HELENA — Going into the 2026 election cycle, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte has been chosen to lead the national organization that advocates for electing Republican governors.
Gianforte was elected to serve a one-year term as the chair of the Republican Governors Association for 2026 during the organization's annual conference in San Antonio. He is serving this year as the vice-chair under Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp.
“I want to thank Governor Kemp for his leadership of RGA this past year, and I’m grateful to my fellow Republican governors for the trust they’ve placed in me as we enter the 2026 election cycle,” Gianforte said in a statement shared by the RGA. “The stakes could not be higher. States with Republican governors are thriving, with our citizens seeing lower costs, safer streets, and a higher quality of life. That stands in stark contrast to the many failing states led by Democrats, places Americans are fleeing. I look forward to working with President Trump and my colleagues to tell our story and elect more conservative leaders all across the country.”
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves will serve as vice-chair with Gianforte. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee will be the RGA’s policy chair.
At the start of 2026, Republicans will hold 26 governors’ seats across the country, and Democrats will hold 24 after Democratic candidates won elections this month in New Jersey and Virginia.
Thirty-six states will have gubernatorial elections in 2026, but Montana is not among them. Those states are currently split evenly among the parties, with Republicans and Democrats each holding 18.
This is the second consecutive national election cycle that a Montana official will lead one of the major national GOP campaign efforts. In the 2024 elections, U.S. Sen. Steve Daines chaired the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
