alongside Maryland’s Wes Moore. - The candidates include Democrats Wes Moore, Keisha Lance Bottoms, and Aaron Ford, and Republicans Byron Donalds, Lisa Demuth, and John James. The United States has elected only three Black governors in its 250-year history. All three were Democrats and men. Maryland Governor Wes Moore, who is seeking re-election in November 2026, is the only Black governor currently in office. The first, Douglas Wilder of Virginia, took office in 1990. In 2026, eight Black major-party candidates are running for governor. Florida Republicans nominated U.S. Representative Byron Donalds on 18 August, joining seven other Black nominees on November ballots. The slate includes Democrats and Republicans, men and women. The other nominees are Aaron Ford in Nevada, Lisa Demuth in Minnesota, John James in Michigan, Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia, Jermaine Johnson in South Carolina, and David Crowley in Wisconsin. Most of the candidates have not emphasised their race in their campaigns. Byron Donalds did not mention it in his victory speech after winning the Florida Republican nomination. He told reporters, “Florida is a great meritocracy in America. I’ll let you guys write about that.” Lisa Demuth, the Republican nominee in Minnesota, said she has “never led with any type of identity politics” but acknowledged the historic moment. Wes Moore, who became chair of the National Governors Association in 2026, said the historic nature of his election is “not an applause line” but a challenge the country is still working to overcome. He and other Democrats have framed the 2026 elections as a defence against policies they say threaten voting rights and civil rights, particularly after the U.S. Supreme Court allowed states to redraw legislative districts that are majority or plurality nonwhite. ## What the coverage left out None of the right-rated digests mention the party affiliation of the three Black governors elected in U.S. history. None of the right-rated or centre-rated digests name the other seven Black nominees besides Byron Donalds and Wes Moore. The full reports from Washington Top News and Associated Press News carried the names of all eight candidates and their party affiliations. ## Who covered it Shares of the 21 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 48% (10) - Centre: 42% (9) - Right: 10% (2) 2 of 23 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-08-19T16:46:25.876984+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 9 times; 1 check found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-08-19T17:00:37.795Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The six left-rated digests and the full report from Associated Press News led on the historic number of Black gubernatorial nominees in 2026. They named all eight candidates and noted that the slate includes both Democrats and Republicans. The Associated Press report quoted Wes Moore, Aaron Ford, and Stacey Abrams on the challenges Black politicians face in reaching executive office, including resistance from within their own parties. - The Associated Press report carried Karen Finney’s remarks on health disparities in Black communities, including maternal and infant mortality and sickle cell disease. It also quoted Moore saying governors are “the last lines of defense” against policies he described as threats to civil rights. The report noted that Democrats have criticised President Donald Trump’s attacks on diversity initiatives and his push to revise how U.S. history is taught. ### Centre - The five centre-rated digests and the full report from Washington Top News led on the nomination of Byron Donalds and the total of eight Black major-party nominees. They named Wes Moore as the only current Black governor and noted that all three elected Black governors in U.S. history were Democrats. The Washington Top News report quoted Donalds, Demuth, and Moore on the historic moment, and it carried David Paterson’s remark that the slate crossing party lines was a sign the country was “finally getting it right.” - The Washington Top News report included Demuth’s comment that she looks forward to a day when being the first female governor of Minnesota “no longer makes history.” It also quoted Stacey Abrams on the resistance Black women face in reaching executive office, and it noted that Bottoms has served as mayor of Atlanta. ### Right - The two right-rated digests led on the nomination of Byron Donalds and the total of eight Black major-party nominees. They named Wes Moore as the only current Black governor and noted that he is seeking re-election. Neither digest mentioned the party affiliation of the three Black governors elected in U.S. history, nor did they name any of the other seven nominees. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - high: 10 - unknown: 4 - veryHigh: 9 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [McAlester News-Capital](https://mcalesternews.com/region/americans-have-elected-only-3-black-governors-this-year-8-major-party-candidates-are-on/article_6c409346-77ae-55d1-8e24-6ed241c7e040.html) — Americans have elected only 3 Black governors. This year, 8 major party candidates are on the ballot - [Rutland Herald](https://rutlandherald.com/ap/national/americans-have-only-elected-3-black-governors-this-year-8-major-party-candidates-are-on/article_2f2e204a-a6f9-5565-9536-bcc363ca0273.html) — Americans have only elected 3 Black governors. This year, 8 major party candidates are on the ballot - [Independent Español](https://independentespanol.com/noticias/eeuu/los-estadounidenses-solo-han-elegido-a-3-gobernadores-negros-este-ano-hay-8-candidatos-en-la-boleta-b3035716.html) — The Americans Have Elected only 3 Black Governors. This Year There Are 8 Candidates on the Ballot - [Chicago Tribune](https://chicagotribune.com/2026/08/19/americans-black-governors) — Americans have only elected 3 Black governors. This year, 8 major party candidates are on the ballot. - [Washington Top News](https://wtop.com/national/2026/08/americans-have-only-elected-3-black-governors-this-year-8-major-party-candidates-are-on-the-ballot) — Americans have only elected 3 Black governors. This year, 8 major party candidates are on the ballot - [WBAL](https://wbal.com/americans-have-only-elected-3-black-governors-this-year-8-major-party-candidates-are-on-the-ballot) — Americans have only elected 3 Black governors. This year, 8 