Democratic governor makes preparations for next presidential election, race to expand party power in fiercely contested US midterm elections

[New York Current Affairs] In the U.S. midterm elections to be counted on November 3, gubernatorial elections will be held in 36 of the 50 states in the United States. Incumbent Democratic Party candidates seeking re-election include Governor Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Governor Pritzker of Illinois, who are seen as strong candidates for the 2028 presidential election, and are actively campaigning to increase support within their party.

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Mr. Shapiro will focus his campaign within the state, and will work particularly hard to win back the four House seats held by Republicans. Pennsylvania is part of the Rust Belt, where the manufacturing industry is in marked decline, and is one of the battleground states that will determine the presidential election. Shapiro was named as the Democratic Party's vice presidential candidate in the 2024 presidential election, but this midterm election is likely to be a test for his bid for the presidency.

Pritzker, who is expected to win a third term, is reported to be investing large sums of money to support Democratic candidates across the country. Maryland's Governor Moore, who is the only black governor currently in office, is also being talked about as a next-generation candidate, and he is focusing his efforts on supporting black gubernatorial candidates in closely contested states such as Wisconsin. It is believed that all of them are trying to increase their presence within the party by promoting their contribution to expanding the party's strength.

Each candidate is focused on the race to secure their party's nomination for the next presidential election, which will begin after the gubernatorial election. It is reported that each camp is already discussing the timing of announcing his candidacy, but if he does so immediately after his re-election, there is a risk that he will be criticized for ``disrespecting state politics.'' On the other hand, if we wait until around next spring, ``there is a risk that our rivals will take over'' (US media). The timing is likely to be carefully determined, taking into consideration the results of the midterm elections.

In California, Governor Newsom, who is also considered to be a strong Democratic presidential candidate, will not run for governor due to multi-selection restrictions, and Democrat Becerra, who served as Secretary of Health and Human Services in the previous Biden administration, has the upper hand.

The Republican Party is facing an uphill battle in many parts of the country as the Democratic Party launches an offensive backed by President Trump's unpopularity. Earlier this month, election analysis agency Cook Political Report downgraded its assessment of the situation for Republican candidates in Texas and Florida to "slightly favorable." Both are Republican strongholds, but if a Democratic gubernatorial candidate wins in Texas, it would be the first time in 36 years.

According to an analysis released by the organization on the 23rd, the Republican Party holds an advantage in 14 states and the Democratic Party holds an advantage in 19 states in this gubernatorial election. The Democratic candidate has been upgraded to a "slight advantage" in the hotly contested state of Ohio, while Georgia, Nevada and Wisconsin are listed as "close races."