"If elected, Stacey Abrams of Georgia, Ben Jealous of Maryland and Andrew Gillum of Florida would give America its largest number of black governors ever," AP's Jesse Holland writes.

Be smart: "None of them were heavy favorites in their primaries. ... Their historic primary wins — and the national attention it brought — will bring out Democratic voters who might not have voted in a midterm election otherwise."

• Abrams, 44, "who could become the nation's first black female governor, is getting the most national attention."
• "Jealous, 45, faces the steepest challenge, down in polls against incumbent Republican Gov. Larry Hogan."
• Abrams and Gillum, 39, are running for open seats.

"The political trio seem comfortable together and readily quote one another in interviews. They also tease one another."

• "Abrams is a longtime state official and former state House leader; Gillum has been a fixture of local Tallahassee politics since his college days; and Jealous is a former head of the NAACP and ... a venture capitalist and activist."