Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland never set out to be a politician. A soldier, entrepreneur, and nonprofit leader, he arrived in Annapolis with very little patience for the slow grind of politics and government. So, quickly after becoming governor in January 2023, he raised Maryland’s minimum wage, slashed taxes for veterans, and passed sweeping housing reform. Then one year later, when the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed, he led a swift relief and recovery effort that reopened the port in just 11 weeks.
If not already clear, Gov. Moore’s first two years in office have been defined by urgency. As he reflected in October 2024, he leads Maryland with a “sense of impatience” and does not “like wasting time.”
Gov. Moore’s results-driven leadership extends to Democratic governors across the country — from New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy delivering major gun safety and childcare expansions, to Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear leading bipartisan disaster relief and infrastructure rebuilding. However, the same cannot be said for many other leaders within the Democratic Party, especially at the national level. More specifically, many have criticized the Democratic Party for lacking urgency and organization in its response throughout the first months of the Trump administration.
Because of this, Democratic governors have begun emerging as some of the most effective messengers for the Democratic Party — especially as it continues to grapple with questions of leadership, identity, and strategy heading into the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential election. From expanding healthcare and balancing budgets to reducing crime, tackling climate change, and increasing affordability, Democratic governors have captured public attention and positioned themselves as proof that their leadership can be both ambitious and effective. With high approval ratings, effective legislative records, and rhetoric focused on clear results for their constituents rather than on partisan conflict and ideology, Democratic governors are increasingly being seen as an answer for a party whose approval rating is at a 35-year low.
But how exactly are Democratic governors navigating the current political moment, redefining effective leadership at the state level, and reshaping the future of their party nationally? Gov. Moore, Gov. Murphy, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, and Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, shared their perspectives with the Harvard Political Review.
A Shift in the Democratic Party From National Leaders to Governors
For at least the past two decades, if not longer, the face of the Democratic Party has been its national leaders. Prominent congressional leaders such as Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., have come to dominate Democrats’ identity along with former President Barack Obama, former President Joseph Biden, and former Vice President Kamala Harris — all of whom were previously senators. In fact, all seven Democratic presidential nominees in the 21st century were senators at some point in their political careers. The last time the nominee was not a federal official was in the 1990s, when former President Bill Clinton won the nomination as the Governor of Arkansas.
But this may now be changing.
Following “sobering results” in last November’s elections, as Gov. Murphy described them, the Democratic Party is looking to shake up its image. For many, this means shifting the face of Democrats away from its prominent leaders in Congress, who are often seen as too establishment, partisan, ideological, and enmeshed in national politics, and toward state and local leaders, such as governors, who are focused on delivering tangible results for their people rather than being swept into partisan conflicts and political rhetoric.
Gov. Green strongly believes that governors will play a pivotal role in the future of the Democratic Party. He pointed out that, unlike state politics, partisan conflict “is the nature of the beast in Washington.” Because of this, Gov. Green believes the Democratic Party’s identity going forward cannot only be dominated by congressional leaders, but also by governors and other state and local leaders.
“[Members of Congress] have to draw lines and count to 51 and so everything gets driven by politics,” Gov. Green said. “[But] in governorships, we are forced to solve whatever problem is right in front of us.” He added that many people “forget most of the time whether a governor is a Democrat or a Republican once they’re just doing the work,” whereas people are reminded “every day” about partisan affiliations in Washington, D.C.
Gov. Polis, who served in the House of Representatives before becoming governor, agrees with Gov. Green, adding that the “main difference” between governors and national legislative leaders is that governors are “problem solvers.”
“Congress is a lot of time talking and debating about problems, but when you’re the executive, like a governor or mayor, the responsibility [is] solving problems, and that’s what you do every day,” Gov. Polis told the HPR. “So to the extent the American people are looking for somebody to roll up their sleeves and solve problems and get things done, it’s logical to draw from governors…to do that.”
Gov. Green went so far as to predict that the next president, regardless of whether they are a Democrat or a Republican, will be a governor. “It will not be a divisive partisan. And so that will rule out a lot of people when it comes time to run the country,” he explained.
