For most of the last two decades, Americans have been more likely to self-identify as Democrats than as Republicans. More recently, however, the Democratic Party’s base has been eroding. According to the Associated Press, the GOP gained over 1 million voters during the first year of Joe Biden’s presidency. Now, according to Gallup survey data, only 23% of Americans identify as Democrats, the smallest share in at least 20 years.

Shifting political loyalties are likely, in part, a reflection of dissatisfaction with the Biden administration. With a job approval rating of just 38%, Biden is one of the least popular presidents in over half a century. (These are the states where the most people regret voting for Biden.)

Public opinion of the president, however, does not appear to have had a meaningful impact on Democrats in executive positions at the state level. Currently, 23 of the 50 state governors are Democrats, and all of them have a higher job approval rating than the president.

Using survey data from Morning Consult, a public opinion research company, 24/7 Wall St. identified America’s most and least popular Democratic governors. We ranked all 23 Democratic governors by their net-approval rating — the share of voters in the state who approve of their administration, less the share who disapprove. Survey data used to create this ranking was collected between Jan. 1, 2024 and April 1, 2024. Supplemental data on governor salaries came from The Council of State Governments and annual unemployment rates are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Among the governors on this list, approval ratings range from 43.5% to 65.1%. Notably, three of these states — Kansas, Kentucky, and North Carolina — went to Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential race. Despite voting Republican in national elections, residents of these states are generally happy with their Democratic governors, as each have an approval rating of more than 50% — including two who rank among the most popular governors in the country.

The political matters that shape public opinion of state governors can vary over time. The economy, however, consistently ranks among the most important issues to American voters — and, by some key measures, many states led by popular Democratic governors have relatively healthy economies. For example, eight of the 10 highest ranking governors on this list hold office in states where the 2023 unemployment rate is in line with, or lower than, the 3.6% national jobless rate. (Here is a look at the most important issues to voters in the 2024 election.)

Why It Matters

The share of Americans who identify as Democrats hit a multi-decade low in June 2024. Waning party membership is attributable, in part, to negative perceptions of President Biden’s job performance. But even though Biden is a historically unpopular president, many of his fellow Democrats serving as state governors remain in good standing with their constituents. Governors, like virtually all elected officials, are subject to constant public scrutiny, and for those who are not facing a term limit, their job security hinges largely on voters’ perceptions of their leadership.

23. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek

• Approval rating: 43.5% (15.2% strongly approve)
• Disapproval rating: 45.3% (28.6% strongly disapprove)
• Tenure: Took office in 2023, currently serving first term
• Governor’s annual salary: $98,600
• Oregon’s 2023 unemployment rate: 3.7% (in line with nat’l avg.)
• Oregon population: 4,240,137

22. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee

• Approval rating: 49.5% (22.8% strongly approve)
• Disapproval rating: 44.1% (32.3% strongly disapprove)
• Tenure: Took office in 2013, currently serving second term
• Governor’s annual salary: $187,353
• Washington’s 2023 unemployment rate: 4.1% (higher than nat’l avg.)
• Washington population: 7,785,786

21. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers

• Approval rating: 49.1% (24.0% strongly approve)
• Disapproval rating: 42.8% (25.6% strongly disapprove)
• Tenure: Took office in 2019, currently serving second term
• Governor’s annual salary: $152,756
• Wisconsin’s 2023 unemployment rate: 3.2% (lower than nat’l avg.)
• Wisconsin population: 5,892,539

20. Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee

• Approval rating: 49.5% (9.5% strongly approve)
• Disapproval rating: 41.2% (18.2% strongly disapprove)
• Tenure: Took office in 2021, currently serving second term
• Governor’s annual salary: $145,755
• Rhode Island’s 2023 unemployment rate: 3.3% (lower than nat’l avg.)
• Rhode Island population: 1,093,734

19. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul

• Approval rating: 49.9% (19.5% strongly approve)
• Disapproval rating: 41.1% (27.4% strongly disapprove)
• Tenure: Took office in 2021, currently serving second term
• Governor’s annual salary: $250,000
• New York’s 2023 unemployment rate: 4.3% (higher than nat’l avg.)
• New York population: 19,677,151

18. Maine Gov. Janet Mills

• Approval rating: 52.5% (21.7% strongly approve)
• Disapproval rating: 43.5% (28.2% strongly disapprove)
• Tenure: Took office in 2019, currently serving second term
• Governor’s annual salary: $70,000
• Maine’s 2023 unemployment rate: 3.1% (lower than nat’l avg.)
• Maine population: 1,385,340

17. Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs

• Approval rating: 49.9% (20.2% strongly approve)
• Disapproval rating: 39.4% (23.0% strongly disapprove)
• Tenure: Took office in 2023, currently serving first term
• Governor’s annual salary: $95,000
• Arizona’s 2023 unemployment rate: 3.9% (higher than nat’l avg.)
• Arizona population: 7,359,197

16. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker

• Approval rating: 52.5% (22.7% strongly approve)
• Disapproval rating: 41.6% (29.2% strongly disapprove)
• Tenure: Took office in 2019, currently serving second term
• Governor’s annual salary: $184,758
• Illinois’s 2023 unemployment rate: 4.4% (higher than nat’l avg.)
• Illinois population: 12,582,032

15. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz

• Approval rating: 53.6% (26.6% strongly approve)
• Disapproval rating: 40.9% (27.3% strongly disapprove)
• Tenure: Took office in 2019, currently serving second term
• Governor’s annual salary: $127,629
• Minnesota’s 2023 unemployment rate: 2.9% (lower than nat’l avg.)
• Minnesota population: 5,717,184

14. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham

• Approval rating: 52.4% (24.9% strongly approve)
• Disapproval rating: 38.5% (29.6% strongly disapprove)
• Tenure: Took office in 2019, currently serving second term
• Governor’s annual salary: $110,000
• New Mexico’s 2023 unemployment rate: 3.9% (higher than nat’l avg.)
• New Mexico population: 2,113,344

13. New Jersey Gov. Philip Murphy

• Approval rating: 53.5% (20.0% strongly approve)
• Disapproval rating: 39.6% (23.2% strongly disapprove)
• Tenure: Took office in 2018, currently serving second term
• Governor’s annual salary: $175,000
• New Jersey’s 2023 unemployment rate: 4.7% (higher than nat’l avg.)
• New Jersey population: 9,261,699

12. California Gov. Gavin Newsom

• Approval rating: 54.2% (24.9% strongly approve)
• Disapproval rating: 39.5% (27.2% strongly disapprove)
• Tenure: Took office in 2019, currently serving second term
• Governor’s annual salary: $218,556
• California’s 2023 unemployment rate: 4.7% (higher than nat’l avg.)
• California population: 39,029,342

11. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper III

• Approval rating: 52.9% (23.0% strongly approve)
• Disapproval rating: 35.6% (19.2% strongly disapprove)
• Tenure: Took office in 2017, currently serving second term
• Governor’s annual salary: $165,750
• North Carolina’s 2023 unemployment rate: 3.2% (lower than nat’l avg.)
• North Carolina population: 10,698,973

10. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

• Approval rating: 56.9% (31.5% strongly approve)
• Disapproval rating: 38.1% (25.7% strongly disapprove)
• Tenure: Took office in 2019, currently serving second term
• Governor’s annual salary: $159,300
• Michigan’s 2023 unemployment rate: 3.9% (higher than nat’l avg.)
• Michigan population: 10,034,118

9. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis

• Approval rating: 56.3% (27.8% strongly approve)
• Disapproval rating: 35.2% (21.0% strongly disapprove)
• Tenure: Took office in 2019, currently serving second term
• Governor’s annual salary: $90,000
• Colorado’s 2023 unemployment rate: 3.2% (lower than nat’l avg.)
• Colorado population: 5,839,926

8. Delaware Gov. John Carney

• Approval rating: 55.4% (16.6% strongly approve)
• Disapproval rating: 32.2% (13.9% strongly disapprove)
• Tenure: Took office in 2017, currently serving second term
• Governor’s annual salary: $171,000
• Delaware’s 2023 unemployment rate: 3.6% (in line with nat’l avg.)
• Delaware population: 1,018,396

7. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro

• Approval rating: 56.1% (25.8% strongly approve)
• Disapproval rating: 30.3% (15.0% strongly disapprove)
• Tenure: Took office in 2023, currently serving first term
• Governor’s annual salary: $213,026
• Pennsylvania’s 2023 unemployment rate: 3.1% (lower than nat’l avg.)
• Pennsylvania population: 12,972,008

6. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont

• Approval rating: 61.8% (25.0% strongly approve)
• Disapproval rating: 30.9% (14.4% strongly disapprove)
• Tenure: Took office in 2019, currently serving second term
• Governor’s annual salary: $150,000
• Connecticut’s 2023 unemployment rate: 3.7% (in line with nat’l avg.)
• Connecticut population: 3,626,205

5. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey

• Approval rating: 59.0% (22.9% strongly approve)
• Disapproval rating: 27.8% (15.9% strongly disapprove)
• Tenure: Took office in 2023, currently serving first term
• Governor’s annual salary: $185,000
• Massachusetts’s 2023 unemployment rate: 3.4% (lower than nat’l avg.)
• Massachusetts population: 6,981,974

4. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly

• Approval rating: 61.7% (26.3% strongly approve)
• Disapproval rating: 30.4% (13.0% strongly disapprove)
• Tenure: Took office in 2019, currently serving second term
• Governor’s annual salary: $110,707
• Kansas’s 2023 unemployment rate: 2.8% (lower than nat’l avg.)
• Kansas population: 2,937,150

3. Hawaii Gov. Josh Green

• Approval rating: 61.2% (17.4% strongly approve)
• Disapproval rating: 28.0% (12.4% strongly disapprove)
• Tenure: Took office in 2022, currently serving first term
• Governor’s annual salary: $165,048
• Hawaii’s 2023 unemployment rate: 3.0% (lower than nat’l avg.)
• Hawaii population: 1,440,196

2. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear

• Approval rating: 65.1% (33.3% strongly approve)
• Disapproval rating: 29.9% (13.0% strongly disapprove)
• Tenure: Took office in 2019, currently serving second term
• Governor’s annual salary: $152,181
• Kentucky’s 2023 unemployment rate: 4.3% (higher than nat’l avg.)
• Kentucky population: 4,512,310

1. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore

• Approval rating: 60.0% (23.3% strongly approve)
• Disapproval rating: 23.9% (11.4% strongly disapprove)
• Tenure: Took office in 2023, currently serving first term
• Governor’s annual salary: $180,000
• Maryland’s 2023 unemployment rate: 2.7% (lower than nat’l avg.)
• Maryland population: 6,164,660

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