Minnesota and Tennessee appear set for a political breakthrough this year, with each state poised to elect its first female governor. 

The major-party nominees in both states are women, and Congress could see two of its own take over those governorships with Sens. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee favored to win their bids in November. 

And several other states could also elect women to their governors’ mansions for the first time, though the female candidates in some of those races face tougher odds. In total, 19 states and three territories have yet to elect a woman as governor. 

The number of women currently serving as governor is at a record high of 14, according to the Center for American Women and Politics. And that’s not counting the two women leading the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and Guam. 

Here’s a look at the women seeking to make history this year by becoming the first elected female governors of their states:

Tennessee

The Volunteer State appears poised to elect its first female governor this year, with Blackburn favored to defeat Democrat Jerri Green, a Memphis city councilwoman. 

More than a dozen independents are also on the ballot in the race to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Bill Lee. Blackburn took less than 50 percent of the GOP primary vote in August, but she holds a decided edge in the general election in a state that last elected a Democratic governor in 2006. Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rates the race Solid Republican. 

Blackburn, who won a second Senate term in 2024, told the Nashville Banner that, if elected, she plans to keep her seat until she’s sworn in as governor — a move that would allow her to pick her successor. 

Minnesota

Klobuchar entered the Gopher State governor’s race earlier this year after Democratic-Farmer-Labor incumbent Tim Walz dropped his reelection bid amid scrutiny over a statewide fraud scandal. 

Less than a month before Election Day, Klobuchar remains the gubernatorial front-runner against Republican state House Speaker Lisa DeMuth for an office Republicans last won in 2006. Inside Elections rates the race Likely Democratic. 

Like Blackburn, Klobuchar, who secured a fourth term as senator in 2024, is also expected to appoint her Senate successor if she wins next month. 

Ohio

The Buckeye State has had a female chief executive before — Republican Nancy Hollister briefly succeeded outgoing Gov. George Voinovich in 1998 after he resigned ahead of being sworn in as senator. But no woman has ever been elected to the governorship.

Democrat Amy Acton is hoping to change that. While Ohio has trended red in recent elections, Acton, a former state health director, is locked in a close open-seat race with Republican biotech entrepreneur and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. 

Inside Elections rates the race a Toss-up. 

Georgia

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is hoping to succeed where Stacey Abrams came up short and become Georgia’s first female and first Black governor. 

But first, the Democrat will need to get past Republican businessman Rick Jackson in the race to succeed term-limited GOP Gov. Brian Kemp. 

Inside Elections rates the race a Toss-up.

Pennsylvania

Republican Stacy Garrity received the most votes for any statewide candidate in Pennsylvania history when she was reelected state treasurer in 2024, with more than 3.5 million votes. 

But she faces a tougher task this year in her quest to become the commonwealth’s first female governor, with Democratic incumbent Josh Shapiro heavily favored to win a second term. 

Inside Elections rates the race Solid Democratic.

Idaho

Attorney Terri Pickens, the Democratic nominee for Idaho governor, is the underdog in a deep-red state that last elected a Democrat, Cecil Andrus, to the office in 1990. Republican Gov. Brad Little is well positioned to win a third term over Pickens and independent John Stegner, a former Idaho Supreme Court justice. 

Inside Elections rates the race Solid Republican.

U.S. Virgin Islands

Democrat Stacey Plaskett is vacating her seat as the U.S. Virgin Islands’ nonvoting delegate to Congress for a chance to become the island territory’s first female governor. 

Plaskett, who won a contested primary in August, faces several independent candidates on the November ballot.