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Governors Matter!

Posted on Thursday, September 7, 2023
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by Barry Casselman
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24 Comments
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With an unpopular administration in Washington, D.C., that increasingly promotes more federal regulations, higher taxes, and woke educational policies, a major shift in U.S. political power has moved to the individual states led by a new generation of effective governors.

Since most of the push-back is coming from conservative governors, it is no surprise that voters are electing more Republican governors and state legislators.

The list of stand-out Republican governors is perhaps historically large, and includes Ron DeSantis (Florida), Glenn Youngkin (Virginia), Kim Reynolds (Iowa), Jim Justice (West Virginia), Greg Abbott (Texas), Mike DeWine (Ohio), Kristi Noem (South Dakota), Doug Burgum (North Dakota), Brian Kemp (Georgia), Sarah Huckabee Sanders (Arkansas), Chris Sununu (New Hampshire), Phil Scott (Vermont), Mark Gordon (Wyoming) and Greg Gianforte (Montana).

Two of them are running for president in 2024 (DeSantis and Burgum); one is retiring to run for the U.S. Senate next year (Justice); one is retiring (Sununu); and one is term-limited in 2025 (Youngkin) — but each of them presides over a state government that generally follows more conservative policies than current progressive-radical federal policies.

Governor Burgum’s nascent presidential campaign is likely to end soon, but Governor DeSantis remains the principal opponent to GOP frontrunner Donald Trump. Not all of the other governors are supporters of the former president. Governors Kemp and Sununu particularly have been critical of Mr. Trump.

Although he is in the midst of an important off-year battle for control of the state legislature in Virginia, some Republican strategists are urging Governor Youngkin to make a late entry into the presidential race after November.

Each of the above-named governors remains popular in their home state — states which are prospering under mostly conservative economic and social policies.

Not surprisingly, there are far fewer especially popular and successful Democratic governors. Most of them are more moderate figures in more moderate or conservative states, and include Governors Josh Shapiro (Pennsylvania), Jared Polis (Colorado), Andy Beshear (Kentucky), Michelle Lujan Grisham (New Mexico), and Wes Moore (Maryland). Beshear, who leads an otherwise Republican state, is facing a serious Republican opponent in this year’s gubernatorial election in Kentucky.

Several prominent Democrat governors in heavily liberal states are struggling with radical policies which are causing a massive flight of businesses and individuals to other states. These include Governors Gavin Newsom (California), J.B. Pritzker (Illinois), Kathy Hochul (New York), Tim Walz (Minnesota), Katie Hobbs (Arizona), and Tony Evers (Wisconsin).

Governors Newsom and Pritzker are known to have presidential ambitions, but if they run in 2024 or 2028, they will have to defend their failing policies of heavy regulations and high taxes which have caused the exodus from their states.

The flight of individuals and corporations from liberal states with progressive governors to low-tax, low-regulation conservative states is powerful evidence of the recent political and economic shift in contemporary American life.

The political map of the U.S. shows large areas of red (Republican), and mostly isolated patches of blue (Democrat) in urban areas. But even the latter areas are changing as retail stores close up their outlets in urban downtowns (due to unprosecuted, out-of-control theft; widespread public homelessness; and increasing numbers of illegal immigrants resulting from the Biden administration’s southern border policy.

The ongoing flood of migrants has become a serious issue in Chicago and New York City, traditionally very liberal-progressive cities. Meanwhile, crime is proving disastrous to several large U.S. cities, particularly on the West Coast.

An election to watch this year is the one in Virginia. In recent years, Virginia has been a blue state both in national and state elections, but in 2021 Governor Youngkin, a Republican, headlined a GOP sweep of the state’s top three elected positions, along with the House of Delegates, and now seeks to repeat that sweep in this year’s state legislative races by holding the House and leading Republicans to retake the state Senate. His success in 2021 was all the more remarkable because so many Democrats who work for the federal government in the adjoining District of Columbia reside and vote in Virginia, and had proved to be the difference in previous elections.

A follow-through win for conservatives in Virginia this November would be a heavy reinforcement of the DC-to-the-states political shift — and a powerful signal for the national elections next year.

 

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Rob citizenship
Rob citizenship
1 year ago

Very thoughtful, I would even say insightful article Barry . Well Done ! Adding the Governors on the list of Conservative Governors together a number,a sum will be arrived at — and something else will be determined other than a number — that would be Hope. The spirit generated by Hope can do remarkably good things depending on the circumstances. History speaks in many ways , at different times, on various levels, it is always important to listen to the message being spoken. Noble thoughts, like Trust , ideas, values that provide a foundation for society to function properly, this is what good government should be all about. The idea of limited Government is vital . History will show why limits on government should always be established. So, keeping in mind the value of self determination, respect for truth, respect for Liberty — there is Hope for the United States of America to continue to be the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. The history, the messages in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution especially the Bill of Rights — there is plenty to do in the interest of defending the principles of Faith, Family and Freedom.

Cindy Cunniffe
Cindy Cunniffe
1 year ago

Living in California under the communist regime of Newsom is evidence of the importance of governors. His potential run for president should scare every freedom loving American, regardless of their political party.

