The National Governors Association (NGA) is an American political organization founded in 1908. The association's 55 members are the governors of the 50 states, 5 federal territories and commonwealths. Members come from across the political spectrum.

The NGA serves as a public policy liaison between state governments and the federal government. The NGA provides governors and their senior staff members with services that range from representing states on Capitol Hill and at the White House when discussing federal issues to developing policy reports on state programs and hosting networking seminars for state executive branch officials. The NGA Center for Best Practices focuses on state innovations and best practices on issues that range from education and health to technology, welfare reform, and the environment. The NGA also provides management and technical assistance to both new and incumbent governors.

The current NGA chair is Governor Wes Moore of Maryland, a Democrat. The current vice chair is Governor Mike Braun of Indiana, a Republican.

History

In 1907, the Inland Waterways Commission thought it necessary to ask the Conference of Governors to provide both state and national views relating to practical questions dealing with natural resources utilization and management in the Progressive Era.Inland Waterways Commission Recommendations... Inquiries in Progress Letter to the President, October 5, 1907: ..."3. We are of opinion that the conference may best be held in the national capital next winter, and that the conferees should comprise the governors of all our States and Territories, a limited number of delegates to be appointed by each governor, and representatives from leading organizations of both State and national scope engaged in dealing with natural resources or with practical questions relating thereto... In his Memphis address on October 4 the President announced the intention of calling such a conference, and on November 13 he issued invitations to the governors of the States and Territories to meet at the White House May 13–15, 1908;..." The NGA represents the governors of the fifty U.S. states and five U.S. territories (American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands). It is funded primarily by state dues, federal grants and contracts, and private contributions.FAQ National Governors Association website, "How is NGA funded?" Retrieved December 8, 2013.

The NGA adopted a policy in 1977 formalizing its standard practice dating back to 1941: The position of NGA chair alternates yearly between Republican and Democratic governors, so that neither party can control the position for two consecutive years. The vice chair is of the opposite party to the chair, and generally assumes the role of NGA chair the following year.

, Bill Clinton is the only former NGA chair to become president of the United States. Janet Napolitano became the first female chair in 2006.Janet Napolitano, Sourcewatch, June 7, 2019. Retrieved July 12, 2022.

The association's declaration of bipartisanship has been challenged after incidents such as statements made at the White House and on air by Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal during the 2014 annual summer meeting.National Governors Association showing deep Republican, Democratic divisions, Washington Post, Dan Balz, February 25, 2014. Retrieved July 12, 2022.

In February 2020, then secretary of state Mike Pompeo warned the National Governors Association that the Chinese Communist Party was actively attempting to influence U.S. policy through state governors and local officials. In October 2020, the United States Department of State discontinued U.S. participation in the U.S.-China Governors Forum to Promote Sub-National Cooperation due to alleged attempts by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, a front organization for the CCP's United Front Work Department, to "malignly influence state and local leaders" in the U.S.

In July 2025 Democratic governors Laura Kelly of Kansas and Tim Walz of Minnesota, announced their intent to depart from the association citing a lack of criticism of policies during the second presidency of Donald Trump and criticism of the organization's response to incidents of Trump threatening federal funding and threatening federal interference in operations in Democratic-run states. Similarly, in October 2025, Democratic governors Gavin Newsom of California and JB Pritzker of Illinois issued separate statements threatening to withdraw their states from the association in protest of the organization's lack of any denouncements of the deployments of the National Guard against the wishes of affected state governors.

Chairs Formally adopted as policy in 1977, chairs preside for a one-year term and alternate party affiliation, so the same party never serves for two terms in a row. Traditionally, governors are first elected and serve as Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect the year before they serve as Chair.

The following states have never produced an NGA chair: Alabama, Alaska, Connecticut, Hawaii, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, and South Dakota; nor have any of the five territories: American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

