All articles tagged with #governors
New PAC filings reveal that top Democrats like Buttigieg, Whitmer, Beshear, and Newsom are preparing for potential 2028 presidential runs by supporting emerging leaders and engaging in campaign activities, with some governors focusing on reelection and advocacy groups funding future campaigns.
Texas Republicans are moving forward with an early redistricting plan to influence the 2024 midterm elections, prompting Democratic and some Republican governors across the U.S. to consider similar actions, despite legal and constitutional challenges, leading to a nationwide debate on the ethics and implications of mid-decade redistricting.
The article reports that Donald Trump has proposed ending FEMA, suggesting that state governors should take responsibility for disaster management instead.
Democratic Governors J.B. Pritzker of Illinois and Jared Polis of Colorado have announced a new coalition, Governors Safeguarding Democracy (GSD), aimed at protecting state-level democratic institutions in response to Donald Trump's presidency. The non-partisan group, supported by GovAct and advised by a bipartisan board, will focus on safeguarding the rule of law and key state institutions. The initiative, funded by philanthropic sources, seeks to collaborate across state lines and leverage governors' powers to address emerging threats to democracy. The coalition is modeled after the Reproductive Freedom Alliance and aims to include governors from both parties.
A record 13 women will serve as state governors in the U.S. next year, following Republican Kelly Ayotte's victory in New Hampshire. This surpasses the previous record of 12 set in 2022. The increase in female governors highlights progress in gender representation, though experts note more work is needed. Women governors often influence policies on caregiving and women's issues, and their presence can inspire future generations. Despite these gains, 18 states have never elected a female governor.
The article provides an overview of the US election process for the Senate, House of Representatives, and governors, explaining how each is elected and their respective roles. It highlights the structure of Congress, the election cycle, and the powers of each chamber. Additionally, it describes how governors are elected and their responsibilities. The results of these elections are reported by the Associated Press, which calls winners when the trailing candidate has no path to victory. The article also mentions the use of ranked choice voting in some races.
Governors in Ohio and Indiana have issued executive orders ahead of the total solar eclipse happening on Monday to prepare state resources for the event, enlisting support from state agencies and ensuring coordination with federal, state, and local agencies. The orders aim to increase staffing, develop plans, and ensure safety for residents and visitors during and after the eclipse. State agencies are urging travelers to prepare for the influx of visitors, and transportation authorities are treating the eclipse like a major travel holiday by restricting roadwork and increasing visibility for drivers.
Vice President Kamala Harris hosted a meeting with battleground state governors to discuss campaign strategies, including discrediting special counsel Robert Hur's report and campaigning more aggressively on issues like abortion rights and immigration. The governors expressed concerns about the lack of creativity and agility from the West Wing and urged President Biden to be more aggressive on immigration and change his language on abortion. Despite ongoing chatter about removing Biden from the party ticket, there was no conversation about it during the meeting. Harris and the governors agreed to question the partisan motivations of Hur and focus on raising concerns about Donald Trump possibly returning to the White House. Plans for a big campaign-style push after the State of the Union address on March 7 were also discussed, with a focus on abortion rights and immigration.
The Summer EBT program aims to provide $40 per month for each eligible child to buy food during the summer when school is not in session, benefiting an estimated 21 million children in 35 states. However, 15 states have declined to participate, leaving around eight million children without this assistance. Crystal Fitzsimons from the Food Research and Action Center emphasizes the importance of the program in addressing food insecurity during the summer and hopes that the governors of the non-participating states will reconsider their decision.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott, joined by 14 other Republican governors including Utah Governor Spencer Cox, defended the state's use of National Guard troops to secure the border, citing a constitutional right to self-defense due to the federal government's failure to enforce immigration laws. The governors called on President Biden to reinstate Trump-era border security measures and expressed concern about the humanitarian crisis and national security threats posed by the influx of migrants. The Biden administration has clashed with Texas over its border security measures, leading to a high-stakes stalemate.
The Biden administration has warned the governors of nine states about the unusually high Medicaid coverage losses among children, urging them to protect low-income Americans and expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. The states with the highest number or percentage of Medicaid coverage losses among children were Florida, Georgia, and Texas, all led by Republican governors who have not expanded Medicaid. The administration called on state officials to ease transfers of children from Medicaid to the Children's Health Insurance Program, reduce call center wait times, and adopt special rules to keep children enrolled in Medicaid. Child Medicaid enrollment has declined by over three million this year, and nearly seven million children may be uninsured as a result.
Seventeen Republican governors, led by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, have written a letter to President Biden, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, and congressional leaders urging them to prevent foreign adversaries, particularly China, from buying U.S. land. The governors expressed concern over the national security threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party's acquisition of American land and criticized the Biden administration for failing to address the issue. They highlighted the need for a national response and called for congressional action to codify state-level foreign ownership laws into federal law. The governors also emphasized the importance of protecting national security, farmers, and citizens from adversarial foreign governments.
Seventeen Republican governors, led by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, have sent a letter to President Biden, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, and congressional leaders, urging them to prevent foreign adversaries, particularly China, from buying U.S. land, including farmland. The governors expressed concern over the national security threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party's acquisition of American land and criticized the Biden administration for failing to address the issue. They called for congressional action and the use of all available tools to prevent further acquisition of American lands by adversarial foreign governments. The governors also highlighted the growing negative sentiment towards China among Americans, with a majority viewing China as an enemy and supporting a military buildup to deter a potential invasion of Taiwan.
A bipartisan group of 17 governors, including New York Governor Kathy Hochul, released a letter urging Congress to approve nominations for key diplomatic roles in the Middle East, provide sustained federal aid to Israel, and ensure the safe return of Americans taken hostage. The letter also praised President Joe Biden's swift response in increasing military assistance to Israel and condemned Hamas' recent attack. The governors called for ongoing U.S. aid to Israel and additional funding for security at houses of worship in their own states. Governor Hochul is set to travel to Israel after meeting with top officials in the Biden administration.
Lawsuits have been filed in Virginia and Kentucky challenging the authority of governors to deny voting rights to former prisoners, arguing that it violates the First Amendment. In Virginia, Governor Glenn Youngkin has twice denied the request of George Hawkins, who completed a 13-year prison term, to restore his voting rights. The lawsuit claims that the federal Constitution limits the governor's power and calls for the establishment of rules governing decisions on voting rights restoration. Similar concerns are raised in Kentucky, where a lawsuit challenges Governor Andy Beshear's decision to exclude certain former prisoners from automatic restoration. The outcome of these lawsuits could have significant implications for voting rights in these states.