Democratic Governors Association | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Chair | Laura Kelly (KS) |
| Vice Chair | Andy Beshear (KY) |
| Founded | 1965 (Democratic Governors Conference) 1983 (Democratic Governors Association) |
| Headquarters | 1225 Eye St NW Ste 1100 Washington, D.C., 20005 United States |
| Affiliated | Democratic Party |
| State governors | 23 / 50 |
| Territorial governors | 2 / 5 |
| Federal district mayorship | 1 / 1 |
| Website | |
| democraticgovernors | |
TheDemocratic Governors Association (DGA) is aWashington, D.C.–based527 organization founded in 1983, consisting ofU.S. state and territorialgovernors affiliated with theDemocratic Party.[1] The main purpose of the organization is to provide party support to the election and re-election of Democratic gubernatorial candidates. The DGA'sRepublican counterpart is theRepublican Governors Association. The DGA is not directly affiliated with the non-partisanNational Governors Association.
Meghan Meehan-Draper is currently the DGA's executive director, andGovernor of KansasLaura Kelly is the current chair.
Previously known as theDemocratic Governors Conference within theDemocratic National Committee, DGA became an independent institution in 1983 under the leadership of then-Virginia governorChuck Robb with the help of then-Democratic National Committee chairCharles Manatt. The purpose of the committee was to raise funds to elect Democrats to governorships and to improve the partnership between Democratic governors and the Democratic leadership of theU.S. Congress. Prior to its current formation in mid-1983, they met as the Democratic Governors Conference.
The DGA played a pivotal role in the election of Arkansas governorBill Clinton to the presidency in1992. Under the leadership of DGA chair and Hawaii governorJohn Waiheʻe, the DGA helped organize Clinton's "winning the West" campaign tour through Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Washington, Oregon, Nevada and California. Republicans had handily won all of those states except Washington and Oregon the previous three elections. According toThe Washington Post,[2] it was "all but unthinkable to Republicans that the GOP could lose such stalwart pieces of the party's electoral base as Wyoming and Nevada." Clinton lost Wyoming but carried Nevada, Colorado, Montana, Washington, Oregon, and California.
Tim Walz, thegovernor of Minnesota and chair of the DGA, was chosen byKamala Harris to be the Democratic nominee forvice president in the2024 presidential election. Walz stepped down as chair after accepting the nomination, andLaura Kelly became the chair for the rest of 2024.[3]
The DGA is led by two elected Democratic governors.
| Office | Officer | State | Since | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chair | Laura Kelly | Kansas | 2024 | |
| Vice Chair | Andy Beshear | Kentucky | 2024 | |
There are currently 23 Democratic governors.
| Current governor | State | Past | Took office | Current term |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Katie Hobbs |  Arizona | List | 2023 | First term |
| Gavin Newsom |  California | List | 2019 | Second term |
| Jared Polis |  Colorado | List | 2019 | Second term |
| Ned Lamont |  Connecticut | List | 2019 | Second term |
| Matt Meyer |  Delaware | List | 2025 | First term |
| Josh Green |  Hawaii | List | 2022 | First term |
| J. B. Pritzker |  Illinois | List | 2019 | Second term |
| Laura Kelly |  Kansas | List | 2019 | Second term |
| Andy Beshear |  Kentucky | List | 2019 | Second term |
| Janet Mills |  Maine | List | 2019 | Second term |
| Wes Moore |  Maryland | List | 2023 | First term |
| Maura Healey |  Massachusetts | List | 2023 | First term |
| Gretchen Whitmer |  Michigan | List | 2019 | Second term |
| Tim Walz |  Minnesota | List | 2019 | Second term |
| Phil Murphy |  New Jersey | List | 2018 | Second term |
| Michelle Lujan Grisham |  New Mexico | List | 2019 | Second term |
| Kathy Hochul |  New York | List | 2021 (succeeded) | First full term |
| Josh Stein |  North Carolina | List | 2025 | First term |
| Tina Kotek |  Oregon | List | 2023 | First term |
| Josh Shapiro |  Pennsylvania | List | 2023 | First term |
| Dan McKee |  Rhode Island | List | 2021 (succeeded) | First full term |
| Bob Ferguson |  Washington | List | 2025 | First term |
| Tony Evers |  Wisconsin | List | 2019 | Second term |
In addition to governors of U.S. states, the DGA also offers membership to Democratic governors ofU.S. territories.
