Special Report

America's Least Popular Governors

JillianCain / iStock via Getty Images

As the 2022 midterm elections approach, many eyes are on the upcoming U.S. gubernatorial elections. Thirty-six states will elect their governor in November, including the 10 most populous states where more than half of the U.S. population resides. Twenty of these seats are held by Republicans and 16 by Democrats.

To identify the least popular governors, 24/7 Wall St. used public opinion data from research company Morning Consult. States are ranked by the share of respondents who disapproved of the job performance of their sitting governor, from lowest to highest. To break ties, governors with the smaller approval rating ranked as more disliked. All approval ratings are based on data Morning Consult collected between April 1 and June 30, 2022, among a representative sample of at least 431 registered voters in each state.

Seven incumbent governors cannot seek reelection due to term limits. Among them are Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and Oregon Gov. Kate Brown. While Hogan is one of four governors, all of them Republicans, who enjoy an approval rating of 70% or higher, Brown, a Democrat, is the only governor with a disapproval rating higher than 50%. (Also see, America’s least popular senators.)

Pennsylvania voters will go to the polls to hire a new chief executive as Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, cannot seek reelection because of term limits. Wolf’s high disapproval rating has not bled onto Attorney General Josh Shapiro, his would-be successor, who is described by Politico as a “first-class fundraiser with a record of winning tough statewide races.” 

Dozens of Republican gubernatorial contenders were endorsed by former President Trump in the August Republican primaries. The list includes Kari Lake, who became Arizona’s Republican gubernatorial candidate in a tight primary race that pitted the former news anchor against land-use consultant Karrin Taylor Robson, who was backed by the state’s Republican movers. Like outgoing Gov. Brown of Oregon, outgoing Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, who cannot seek reelection due to term limits, has one of the highest disapproval ratings among the country’s 50 governors. (Enjoying name recognition, here are athletes who went on to become politicians.)

Here are America’s least popular governors.

usdagov / Flickr

50. Wyoming
> Governor: Gov. Mark Gordon (R)
> Popularity: 74% approve, 17% disapprove
> In office since: 2019
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

[in-text-ad]

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

49. Vermont
> Governor: Gov. Phil Scott (R)
> Popularity: 74% approve, 18% disapprove
> In office since: 2017
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

Isaac Brekken / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

48. Massachusetts
> Governor: Gov. Charlie Baker (R)
> Popularity: 73% approve, 20% disapprove
> In office since: 2015
> Running for office in 2022?: Not seeking reelection

Scott Eisen / Getty Images News via Getty Images

47. Maryland
> Governor: Gov. Larry Hogan (R)
> Popularity: 70% approve, 22% disapprove
> In office since: 2015
> Running for office in 2022?: No (term limited)

[in-text-ad-2]

Justin Merriman / Getty Images News via Getty Images

46. West Virginia
> Governor: Gov. Jim Justice (R)
> Popularity: 66% approve, 28% disapprove
> In office since: 2017
> Running for office in 2022?: No election this year

usdagov / Flickr

45. Utah
> Governor: Gov. Spencer Cox (R)
> Popularity: 56% approve, 30% disapprove
> In office since: 2021
> Running for office in 2022?: No election this year

[in-text-ad]

Matt Sullivan / Getty Images

44. Arkansas
> Governor: Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R)
> Popularity: 58% approve, 31% disapprove
> In office since: 2015
> Running for office in 2022?: No (term limited)

43. Alaska
> Governor: Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R)
> Popularity: 52% approve, 32% disapprove
> In office since: 2018
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

Michael Ciaglo / Getty Images News via Getty Images

42. Colorado
> Governor: Gov. Jared Polis (D)
> Popularity: 57% approve, 33% disapprove
> In office since: 2019
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

[in-text-ad-2]

Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

41. Tennessee
> Governor: Gov. Bill Lee (R)
> Popularity: 56% approve, 33% disapprove
> In office since: 2019
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

Maddie Meyer / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

40. New Hampshire
> Governor: Gov. Chris Sununu (R)
> Popularity: 60% approve, 34% disapprove
> In office since: 2017
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

[in-text-ad]

Photo by Mark Reinstein / Corbis via Getty Images

38 (tied). Kansas
> Governor: Gov. Laura Kelly (D)
> Popularity: 56% approve, 34% disapprove
> In office since: 2019
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

