National Governors Association | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Chair | Kevin Stitt (R-OK) |
| Vice Chair | Wes Moore (D-MD) |
| Executive Committee | Mike Braun (R-IN) Josh Green (D-HI) Maura Healey (D-MA) Jeff Landry (R-LA) Bill Lee (R-TN) Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM) Jared Polis (D-CO) |
| Founded | 1908; 117 years ago (1908) |
| Headquarters | 444N Capitol St Suite 267 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Affiliated | Bipartisan |
| Website | |
| nga.org | |
TheNational Governors Association (NGA) is an Americanpolitical organization founded in 1908. The association's members are the governors of the 50 states, territories and commonwealths. Members come from across the political spectrum.
The NGA serves as apublic policy liaison betweenstate governments and thefederal government. NGA provides governors and their senior staff members with services that range from representing states onCapitol Hill and at theWhite House when discussing federal issues to developing policy reports on state programs and hostingnetworkingseminars for stateexecutive branch officials. The NGA Center for Best Practices focuses on state innovations andbest practices on issues that range fromeducation andhealth totechnology,welfare reform, and theenvironment. NGA also providesmanagement and technical assistance to both new andincumbent governors.[citation needed]
The current NGA chair isGovernorKevin Stitt ofOklahoma, a Republican.[1] The current vice chair isGovernorWes Moore ofMaryland, a Democrat.
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In 1907, theInland Waterways Commission thought it necessary to ask theConference of Governors to provide both state and national views relating to practical questions dealing with natural resources utilization and management in theProgressive Era.[2] The NGA represents thegovernors of the fiftyU.S. states and fiveU.S. territories (American Samoa,Guam, theNorthern Mariana Islands,Puerto Rico, and theU.S. Virgin Islands). It is funded primarily by state dues, federal grants and contracts, and private contributions.[3]
NGA adopted a policy in 1977 formalizing its standard practice dating back to 1941: The position of NGA chair alternates yearly betweenRepublican andDemocratic governors, so that neither party can control the position for two consecutive years. The vice chair is of the opposite party to the chair, and generally assumes the role of NGA chair the following year.
As of January 2025[update],Bill Clinton is the only former NGA chair to becomepresident of the United States.Janet Napolitano became the first female chair in 2006.[4]
The association's declaration of bipartisanship has been challenged after incidents such as statements made at the White House and on air by Louisiana governorBobby Jindal during the 2014 annual summer meeting.[5]
In February 2020, thenSecretary of StateMike Pompeo warned the National Governors Association that theChinese Communist Party was actively attempting to influence U.S. policy through state governors and local officials.[6] In October 2020, theUnited States Department of State discontinued U.S. participation in the U.S.-China Governors Forum to Promote Sub-National Cooperation due to alleged attempts by theChinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, a front organization for the CCP'sUnited Front Work Department, to "malignly influence state and local leaders" in the U.S.[7][8]
In July 2025 Democratic governorsLaura Kelly of Kansas andTim Walz of Minnesota, announced their intent to depart from the association citing a lack of criticism of policies during theSecond presidency of Donald Trump and criticism of the organization's response to incidents of Trump threatening federal funding and threatening federal interference in operations in democratic-run states.[9][10] Similarly, in October 2025, Democratic governorsGavin Newsom of California andJB Pritzker of Illinois issued separate statements threatening to withdraw their states from the association in protest of the organization's lack of any denouncements of the deployments of the National Guard against the wishes of affected state governors.[11]
Formally adopted as policy in 1977, chairs preside for a one-year term and alternate party affiliation, so the same party never serves for two terms in a row.[12]
The following states have never produced an NGA chair:Alabama,Alaska,Connecticut,Hawaii,Mississippi,New Mexico,North Carolina,Oregon, andSouth Dakota; nor have any of the five territories:American Samoa,Guam, theNorthern Mariana Islands,Puerto Rico, and theU.S. Virgin Islands.
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