In 11 U.S. states and one territory, 13 Harvard alumni and one former professor are aiming for the highest political position—the prestigious post of governor.

From coast to coast and beyond—one is trying to nab the top spot in Alaska and another in the U.S. Virgin Islands—these alumni are striving to bring to their states the lessons they learned in Cambridge.

Among these candidates, two are sitting governors seeking reelection, and six are challenging the incumbent chief executives of their states. Three are Republicans, eight are Democrats, one is a member of the Green-Rainbow party, and two are Independents. Twelve are men and two are women.

Nine attended Harvard as undergraduates; two studied at the Kennedy School of Government and one taught there. Four hail from Harvard Business School and one from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences; one holds a degree from the Law School and another from the Medical School.

These fourteen candidates have their educational background in common, but beyond that, their opinions and experiences vary widely.

SEA TO TROUBLED SEA

Campaigning in states with vastly different populations, locations, and climates—both political and meteorological—they are focused on a wide variety of issues.

Running for governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Kennedy School and Business School graduate Kenneth E. Mapp says that “crime—violent crime in particular” is the most important issue in his campaign.

His eight-page platform opens with the words, “Hi, I’m Ken Mapp. Since Governor [John P.] de Jongh [Jr.] took office in 2007, violent crime and murder have set new records every year.”

Mapp, an Independent running against the incumbent Democratic governor in a race with no Republican candidate, continues, “Our homicide rate is more than four times the national average. People in the Virgin Islands are getting killed four times faster than anywhere in America.”

In South Dakota, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Scott N. Heidepriem is focused on his state’s poor performance in a different sphere—public education.

“South Dakota’s college students have the greatest percentage of debt of any state in the union,” Heidepriem asserts. “I think it’s because...we just really have not done a good job supporting education in South Dakota.”

Stating that the share of the state budget devoted to education has been slashed eight percent in the past year, he says, “I’m committed to reversing that trend.”

Over 2,000 miles away, Ethan A. Berkowitz ’83 is talking about issues that are particular to Alaska, where he is running on the Democratic ticket. “We’re a resource development state,” Berkowitz says. “We need to ensure that we continue to produce oil and begin to produce gas.”

For Samuel “Terry” P. Goddard ’69, who hopes to be the next Democratic governor of Arizona, immigration “undoubtedly is what has polarized this election more than anything else.”