Mark Makela / Getty Images News via Getty Images

38 (tied). Delaware
> Governor: Gov. John Carney (D)
> Popularity: 56% approve, 34% disapprove
> In office since: 2017
> Running for office in 2022?: No election this year

Bonnie Biess / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

37. Connecticut
> Governor: Gov. Ned Lamont (D)
> Popularity: 58% approve, 35% disapprove
> In office since: 2019
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

[in-text-ad-2]

Stephen Yang / Getty Images News via Getty Images

36. North Dakota
> Governor: Gov. Doug Burgum (R)
> Popularity: 57% approve, 35% disapprove
> In office since: 2016
> Running for office in 2022?: No election this year

Scott Olson / Getty Images News via Getty Images

35. Indiana
> Governor: Gov. Eric Holcomb (R)
> Popularity: 54% approve, 35% disapprove
> In office since: 2017
> Running for office in 2022?: No election this year

[in-text-ad]

Win McNamee / Getty Images News via Getty Images

34. Virginia
> Governor: Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R)
> Popularity: 53% approve, 35% disapprove
> In office since: 2022
> Running for office in 2022?: No election this year

32 (tied). Alabama
> Governor: Gov. Kay Ivey (R)
> Popularity: 57% approve, 36% disapprove
> In office since: 2017
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

Justin Merriman / Getty Images News via Getty Images

32 (tied). Ohio
> Governor: Gov. Mike DeWine (R)
> Popularity: 57% approve, 36% disapprove
> In office since: 2019
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

[in-text-ad-2]

Drew Angerer / Getty Images

31. Montana
> Governor: Gov. Greg Gianforte (R)
> Popularity: 55% approve, 36% disapprove
> In office since: 2021
> Running for office in 2022?: No election this year

30. Idaho
> Governor: Gov. Brad Little (R)
> Popularity: 54% approve, 36% disapprove
> In office since: 2019
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

[in-text-ad]

Michael B. Thomas / Getty Images News via Getty Images

29. Missouri
> Governor: Gov. Mike Parson (R)
> Popularity: 48% approve, 36% disapprove
> In office since: 2018
> Running for office in 2022?: No election this year

Sean Rayford / Getty Images

28. South Carolina
> Governor: Gov. Henry McMaster (R)
> Popularity: 53% approve, 37% disapprove
> In office since: 2017
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

Sara D. Davis / Getty Images News via Getty Images

27. North Carolina
> Governor: Gov. Roy Cooper (D)
> Popularity: 51% approve, 37% disapprove
> In office since: 2017
> Running for office in 2022?: No election this year

[in-text-ad-2]

Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images News via Getty Images

26. New York
> Governor: Gov. Kathy Hochul (D)
> Popularity: 49% approve, 38% disapprove
> In office since: 2021
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

Photo by Drew Angerer / Getty News Images via Getty Images

25. South Dakota
> Governor: Gov. Kristi Noem (R)
> Popularity: 59% approve, 39% disapprove
> In office since: 2019
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

[in-text-ad]

Jon Cherry / Getty Images News via Getty Images

24. Kentucky
> Governor: Gov. Andy Beshear (D)
> Popularity: 55% approve, 39% disapprove
> In office since: 2019
> Running for office in 2022?: No election this year

Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images News via Getty Images

22 (tied). Georgia
> Governor: Gov. Brian Kemp (R)
> Popularity: 52% approve, 39% disapprove
> In office since: 2019
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

Eduardo Munoz Alvarez / Getty Images News via Getty Images

22 (tied). New Jersey
> Governor: Gov. Phil Murphy (D)
> Popularity: 52% approve, 39% disapprove
> In office since: 2018
> Running for office in 2022?: No election this year

[in-text-ad-2]

21. California
> Governor: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D)
> Popularity: 53% approve, 40% disapprove
> In office since: 2019
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

20. Nebraska
> Governor: Gov. Pete Ricketts (R)
> Popularity: 51% approve, 40% disapprove
> In office since: 2015
> Running for office in 2022?: No (term limited)

[in-text-ad]

19. Florida
> Governor: Gov. Ron Desantis (R)
> Popularity: 53% approve, 41% disapprove
> In office since: 2019
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