major part - [The Toronto Star](https://thestar.com/news/world/united-states/americans-have-only-elected-3-black-governors-this-year-8-major-party-candidates-are-on-the-ballot/article_1b2071cc-efb3-52f8-b954-0c3d8a5b8446.html) — Americans have only elected 3 Black governors. This year, 8 major party candidates are on the ballot - [Loonie Politics](https://looniepolitics.com/americans-have-only-elected-3-black-governors-this-year-8-major-party-candidates-are-on-the-ballot) — Americans have only elected 3 Black governors. This year, 8 major party candidates are on the ballot - [The Seattle Times](https://seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/americans-have-only-elected-3-black-governors-this-year-8-major-party-candidates-are-on-the-ballot) — Americans have only elected 3 Black governors. This year, 8 major party candidates are on the ballot - [Associated Press News](https://apnews.com/article/black-governor-donalds-moore-demuth-bottoms-ford-33e123ecc14b623abed4fa0906942614) — Americans have only elected 3 Black governors. This year, 8 major party candidates are on the ballot - [Idaho Press](https://idahopress.com/ap_news/us/americans-have-only-elected-3-black-governors-this-year-8-major-party-candidates-are-on/article_82ba0c95-81e2-546c-8b15-5560a8e46a99.html) — Americans have only elected 3 Black governors. This year, 8 major party candidates are on the ballot - [The Herald Palladium](https://heraldpalladium.com/news/state/americans-have-only-elected-3-black-governors-this-year-8-major-party-candidates-are-on/article_2a54857a-a36b-5497-b48e-0efe8feeed8c.html) — Americans have only elected 3 Black governors. This year, 8 major party candidates are on the ballot - [Reflector](https://reflector.com/news/national/americans-have-only-elected-3-black-governors-this-year-8-major-party-candidates-are-on/article_30e62b8f-4a95-56e9-83d1-fa96071fa51e.html) — Americans have only elected 3 Black governors. This year, 8 major party candidates are on the ballot - [Jonesboro Sun](https://jonesborosun.com/news/national/americans-have-only-elected-3-black-governors-this-year-8-major-party-candidates-are-on/article_7cdeff91-3ad3-5b30-b7e9-adb7a5f74062.html) — Americans have only elected 3 Black governors. This year, 8 major party candidates are on the ballot - [Cecil Daily](https://cecildaily.com/ap/nation/americans-have-only-elected-3-black-governors-this-year-8-major-party-candidates-are-on/article_f633fcc3-0f92-518b-9910-f47df952abc0.html) — Americans have only elected 3 Black governors. This year, 8 major party candidates are on the ballot - [The Daily Star](https://thedailystar.com/news/state/americans-have-only-elected-3-black-governors-this-year-8-major-party-candidates-are-on/article_0511e375-fd42-516a-97bf-f144df9675ef.html) — Americans have only elected 3 Black governors. This year, 8 major party candidates are on the ballot - [WBOC 16](https://wboc.com/news/national/americans-have-only-elected-3-black-governors-this-year-8-major-party-candidates-are-on/article_a18fac04-0adb-5c4a-a5c6-75bfcbe43ee1.html) — Americans have only elected 3 Black governors. This year, 8 major party candidates are on the ballot - [WKMG](https://clickorlando.com/news/politics/2026/08/19/americans-have-only-elected-3-black-governors-this-year-8-major-party-candidates-are-on-the-ballot) — Americans have only elected 3 Black governors. This year, 8 major party candidates are on the ballot - [Bangor Daily News](https://bangordailynews.com/2026/08/19/nation/americans-have-only-elected-3-black-governors-this-year-8-major-party-candidates-are-on-the-ballot) — Americans have only elected 3 Black governors. This year, 8 major party candidates are on the ballot - [abc News](https://abcnews.com/Politics/wireStory/americans-elected-3-black-governors-year-8-major-135770654) — Americans have only elected 3 Black governors. This year, 8 major party candidates are on the ballot - [NBC Miami](https://nbcmiami.com/news/local/americans-have-only-elected-3-black-governors-this-year-8-major-party-candidates-are-on-the-ballot/3848043) — Americans have only elected 3 Black governors. This year, 8 major party candidates are on the ballot - [The Record](https://therecord.com/news/world/united-states/americans-have-only-elected-3-black-governors-this-year-8-major-party-candidates-are-on-the-ballot/article_837ac7c0-906b-5844-8392-2571601155ad.html) — Americans have only elected 3 Black governors. This year, 8 major party candidates are on the ballot - [Winnipeg Free Press](https://winnipegfreepress.com/world/2026/08/19/americans-have-only-elected-3-black-governors-this-year-8-major-party-candidates-are-on-the-ballot) — Americans have only elected 3 Black governors. This year, 8 major party candidates are on the ballot ## Questions **How many Black governors have been elected in U.S. history?** Only three Black governors have been elected in U.S. history, all Democrats and all men. The first was Douglas Wilder of Virginia in 1990. Maryland Governor Wes Moore is the only Black governor currently in office and is seeking re-election in 2026. **Who are the Black candidates running for governor in 2026?** Eight Black major-party candidates are running for governor in 2026. They include Democrats Wes Moore, Aaron Ford, Keisha Lance Bottoms, Jermaine Johnson, and David Crowley, and Republicans Byron Donalds, Lisa Demuth, and John James. Florida Republicans nominated Donalds on 18 August 2026. **What did the candidates say about their historic candidacies?** Most candidates did not emphasise their race. Byron Donalds did not mention it in his victory speech, and Lisa Demuth said she has never led with identity politics. Wes Moore called his historic status a challenge the country is still working to overcome, not an applause line. **Which outlets named all eight Black gubernatorial nominees?** The full reports from Washington Top News and Associated Press News named all eight Black nominees and their party affiliations. The digests from right-rated and centre-rated outlets named only Byron Donalds and Wes Moore. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/eight-black-candidates-nominated-for-us-governor-in-2026-only-three-elected-in-h. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Eight Black candidates nominated for US governor in 2026, only three elected in history", https://mediabias.news/politics/eight-black-candidates-nominated-for-us-governor-in-2026-only-three-elected-in-h