Rik
Rik
1 year ago

Sure, Governors matter, but only on the State level. They can be “overruled” on the National level by the President. And we all know who that is! We the People MUST RISE UP and NOT ACCEPT BEING DOMINATED BY ANY COMMUNIST INDOCTRINATION!

Skeet
Skeet
1 year ago

How could you possibly leave out MI DEMOCRAT GOV. GRETCHEN WHITMORE who also has caused mass exits of people and businesses.

FRANK
FRANK
1 year ago

Jared Polis is no “moderate”. He’s a far-left Boulder radical.

Melinda
Melinda
1 year ago

Good article. I do believe governors matter, even at the federal level. Witness what the border governors have done in shipping migrants to other states, causing angst among those proclaiming sanctuary status. I think the will and mood of the populace will show up at the more local level first, hopefully translating to the federal level.

Thinking
Thinking
1 year ago

Will Virginia vote Republican? With all the school boards pushing their CRT and trans agenda I hope so. Will it happen I doubt it. Especially when mask mandates are being reinstituted and Younkin is against it. Interesting just when the new variant shows up Dr Jill gets the COVID and ole Joe shows up wearing a mask. Fauci is back on tv urging everybody to wear a mask again. While it has scientifically been proven masks don’t do anything to prevent getting the COVID. Even the vaccin doesn’t help.
Will Virginia keep a Republican governor? I don’t think so. The average American is too scared and has been brainwashed that COVID is a killer and you better do what Ole Joe says.

anna hubert
anna hubert
1 year ago

A good conservative fiscally responsible law and order promoting governor would make all the difference in the crime ridden communities As long as people vote for the garbage they will be living in it

Robert Zuccaro
Robert Zuccaro
1 year ago

The fact that Gov. Joe Lombardo, NV, isn’t on this list says it all: high property taxes, high housing/rental costs, 2nd highest gas prices in US, and crushing inflation. But we DO have a law against “discrimination” of trans playing womens sports…

CLIFFORD F GERACI
CLIFFORD F GERACI
1 year ago

Just like “black lives matter” isn’t complete, since ALL lives matter, so do ALL positions of governance matter, right down to the local school board. As the America hating Progressives take control of positions of power and corrupt the American way of life, we conservatives have to fight for every last position of influence to maintain the sanity of the country.

DBailey
DBailey
1 year ago

I would soundly disagree that Kemp is popular in GA. He is a RINO and is largely thought of as treasonous toward GA citizens. His and the Secretary of State’s acts have not defended election integrity—quite the opposite—rendering GA voters disenfranchised. I am FURIOUS that my vote is rendered into a QR code for just one example. GA law dictates that citizens need to be able to read their vote. How does a person read the QR code on their machine produced ballot? ERIC, Dominion machines, allowing ballot harvesting, failing to call special sessions of the legislature, attending WEF meeting, etc., make Georgians want to spit him out of their mouths.

Letts Brandon
Letts Brandon
1 year ago

But you can not convince a liberal, who thinks crime is caused by guns and not giving enough to the poor, of any of this. They believe their states drowning is caused by not drinking enough cool aid. They believe getting rid of guns and putting everyone on the same economic level (also known as socialism) will cure all of our problems, yet you can’t find one of their leaders without armed body guards who isn’t getting rich off of kickbacks, bribery, and organized criminal corruption while their enemies mysteriously commit suicide by shooting themselves in the back of the head and then hanging themselves. As long as they are free to do drugs, murder babies, and gamble (using handouts of your tax dollars of course) they are happy. And if that’s not enough now they are legalizing shoplifting so all they have to do is go to the store and take what they want. What will happen when all the stores close and go to online shopping only. I expect they will start hijacking delivery vehicles. Capital punishment for deliberate crime and jail time for stupidity could turn this around starting with Joe Biden and most of the democratic party.

Harry
Harry
1 year ago

Hold on here. Kemp is a terrible governor. How can you even think of naming him among the good guys. You blew the whole article. He is a gutless RINO who betrayed and is still betraying Trump by doing nothing to stop the Marxist Trump hating DA to end this phony political indictment. Shame on him.

Trish
Trish
1 year ago

I’m in Florida, can’t ho wrong with DeSantis! Straight down the line, decisive and always has THE plan!!

Bill
Bill
1 year ago

I wouldn’t consider my governor (BRIAN KEMP) as an outstanding governor. He’s more a RINO than Republican. What a disappointment. Just saying.

Jeff
Jeff
1 year ago

Including Georgia’s Brian Kemp on this list of “standout Republican Governors is just wrong!

Stephen Russell
Stephen Russell
1 year ago

Govs Block the DC Commie agenda day 1

Should have been you
Should have been you
1 year ago

Ron I’m sorry about your wife’s cancer.

sorry that you didn’t get it. You were the better candidate lol

Robert Chase
Robert Chase
1 year ago

Hope to hear a conservative governor talk about electoral college on the state level. Big cities typically crowd out the rest of a state for attention. Just as for the nation all counties should be represented. Most major cities are controlled by the LEFT and that proves the point. No doubt they started a push to gain numbers decades back. Now the chickens have come to roost.

Daniel Penny
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