Pence had expressed interest in running for President of the United States in the 2016 presidential election, but declined.

[17] State Representative Karen Tallian and Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz both withdrew their candidacies.

Potential Democratic candidates include former United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana and former Secretary of State of Indiana Joe Hogsett, President and CEO of the Biocrossroads Initiative and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2000 David Johnson, Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott, Jr., physician, former Commissioner for the Indiana State Department of Health and candidate for Indiana's 7th congressional district in 2008, Woody Myers, former State Senate Minority Leader and nominee for lieutenant governor in 2012 Vi Simpson, U.S. Representative Pete Visclosky and former Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel.

Senator and 2004 gubernatorial nominee Claire McCaskill[30] and State Treasurer Clint Zweifel declined to run for governor.

[31] On August 3, 2016, Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster won the nomination with a dominating 79% of the primary vote.

[32] Former Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives Catherine Hanaway, businessman John Brunner, State Senator Bob Dixon, former Navy SEAL Eric Greitens, and Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder ran for the Republican nomination.

Missouri State Auditor Tom Schweich had been a candidate for governor before he committed suicide in February 2015.

Montana Attorney General Tim Fox had been speculated as a potential candidate, but instead chose to run for re-election.

[12] Maggie Hassan Democratic Chris Sununu Republican Two-term Democratic incumbent Governor Maggie Hassan ran for the U.S. Senate, narrowly defeating incumbent Republican Kelly Ayotte, instead of running for a third term as governor.

Executive Councilor Colin Van Ostern defeated Deputy Secretary of State and Director of Securities Regulation Mark Connolly for the Democratic nomination.

Executive Councilor Chris Sununu, state representative and entrepreneur Frank Edelblut, and Jon Lavoie ran for the Republican nomination.

Despite most pre-election polling suggesting a Democratic win, Sununu narrowly won election with 49% of the vote.

North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper[47] defeated former State Representative Kenneth Spaulding to win the Democratic nomination for governor.

[48] James Protzman, a former Chapel Hill town council member, had declared his candidacy, but later withdrew from the race.

[52] Dalrymple was elected to his first full term with 63.1% of the vote in 2012, after first taking the seat in 2010 after John Hoeven resigned to become a U.S.

Republican candidates included Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem,[53] businessman Doug Burgum,[54] and State Representative and plastic surgeon Rick Becker.

[53] Former Agriculture Commissioner Sarah Vogel formed an exploratory a campaign but announced on Jan. 28, 2016 that she will not run for governor.

[12] Kate Brown Democratic Kate Brown Democratic Governor John Kitzhaber, who won reelection in 2014 with 49.9% of the vote, announced his pending resignation on February 13, 2015, amid controversy surrounding his fiancée's consulting contracts and work within his administration.

[58] Kate Brown, Oregon's Secretary of State, was sworn in as governor on February 18, 2015, upon Kitzhaber's resignation.

[67] Sue Minter defeated former state senator Matt Dunne for the Democratic nomination for governor.

[68] Former state senator and former Vermont Auditor of Accounts Randy Brock and 2014 Republican nominee Scott Milne declined to run for governor.

Democratic candidates included former U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin, state Senator Jeff Kessler, and businessman Jim Justice.

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey had been considered a potential Republican candidate, but instead chose to run for re-election.

Potential Republican candidates included State Delegate Erikka Storch and Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton.

[87] Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico Pedro Pierluisi, who is affiliated with the New Progressive Party (PNP).