Hi there, it’s Andy Beshear, Kentucky Governor and Chair of the Democratic Governors Association. I want to personally welcome you to the DGA’s new Substack. With 36 governors’ races on the ballot this year, there’s a lot to follow – and here, you can expect real-time updates from Democratic governors and the DGA team that’s working to elect more. You can use this link to subscribe for future updates.
Now, here’s the latest:
November’s midterm elections are 99 days away, and the stakes for governors’ races across the country have never been higher. Donald Trump and his allies have an extreme agenda that is making life harder and more expensive every day – and doing everything in their power to restrict our fundamental freedoms.
But Democratic governors know how to fight back, and the DGA has the record to prove it.
That’s why it’s so important we not only defend our blue firewall of Democratic governors, but flip as many more offices as we can this fall. I’ve been traveling all over the country to get out the vote for our amazing roster of candidates, and here’s what I’m seeing on the ground:
I recently joined Rob Sand on the trail in Iowa – and he’s turned this race into a toss-up. As state auditor and Iowa’s former chief public corruption prosecutor, he has spent his career going after scammers and bad actors. Now, he’s running to be governor for the people of Iowa – and based on the energy of the crowd I saw, I believe we can win Iowa in November.
I also stopped by Nevada, where Aaron Ford is running a strong race against Joe Lombardo, the most vulnerable governor on the map. After barely winning in 2022, Lombardo has spent his term backing Trump’s cost-raising agenda and even defended Trump’s tariffs saying Nevadans need to “feel a little pain.” Meanwhile, Attorney General Ford is running to rebuild Nevada’s economy, lower the cost of housing and prescription drugs, and create good-paying jobs. While I was in Nevada, I heard directly from voters who are ready for new leadership – and I know that’s exactly what AG Ford will deliver. (We even teamed up to make pupusas during my visit – you can watch the video here!)
In Ohio, former state health director Dr. Amy Acton is a great nominee who could very well be on her way to being the state’s first Democratic governor in two decades. Her number-one priority is securing a tax cut for Ohio’s working families – a sharp contrast to her out-of-touch, billionaire opponent Vivek Ramaswamy, whose agenda would drive costs even higher. I recently campaigned with Dr. Acton in Cincinnati, and if the energy on the ground is any indication, we have a real chance to flip this seat.
And in Georgia, Keisha Lance Bottoms has already rolled out plans to lower health care costs and protect the state’s rural hospitals. We recently held a roundtable discussion centered on her plan to expand Medicaid and bring affordable care to more Georgians – which would change the lives of so many. In her race, she’s taking on another out-of-touch billionaire Rick Jackson, who’s said he wants to be Trump’s favorite governor. Trump and his allies are laser-focused on Georgia – even holding a rally there last week – and we are, too.
On top of the states where we’re on offense, we’ve got a long list of Dem Govs who have been holding the line and doing important work for their states, and whose seats we’ll need to defend in November – including Katie Hobbs in Arizona, Josh Shapiro in Pennsylvania, JB Pritzker in Illinois, Tina Kotek in Oregon, Wes Moore in Maryland and more.
We are also working hard to protect the legacies of so many great Democratic governors who are leaving office, like Gretchen Whitmer in Michigan, Tim Walz in Minnesota, Michelle Lujan Grisham in New Mexico, and Janet Mills in Maine.
We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us. But I am living, breathing proof that Democrats can win anywhere, and we should be fighting everywhere. With your help, that’s exactly what we’re doing.
One of the most impactful, strategic things you can do right now is to invest in the DGA’s work supporting Dem Govs running nationwide. If you want to help make a difference and help Democratic governors hold the line, I hope you’ll use this link to make a contribution today.
99 days to go. Who your governor is has never mattered more, and we are full steam ahead to November. Let’s keep up the hard work.
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