From Tulsa, Oklahoma -
In a year where polling indicates voters are fed up with the Congress and Washington, D.C. in general, the group of politicians who ironically may be feeling most of heat in this November's elections isn't a group of Congressmen or Senators, but rather the nation's Governors.
Not much has changed in recent weeks for Governors in either party, as more than a dozen of them are locked in close races that could truly go either way in the final three weeks of campaigning.
One Governor has already been bounced out of office, as Gov. Neil Abercrombie of Hawaii lost his Democratic primary.
Another, Gov. Tom Corbett (R) of Pennsylvania is fully expected to lose, behind in the polls by as many as 25 points in some recent surveys.
While Republicans talk about having the election momentum in 2014, that's not readily obvious when you look at this year's races for Governor, as there are incumbents in both parties who are being pushed hard in 2014.
Republicans for example are doing very well in the race for Governor in both Massachusetts and Connecticut, two of the bluest states in America.
Meanwhile, Democrats have led in the polls in the very red state of Kansas.
And there are other races where incumbents in both parties are being pushed to their limits:
+ Republicans are working hard to win re-election for Governor in Florida, Georgia and Wisconsin, where there is no evidence of a GOP wave helping the Republicans.
+ While the GOP fights to save those three states, Democrats are being stretched in re-election races for Governor in both Illinois and Colorado.
+ Democrats have also been struggling to get out front in Rhode Island and even in Hawaii.
+ Republicans have also been unable to separate from the field in Alaska, Arizona, Michigan and Maine.
Unlike in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate, where Republicans clearly have the edge in a number of races, elections for Governor are showing a much stronger anti-incumbent flavor, mainly due to individual troubles for Governors along with state and local issues.
It might also be that the voters feel they can truly have a say in a race for Governor, whereas there might be some type of disconnect in voting out someone in the Congress.
Right now, the poll average from Real Clear Politics shows 14 races for Governor as a toss up - eight of those are held by Republicans, six by the Democrats.
Are there incumbents cruising to re-election? Absolutely.
Democrats in Vermont, New Hampshire and Minnesota seem secure; Republicans in Iowa, South Carolina and New Mexico aren't in trouble, either.
Here in Oklahoma, not many experts think Gov. Mary Fallin (R-OK) is in any trouble with her re-election bid - but when you compare her poll numbers to those of the Republicans expected to win a pair of U.S. Senate races in this state, it makes you wonder what is up with Governors nationwide.
One recent poll in Oklahoma shows Fallin ahead of her Democratic opponent, Joe Dorman, by 25 points - but the same poll showed Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) and Rep. James Lankford (R-OK) leading the two Senate races in this state by 42 and 41 points, a big edge over Fallin's numbers.
And it's not the only poll like that.
Another Oklahoma poll from late September found a similar difference, Fallin ahead by 14 points, but the same respondents from the Sooner State gave Inhofe a 24 point edge and Lankford a 28 point edge.
It's not often a sitting Governor loses re-election; the recent average has been about two a year over the last five elections.
We could hit two early on Election Night. The Governors have three weeks to change the momentum for state executives of both parties.
About the Author