Fact check: Which states have a democratic governor and a republican-controlled legislature?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, eight states currently have a Democratic governor and a Republican-controlled legislature: Arizona, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin ^[1]. This information comes from a comprehensive chart of 2025 governors and legislatures that directly addresses the question.

The analyses confirm specific examples of this political configuration, including Kansas with Democratic Governor Laura Kelly and a Republican-controlled legislature ^[2], and Wisconsin with Democratic Governor Tony Evers ^[3]. Pennsylvania is also mentioned as having a Democratic governor, though one source notes it has a "split legislature" rather than full Republican control ^[2].

The broader political landscape shows 17 Democratic governors and 27 Republican governors nationwide, with 17 Democratic-controlled legislatures and 27 Republican-controlled legislatures ^[4], indicating that divided government scenarios like the one described in the question are relatively common.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks important context about the dynamic nature of state political control. Several analyses indicate that legislative control in many states "hangs in the balance," particularly in Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin ^[5], suggesting these configurations could change with upcoming elections.

The analyses also reveal that redistricting efforts are actively reshaping political landscapes in various states ^{[6] [7] [8]}, which could affect future electoral outcomes and potentially alter the governor-legislature party balance in these states.

Additionally, the question doesn't acknowledge that some states may have more nuanced legislative control, such as Pennsylvania's "split legislature" mentioned in the analyses ^[2], where one chamber might be controlled by Republicans while the other is controlled by Democrats.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement appears to be a straightforward factual question without apparent bias or misinformation. However, it could be misleading by implying a static political situation when the analyses suggest that legislative control is fluid and subject to change through elections and redistricting efforts.

The question also doesn't specify a timeframe, which could lead to confusion since political control can shift between election cycles. The analyses reference 2025 data ^[1], but without this temporal context in the original question, users might assume the information applies indefinitely.

There's no evidence of intentional misinformation in the original question, but the lack of temporal specificity could inadvertently spread outdated information if the political landscape changes after the referenced time period.