YearsChairStateParty1908–1911Augustus WillsonKentuckyRepublican1911–1914Francis McGovernWisconsin1914–1915David WalshMassachusettsDemocratic1915–1916William SpryUtahRepublican1916–1918Arthur CapperKansas1918–1919Emerson HarringtonMarylandDemocratic1919Henry AllenKansasRepublican1919–1922William SproulPennsylvania1922–1924Channing CoxMassachusetts1924–1925Lee TrinkleVirginiaDemocratic1925–1927Owen BrewsterMaineRepublican1927–1928Adam McMullenNebraska1928–1930George DernUtahDemocratic1930–1932Norman CaseRhode IslandRepublican1932–1933John PollardVirginiaDemocratic1933–1934Jim RolphCaliforniaRepublican1934–1936Paul McNuttIndianaDemocratic1936–1937George PeeryVirginia1937–1939Robert CochranNebraska1939–1940Lloyd StarkMissouri1940–1941William VanderbiltRhode IslandRepublican1941–1942Harold StassenMinnesota1942–1943Herbert O'ConorMarylandDemocratic1943–1944Leverett SaltonstallMassachusettsRepublican1944–1945Herbert MawUtahDemocratic1945–1946Ed MartinPennsylvaniaRepublican1946–1947Millard CaldwellFloridaDemocratic1947–1948Horace HildrethMaineRepublican1948–1949Lester HuntWyomingDemocratic1949William LaneMaryland1949–1950Frank CarlsonKansasRepublican1950–1951Frank LauscheOhioDemocratic1951–1952Val PetersonNebraskaRepublican1952–1953Allan ShiversTexasDemocratic1953–1954Daniel ThorntonColoradoRepublican1954–1955Bob KennonLouisianaDemocratic1955–1956Arthur LanglieWashingtonRepublican1956–1957Thomas StanleyVirginiaDemocratic1957–1958William StrattonIllinoisRepublican1958–1959LeRoy CollinsFloridaDemocratic1959–1960Cale BoggsDelawareRepublican1960–1961Stephen McNicholsColoradoDemocratic1961–1962Wesley PowellNew HampshireRepublican1962–1963Albert RoselliniWashingtonDemocratic1963–1964John AndersonKansasRepublican1964–1965Grant SawyerNevadaDemocratic1965–1966John ReedMaineRepublican1966–1967William GuyNorth DakotaDemocratic1967–1968John VolpeMassachusettsRepublican1968–1969Buford EllingtonTennesseeDemocratic1969–1970John LoveColoradoRepublican1970–1971Warren HearnesMissouriDemocratic1971–1972Arch A. MooreWest VirginiaRepublican1972–1973Marvin MandelMarylandDemocratic1973–1974Daniel EvansWashingtonRepublican1974–1975Cal RamptonUtahDemocratic1975–1976Robert RayIowaRepublican1976–1977Cecil AndrusIdahoDemocratic1977Reubin AskewFlorida1977–1978William MillikenMichiganRepublican1978–1979Julian CarrollKentuckyDemocratic1979–1980Otis BowenIndianaRepublican1980–1981George BusbeeGeorgiaDemocratic1981–1982Richard SnellingVermontRepublican1982–1983Scott MathesonUtahDemocratic1983–1984Jim ThompsonIllinoisRepublican1984–1985John CarlinKansasDemocratic1985–1986Lamar AlexanderTennesseeRepublican1986–1987Bill ClintonArkansasDemocratic1987–1988John SununuNew HampshireRepublican1988–1989Gerald BalilesVirginiaDemocratic1989–1990Terry BranstadIowaRepublican1990–1991Booth GardnerWashingtonDemocratic1991–1992John AshcroftMissouriRepublican1992–1993Roy RomerColoradoDemocratic1993–1994Carroll CampbellSouth CarolinaRepublican1994–1995Howard DeanVermontDemocratic1995–1996Tommy ThompsonWisconsinRepublican1996–1997Bob MillerNevadaDemocratic1997–1998George VoinovichOhioRepublican1998–1999Tom CarperDelawareDemocratic1999–2000Mike LeavittUtahRepublican2000–2001Parris GlendeningMarylandDemocratic2001–2002John EnglerMichiganRepublican2002–2003Paul PattonKentuckyDemocratic2003–2004Dirk KempthorneIdahoRepublican2004–2005Mark WarnerVirginiaDemocratic2005–2006Mike HuckabeeArkansasRepublican2006–2007Janet NapolitanoArizonaDemocratic2007–2008Tim PawlentyMinnesotaRepublican2008–2009Ed RendellPennsylvaniaDemocratic2009–2010Jim DouglasVermontRepublican2010Joe ManchinWest VirginiaDemocratic2010–2011Christine GregoireWashington2011–2012Dave HeinemanNebraskaRepublican2012–2013Jack MarkellDelawareDemocratic2013–2014Mary FallinOklahomaRepublican2014–2015John HickenlooperColoradoDemocratic2015–2016Gary HerbertUtahRepublican2016–2017Terry McAuliffeVirginiaDemocratic2017–2018Brian SandovalNevadaRepublican2018–2019Steve BullockMontanaDemocratic2019–2020Larry HoganMarylandRepublican2020–2021Andrew CuomoNew YorkDemocratic2021–2022Asa HutchinsonArkansasRepublican2022–2023Phil MurphyNew JerseyDemocratic2023–2024Spencer CoxUtahRepublican2024–2025Jared PolisColoradoDemocratic2025–2026Kevin StittOklahomaRepublican2026–presentWes MooreMarylandDemocratic

See also Executive federalism National Cabinet (Australia), a similar body in Australia Council of the Federation, a similar body in Canada Inter-State Council, a similar body in India Council of the Nations and Regions, a similar body in the United Kingdom National Governors Association of Japan National Governors Conference (Mexico), a similar organization in Mexico Conference of Ministers-President, a similar body in Germany European Council, a similar body in the European Union United States Conference of Mayors Republican Governors Association Democratic Governors Association Governors Highway Safety Association

References

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