New Record for Women Gubernatorial Nominees

Primary elections were held this week in New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Full results for women candidates in federal and statewide executive races are available on this post on our Election Analysis page; there is one undecided race featuring a woman candidate, so this post will be updated once that contest is decided.

With Kelly Ayotte (R) and Cinde Warmington (D) winning gubernatorial nominations in New Hampshire, and Helena Foulkes (D) doing so in Rhode Island, there is a new record for major-party women gubernatorial nominees. In 2026, 27 women are nominees for governor; the previous record of 25 was set in 2022 when the same number of states had gubernatorial contests. This record could still increase: Elaine Pelino is in a contest for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in Rhode Island that remains too close to call. Should she win, there would also be a new record (five) for all-women general election gubernatorial contests. The record, four, was set in 2022 and matched this year.
 

New Hampshire

• Incumbent Kelly Ayotte (R) will face Cinde Warmington (D) in an all-woman contest for governor in New Hampshire that is currently rated as “Likely Republican” by Cook Political Report. New Hampshire joins Minnesota, Oregon, and Tennessee as one of four all-woman gubernatorial contests in 2026. This matches the record high for all-women gubernatorial contests in a single cycle (4), first set in 2022. 
• Based on primary election results, women are 3 of 4 (75%) major-party nominees for U.S. House in New Hampshire, including 2 of 2 (100%) Democrats and 1 of 2 (50%) Republicans. 

Rhode Island

• Helena Foulkes (D) defeated incumbent Dan McKee for the Democratic nomination for governor.
• Elaine Pelino (R) is in a race for the Republican nomination for governor that is currently too close to call. If successful, she will face Helena Foulkes (D) in an all-women contest that will break the record high for all-women gubernatorial contests in a single cycle (4), first set in 2022 and matched this year. 
• Based on primary election results, women are 3 of 7 (42.9%) major-party nominees for statewide elective executive office in Rhode Island, including 3 of 5 (60%) Democrats and 0 of 2 (0%) Republicans.
• No women filed as candidates for U.S. Senate in Rhode Island in 2026. No woman has served in the U.S. Senate from Rhode Island.
• Kellie Keenan (R) is the sole woman nominee for the U.S. House in Rhode Island. This contest is currently rated as “Solid Democrat” by Cook Political Report. No woman has served in the U.S. House from Rhode Island since 1991.

 For more information, see the full analysis of how women fared in yesterday's contests on our Election Analysis page. Complete context about women in the 2026 elections can be found on CAWP's Election Watch