Prominent charter school supporters are dishing out campaign money, as key gubernatorial races in several states have now begun in earnest.

June primary contests set up a number of state battles for governor in the midterm elections this November, with both Democratic and Republican candidates that could change how public resources flow into charter and private schools in the coming years.

Last week, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs donated $29,200 each — the maximum amount — to Democrat Gavin Newsom's campaign for California governor. It's a sign that the poten...