Mark Wallheiser / Getty Images News via Getty Images

18. Louisiana
> Governor: Gov. John Bel Edwards (D)
> Popularity: 50% approve, 41% disapprove
> In office since: 2016
> Running for office in 2022?: No election this year

Kelly White / Public Domain

17. Oklahoma
> Governor: Gov. Kevin Stitt (R)
> Popularity: 48% approve, 41% disapprove
> In office since: 2019
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

[in-text-ad-2]

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

16. Maine
> Governor: Gov. Janet Mills (D)
> Popularity: 53% approve, 42% disapprove
> In office since: 2019
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

Scott Olson / Getty Images News via Getty Images

15. Minnesota
> Governor: Gov. Tim Walz (D)
> Popularity: 51% approve, 42% disapprove
> In office since: 2019
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

[in-text-ad]

Ethan Miller / Getty Images News via Getty Images

14. Nevada
> Governor: Gov. Steve Sisolak (D)
> Popularity: 50% approve, 42% disapprove
> In office since: 2019
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

David Ryder / Getty Images News via Getty Images

13. Washington
> Governor: Gov. Jay Inslee (D)
> Popularity: 51% approve, 43% disapprove
> In office since: 2013
> Running for office in 2022?: No election this year

Erich Schlegel / Getty Images News via Getty Images

12. Texas
> Governor: Gov. Greg Abbott (R)
> Popularity: 50% approve, 43% disapprove
> In office since: 2019
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

[in-text-ad-2]

Photo by Alex Wong / Getty Images

11. New Mexico
> Governor: Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D)
> Popularity: 49% approve, 43% disapprove
> In office since: 2019
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

Pool / Getty Images News via Getty Images

10. Mississippi
> Governor: Gov. Tate Reeves (R)
> Popularity: 47% approve, 43% disapprove
> In office since: 2020
> Running for office in 2022?: No election this year

[in-text-ad]

Public Domain / White House / Wikimedia Commons

9. Rhode Island
> Governor: Gov. Dan McKee (D)
> Popularity: 38% approve, 43% disapprove
> In office since: 2021
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

Scott Olson / Getty Images News via Getty Images

8. Illinois
> Governor: Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D)
> Popularity: 51% approve, 44% disapprove
> In office since: 2019
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

Bill Pugliano / Getty Images News via Getty Images

7. Michigan
> Governor: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D)
> Popularity: 50% approve, 45% disapprove
> In office since: 2019
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

[in-text-ad-2]

6. Iowa
> Governor: Gov. Kim Reynolds (R)
> Popularity: 47% approve, 45% disapprove
> In office since: 2017
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

Mark Makela / Getty Images News via Getty Images

5. Pennsylvania
> Governor: Gov. Tom Wolf (D)
> Popularity: 47% approve, 46% disapprove
> In office since: 2015
> Running for office in 2022?: No (term limited)

[in-text-ad]

Pool / Getty Images News via Getty Images

4. Wisconsin
> Governor: Gov. Tony Evers (D)
> Popularity: 46% approve, 47% disapprove
> In office since: 2019
> Running for office in 2022?: Yes

Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images News via Getty Images

3. Arizona
> Governor: Gov. Doug Ducey (R)
> Popularity: 44% approve, 47% disapprove
> In office since: 2015
> Running for office in 2022?: No (term limited)

Mario Tama / Getty Images News via Getty Images

2. Hawaii
> Governor: Gov. David Ige (D)
> Popularity: 44% approve, 49% disapprove
> In office since: 2014
> Running for office in 2022?: No (term limited)

[in-text-ad-2]

Scott Olson / Getty Images News via Getty Images

1. Oregon
> Governor: Gov. Kate Brown (D)
> Popularity: 40% approve, 55% disapprove
> In office since: 2015
> Running for office in 2022?: No (term limited)

Is Your Money Earning the Best Possible Rate? (Sponsor)

Let’s face it: If your money is just sitting in a checking account, you’re losing value every single day. With most checking accounts offering little to no interest, the cash you worked so hard to save is gradually being eroded by inflation.

However, by moving that money into a high-yield savings account, you can put your cash to work, growing steadily with little to no effort on your part. In just a few clicks, you can set up a high-yield savings account and start earning interest immediately.

There are plenty of reputable banks and online platforms that offer competitive rates, and many of them come with zero fees and no minimum balance requirements. Click here to see if you’re earning the best possible rate on your money!

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.