All of which has led Democrats to where parties out of power often turn: governors. Unburdened by the drama of Washington — and, unlike their congressional counterparts, actually holding power in their state capitals — Democratic governors are putting points on the board. They are blocking Trump’s efforts to reshape their states and gaining political capital in the process. In Maine, Governor Janet Mills has publicly stood up to Trump , challenging him in court over his efforts to ban transgender athletes from participating in girls high school sports . Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy are trying to slow-walk deportations in their states. Colorado Governor Jared Polis launched an initiative called Governors Safeguarding Democracy at the start of Trump’s second term. Meanwhile, Governor Gavin Newsom has signed bills aimed at “Trump-proofing” California from a host of federal mandates. There’s also a political argument for Democrats to at least listen to what these governors have to say. While Trump swept all seven swing states in 2024, five of them currently have Democratic governors — leaders who clearly know how to win in challenging terrain. The same can be said of Democratic governors in deep-red states like Kentucky and Kansas, both of whom won reelection. The renewed focus on electorally successful Democrats with executive power marks a clear contrast with the playbook from Trump’s first term. Back then, Democrats were energized by figures in Washington: Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, Vermont Independent Senator Bernie Sanders, and House leaders like Californians Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. When it came time to pick a presidential nominee in 2020, the field was dominated by Washington figures, a mayor from South Bend, and literally just one sitting governor and one former governor (Montana’s Steve Bullock and Colorado’s John Hickenlooper). Both were long shots from the start. And we all know what happened next: The party nominated the most Washington-experienced candidate in American history. There were structural reasons why governors didn’t break through in 2020. First, governors face stricter campaign finance laws. Second, they aren’t fixtures on national cable television, because they aren’t involved in the daily battles of Washington politics. And without that media exposure, it’s harder for them to build the email lists of small-dollar donors needed to qualify for presidential primary debates. But turning to governors is a move Democrats have made before when they’ve found themselves in the political wilderness. After three straight presidential election losses, Democrats turned to Bill Clinton, a governor of a small state with fresh ideas that challenged the party to change. Clinton, of course, won in 1992, becoming the first Democratic president since, well, Jimmy Carter, another former governor from the South. Indeed, as surprising as it might sound, in 2025 there are more Democratic governors who could conceivably be presidential candidates in 2028 than there are senators. Among those already household names with party activists are Newsom, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. That’s 10 out of 23 Democratic governors, compared to just 8 out of 47 Senate Democrats who are regularly mentioned as presidential possibilities. To be fair, few of these governors are offering fundamentally new ideas compared to their partners in Washington. But as long as Washington Democrats struggle to counter much of what Trump seeks to do, the call for governors to have more of a say in the party’s future will only grow.
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