| Current governor | Territory | Past | Took office | Current term |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lou Leon Guerrero |  Guam | List | 2019 | Second term |
| Albert Bryan |  U.S. Virgin Islands | List | 2019 | Second term |
In addition, the DGA offers membership to the mayor of the District of Columbia.
| Current mayor | Federal district | Past | Took office | Current term |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muriel Bowser |  District of Columbia | List | 2015 | Third term |
| Term | Director |
|---|---|
| 1983–1989 | Chuck Dolan |
| 1990–1992 | Mark Gearan |
| 1993–1998 | Katie Whelan |
| 1999–2004 | BJ Thornberry |
| 2005–2006 | Penny Lee |
| 2007–2010 | Nathan Daschle |
| 2011–2014 | Colm O'Comartun |
| 2015–2018 | Elisabeth Pearson |
| 2018–present | Noam Lee |
Democratic governors have served in various other government positions after their tenure. The following list includes recent positions from the DGA's formalization in 1983.
Democratic governors elected asPresident:
Democratic governors appointed to theU.S. Cabinet:
Democratic governors appointed toambassadorships:
Democratic governors elected as chair of theDemocratic National Committee:
Democratic governors elected to theU.S. Senate:
The DGA reported raising over $20 million in 2011, almost doubling what it raised during the comparable 2007 election cycle. "Because of our strong efforts in 2011, we will have the resources to aid Democratic candidates in targeted states and continue to fight for our core priorities: Jobs. Opportunity. Now.," DGA ChairMartin O'Malley said. Executive Director Colm O'Comartun added, "There is no doubt that we will face a challenging electoral environment in 2012, but our victories in 2011 showed that we know how to wisely and strategically deploy our resources. We are delighted with the continued support of everyone who believes in our mission of creating jobs and expanding opportunity now."[4]
Several former DGA staff members have gone on to hold prominent positions in the government and in the private and non-profit sectors.
Former communications directorJake Siewert served as press secretary for PresidentBill Clinton for four months from 2000 to 2001. From 2001 to 2009, he worked for Alcoa Inc. In 2009, he became an advisor to then-Treasury SecretaryTimothy Geithner.[5]
Former policy director Sheryl Rose Parker was director of intergovernmental affairs for U.S. House speakerNancy Pelosi. She is currently deputy director of government affairs for theBill and Melinda Gates Foundation.[6][7]
Former policy communications director Doug Richardson served as director of public affairs at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy in the Obama administration. He is currently public relations director forR&R Partners.[8]
Former executive director Katie Whelan served as a senior advisor to Republican California governorArnold Schwarzenegger. She was an Institute of Politics Fellow at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government. She is currently senior public policy advisor forPatton Boggs LLP.[9]
Former executive directorNathan Daschle is the founder and CEO of Ruckus, Inc., an online political engagement platform. He is the son of former U.S. senatorTom Daschle. In October 2010, Daschle was recognized as one ofTime magazine's "40 under 40" rising stars in politics.[10]
Former executive directorMark Gearan was director of communications during the Clinton administration and served as director of thePeace Corps. He served as president ofHobart and William Smith Colleges inGeneva, New York from 1999 to 2017.[11]
Founding executive director Chuck Dolan is a senior vice president at kglobal and was appointed by President Clinton as vice-chair of the Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy. He is a lecturer at theGeorge Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs.[12]
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