by Barbara Head, January 9, 2022 (Updated January 26, 2022)
Governors may end up being the star players of the 2022 election! Often hidden from view behind state and federal legislators, governors play increasingly important roles that extend well beyond their states. The failure of federal voting legislation emphasizes the critical importance of democratic governors as our next, essential line of defense against radical GOP policies.
Look at how abortion rights were gutted by Republican governor Greg Abbott in Texas. Consider the anti-Covid policies of Ron DeSantis in Florida, which has the third highest number (right behind Texas) of Covid-19 cases in the country. Their extremist policies affect all of us. It is crucial that we replace these toxic governors with Democrats who will uphold rational policies that will benefit all Americans.
Democratic Governors serve as firewalls against Republican extremism in state legislatures. In 2021, more than 440 bills restricting voter access were introduced across the country. What blocks these bills from passing? Democratic governors and their veto powers.
- Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf has vetoed anti-choice, pro-gun, anti-vax, and election overhaul legislation introduced by a radical Republican state legislature.
- Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has vetoed legislation to limit abortion and voting rights. He is the major political force opposing Senator Ron Johnson’s call to the state legislature to seize control of federal elections in Wisconsin.
- Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has vetoed bills aimed at making it harder for people of color and young people to cast their ballots. For her rational anti-Covid policies, she was the target of a kidnapping attempt in 2020 by domestic terrorists.
We must elect and support Democratic governors! With the GOP moving full steam ahead to suppress the vote and obstruct President Biden’s agenda, the 36 governor’s races in 2022 will determine the future of our health care, our jobs, our schools, and American democracy itself.
The only organization that exists solely for this purpose is the Democratic Governors Association, which is led by the governors themselves. From their website: “The DGA participates at all levels of gubernatorial campaigns, from providing resources to fund operations to helping articulate and deliver campaign messages. The DGA also helps governors lead their states. It serves as a clearinghouse of best practices to help governors and their staff share their policy successes and learn from each other.” The DGA is a unique organization with a critically important mission and deserves our strongest support.
Take Action! – Please support the Democratic Governors Association with your donations! You can also donate to 2022 re-election races for incumbent governors, such as WI Gov Tony Evers and MI Gov Gretchen Whitmer. Want to flip states blue? Support TX Gov Dem candidate Beto O’Rourke and GA Gov Dem candidate Stacy Abrams. The Pennsylvania race will heat up later in 2022, as Gov. Tom Wolf is term-limited and cannot run again. The Democratic front-runner to succeed Wolf, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, could continue to hold the fractious Republican state legislature at bay, and he needs our support. We promise to keep you posted with intel on all the key races!