There is no question that many of the issues shaping these gubernatorial races cross state boundaries. Governors will play a pivotal role in 2010, when congressional districts will be redrawn. All are major players in education policy—lawmakers who take the lead on everything from implementation of the federal No Child Left Behind Act to charter schools to public support for higher education.

And, in an era of federal cuts and unfunded mandates, every governor is faced with tough choices for how to fund essential services. The problem is compounded by a relatively new feature on the political landscape: the emergence of well-funded, out-of-state groups that are pushing ballot initiatives and legislation aimed at choking off resources for crucial public services.  Preserving such quality-of-life cornerstones as well-supported schools and universities, sound public employee pensions and quality healthcare systems are threads that bind the AFT-backed candidates listed in bold type below.

Alaska: Gov. Tony Knowles built a strong record in his two terms as governor on economic, education and health issues. The Democrat’s decision to campaign for a third term after a four-year absence has energized organized labor around his campaign to rein in healthcare costs and expand higher education access. Knowles faces GOP challenger Sarah Palin, former mayor of Wasilla, in what promises to be a hard-fought contest.

California: Public employees and labor had no better friend in last year’s bitter ballot initiative fight in California than Phil Angelides, the Democratic state treasurer who helped lead the effort to successfully beat back incumbent Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s attacks on education funding. Angelides is now challenging Schwarzenegger for the top state spot and has enjoyed solid support from AFT affiliates and organized labor across the state.

Colorado: Denver’s district attorney Bill Ritter has taken the Democratic nomination and the full backing of AFT affiliates in the state, thanks in large measure to his stand against private school vouchers and his call for greater funding for the state university system. Ritter also has made strong traditional pensions for public employees a key plank in his campaign and has opened a solid lead in the polls against Bob Beauprez, a Republican congressman.

Maine: Expanded health coverage for residents and policies to promote competitive union employment in Maine have won Democrat John Baldacci solid labor support in his re-election bid for governor. Baldacci, who also has negotiated wage increases for public sector employees, continues to lead in the polls against GOP challenger Chandler Woodcock, a Republican state senator.

Maryland: Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley has mobilized the AFT rank and file in his run for governor. The Maryland Democrat has campaigned for well-supported public schools, greater access to higher education, and assistance for children who lack health coverage. Polls show O’Malley maintaining a lead over GOP incumbent Robert Ehrlich, who cut Medicaid health benefits for children, shortchanged school construction funding, fought collective bargaining for public employees and allowed public university tuition to skyrocket.

Massachusetts: AFT affiliates across the state rallied vigorously behind Deval Patrick’s impressive victory in the Democratic primary. Momentum continues to build for Patrick, who has made strong public employee pensions a major issue in his campaign, along with competitive jobs, wage protection for public project workers, expanded healthcare coverage and strong public schools. Recent polls show him leading GOP candidate Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey.

Michigan: AFT members across the state have turned out for Democratic incumbent Jennifer Granholm, a supporter of strong public education and a vocal critic of job outsourcing and privatization schemes that have hurt Michigan employment. Her GOP opponent is former Amway president Dick DeVos, who led the outsourcing of jobs to China and has backed several private school voucher attacks on public schools.

Minnesota: Investment in public schools and help for middle-class families struggling with healthcare and higher education costs are keys to Democrat Mike Hatch’s bid for governor. He has drawn strong labor support in a competitive race against GOP incumbent Tim Pawlenty, who has cut K-16 funding and persuaded legislators to take health coverage away from 38,000 Minnesotans.

New York: AFT members across the Empire State are energized and mobilized around the gubernatorial bid of Eliot Spitzer. As state attorney general, Spitzer has pushed pharmaceutical companies to fully disclose information on drugs and has championed such issues as strong traditional pensions and curbs on Wall Street investment scams. Providing the resources schools need to help students succeed is at the core of Spitzer’s gubernatorial campaign, and he holds a substantial lead in the polls over GOP challenger John Faso, a former state legislator, as they go into the final stretch.

Ohio: Private school vouchers are an issue in this gubernatorial race, which pits Democratic nominee and U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland against the GOP’s Ken Blackwell, currently Ohio’s secretary of state. Strickland is a staunch voucher opponent while Blackwell’s education platform calls for expanded vouchers, charter schools and privatization. AFT affiliates are out in force for Strickland, who also opposes a rigid “65 percent solution” approach to school funding, which Blackwell favors.

Oregon: Stable funding for public schools and expanded access to higher education are key planks in Democratic incumbent Ted Kulongoski’s re-election bid. A former union member, Kulongoski has received strong backing from organized labor, thanks in large part to his support of a level playing field for union organizing in the workplace. Polls show Kulongoski with a solid lead over Ron Saxton, a corporate attorney who has pledged support for efforts to roll back a voter-passed minimum-wage increase.

Rhode Island: Democratic challenger Charlie Fogarty has mobilized labor across the state by pledging to fight state special interests that have jeopardized healthcare access, competitive jobs and well-supported public schools. Recent polls show him building a strong lead against GOP incumbent Don Carcieri.

Wisconsin: Incumbent Jim Doyle is running a strong bid for re-election, thanks in large measure to his Grow Wisconsin economic development agenda to help the state’s industry compete in the world economy. The Democrat also won exemptions from U.S. trade agreements; these waivers will protect state prevailing wage laws on public projects, and he has been a strong advocate for expanded health coverage for children and seniors, well-funded public universities and smaller class sizes in grades K-3. He faces Republican congressman Mark Green.

Democratic incumbents who appear likely to win as the elections draw to a close are: Rod Blagojevich in Illinois, Brad Henry in Oklahoma, John Lynch in New Hampshire, Janet Napolitano in Arizona, Ed Rendell in Pennsylvania, Bill Richardson in New Mexico and Kathleen Sebelius in Kansas. The GOP also is seeing incumbent strength from a number of candidates, including Jim Douglas in Vermont, M. Jodi Rell in Connecticut and Bob Riley in Alabama.