Beverly Hills, California -Democrats, who are about to be voted out of power as Republicans take control of Washington all three branches The government in January sees state capitols run by Democratic governors as the clearest path to resistance to President-elect Donald Trump's second term.
The 16 governors and three governors-elect who gathered for their annual convention in Los Angeles last weekend welcomed the areas of agreement they could find. trump The White House, but they are already planning which battles to fight and considering how they will proceed.
Many of the governors at the conference were elected during the Blue Wave in 2018 and have experience, particularly working with the Trump White House. COVID-19 pandemic.
“We were able to find ways,” said Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, who was one of these governors and serves as chair of the Democratic Governors Association. “We've taken a really positive approach to it, and this time, I think we'll end up doing the same, because really, we don't know what's going to happen. So, as it comes to us, we'll take it.” Will evaluate.”
Politically, Democratic governors are also poised to fill a leadership void in the party in the coming years. Some potential 2028 presidential candidates are already taking action.
In early December, California Governor Gavin Newsom initiated a special session to “protect California's values” and raise funds for legal defense against potential federal actions on abortion, climate, and immigration. A week after the election, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker partnered with Colorado Governor Jared Polis to launch the “Governors Safeguarding Democracy” group, a “toolbox” of policies and responses to Trump's presidency. It is a think tank.
“The states will be the front line of defense on what's happening in Washington right now,” said Democratic strategist Corey Platt, who was the DGA's political director from 2013 to 2018. There's always anger at D.C., and yet, the states have to work every day.”
Getty Images: Beshear (Photo by John Nación/Getty Images); Lujan Grisham (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc.); Kelly (Emily Curiel/The Kansas City Star/Tribune News Service)
No “right answer” to the 2024 loss
The party's massive defeat in the 2024 elections is still fresh in the minds of these governors. North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein's victory in the governor's race was an electoral bright spot for Democrats in the battleground state, where Vice President Kamala Harris lost by 3 points.
He said he “doesn't have an exact answer” as to why he won (although he did). scam-plagued A GOP opponent helped give her the lead) and Harris lost. Stein attributed the “tough national climate”, but noted that his state often splits its tickets: in seven of the last nine presidential elections, North Carolina has voted for a Republican for president and a Democrat for governor. .
“People were certainly economically concerned because they were seeing and feeling prices rising,” he said. “Normally, when you're unhappy, you blame the party that controls the White House. Even if it's not their fault on a national level.”
New Jersey and Virginia, a potential flip opportunity for Democrats, have off-year gubernatorial elections in 2025. The 2026 map is much larger, with 36 states electing governors. Many of those states, such as Georgia, Nevada and New Hampshire, could be target pickups for the party. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear will take over as DGA president in 2026.
“Elevating as many people as possible who are running on these common sense, common ground areas that people care about most will also create critical mass for people to say that the Democratic Party is working,” Beshear said. It's for the people.” Rare Democratic governor to win in a Republican state.
Platt, a former DGA political director, agreed that the 2026 gubernatorial race could help “find a good surrogate for Democratic policy and Democratic ideas that has empathy, that people can understand.” He said that when the party is reorganising, a large number of governors will be “involved in that conversation”, but it will not be just them.
“We need leaders who can talk to real people,” he said. “It doesn't happen because of a survey. It doesn't happen because of a strategy. It's real and authentic, and I'm excited to see how that happens.”
Courtney Alexander, communications director for the Republican Governors Association, opposes potential efforts by Democratic governors to counter the incoming Trump administration.
“The fact is that Americans overwhelmingly rejected the Democratic Party’s agenda just a month ago, and yet Democrats believe that running against an agenda of lower costs, more security, and more freedom is their The message is triumphant, it shows that they are completely out of touch with the country,” Alexander told CBS News.
Trump's mass deportation plan
Some governors are preparing ground to counter Trump's plans mass deportation of undocumented immigrants.
Trump said in an interview with NBC News,meet the Press“Deporting convicted criminals is the first priority in their mass deportation plan, but other non-violent undocumented immigrants could also be removed.
Trump said, “I think you have to do it, and it's hard – it's a very hard thing to do. But you have to, you know, you have rules, regulations, laws. They came in illegally Are.”
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said she would accept federal aid to help find and deport convicted criminals, but she would have “zero way” to cooperate in a comprehensive mass deportation plan.
She cited her control over the state police force, said she would not grant licenses for physical detention, and said that providing private information about undocumented residents to the federal government would endanger transgender residents or women who seek abortions. Travels from states with restrictions.
Lujan Grisham said of Trump and his mass deportation plan, “I have no doubt that he will do everything possible.” “She's going to have trouble executing it. But I'm also not that serious about Pollyanna [he is]….I obey him, that's why I know what I should do and will do. And let's see if my strategy works the way I think it will work across the country.”
Kelly said she would not allow the Kansas National Guard to “perform that kind of service” and said it is also not the job of the Kansas State Police.
“There's no doubt, if there are things that they push us to do that we feel are wrong or illegal, we will draw the line,” Kelly said.
Stein, who will take over as governor of North Carolina in January, said mass deportation of all undocumented immigrants in his state would “create real economic challenges,” but he is skeptical that mass deportations would be implemented. How likely is it to happen?
,[Trump] He is expert in saying anything and creating noise and then the reality could be something else. I'll wait to see what he ultimately proposes,” Stein said.