Other governors were not as bullish as Gov. Green in their outlook on 2028. Even so, there was a clear consensus among all five governors that it was important for their leadership and results to be promoted and replicated at the national level.
“I believe what we’re doing in Maryland can be a model for how we tackle our most vexing policy challenges across the country with a sense of speed,” Gov. Moore explained in a written statement. “We know the cost of living is too high. So we raised the minimum wage, delivered tax cuts to the middle class and veterans, and passed comprehensive housing reform.”
Gov. Moore went on to list other pressing issues in Maryland, such as crime and public safety, and the specific policies he has passed to solve them. He pointed out that people right now need leaders who “move with impatience and deliver results,” which are attributes common among governors.
Gov. Murphy, who has served previously as both the Chair of the National Governors Association and the Chair of the Democratic Governors Association, holds a similar opinion. He explained that governors “take steps that are beyond the words, but that actually prove out that [they’ve] got a plan to make the state stronger, fairer, more responsible.”
Gov. Polis offered similar sentiments, explaining that “very little of what governors do day to day is partisan or ideological. It’s about driving efficiency and operations, turning around permits quicker, making it more convenient for people.”
On this note, Gov. Murphy said he believes that the nonpartisan, results-driven leadership is exactly what makes Democratic governors so popular. “At the end of the day, what we’ve done has largely resonated,” he explained.
“Governors Have Never Mattered More”
But it isn’t just the popular leadership styles that are launching Democratic governors into the national spotlight and the 2028 discussion. They have also been on the front lines, protecting their states from the political ambush and economic uncertainty emanating from Washington, since January, when President Trump returned to the White House.
“Unequivocally, governors have never mattered more,” Gov. Murphy said assertively. He identified the “extremely high” volatility in Washington, D.C., whether due to the Trump administration or Republican-controlled Congress, as the reason for this. “This is a federal government that’s somewhat in retreat at the moment…what happens in state houses, what governors do, is magnified.”
Gov. Lamont agreed with Gov. Murphy that governors are stepping up. “Washington is pulling back and is not as relevant day to day,” he said. “More and more, foreign governments are not stopping by Washington [but] going right to state capitals. They just find Washington [to be] a bit dysfunctional and unorganized, and they find that governors, in this case on both sides of the aisle, can get things done.”
Indeed, Democratic governors are taking advantage of opportunities to make economic agreements with foreign governments that are disillusioned with trade volatility and diplomatic uncertainty with the Trump administration. Last April, for instance, Gov. Moore traveled to Japan and South Korea to strengthen existing trade relationships as well as create new economic opportunities, particularly in quantum technology and aerospace sectors.
In Connecticut as well, bilateral relationships are being formed. Gov. Lamont explained that he typically has meetings every week with a consul general or foreign diplomat interested in forming trade agreements and offshore manufacturing projects. “I don’t think that was the case 15 years ago. I think everything ran through Washington,” he added.
When explaining why this trend was happening more and more recently, Gov. Lamont argued that, right now, Washington, D.C. is “erratic,” “terribly partisan,” and “hyper politicized,” as well as suffering from internal “dysfunction” and “paralysis.” Put simply, “They just can’t get things done,” he said.
Keeping this in mind, it starts to make more sense why it may be in the Democratic Party’s interest to embrace governors, almost all of whom have kept their heads down and delivered for their people time and time again, rather than yet another establishment congressional leader whose results, however impressive it may be, are overshadowed by the partisan dysfunction that is synonymous with national politics right now.
Progressivism, Urgency, and Healing: Where Governors Hope the Democratic Party Goes From Here
Even as momentum continues to grow for governors to be on the national ticket in 2028, the Democratic Party has more pressing concerns — mainly, the 2026 midterm elections, but also gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia this November. If anything can be taken away from last November’s results, it is that the Democratic Party needs to do something differently moving forward.
And while all five governors are focused on continuing to deliver for their own states, they each had reflections on what the Democratic Party as a whole, and especially its current national figureheads, should be doing right now to reshape its image heading into upcoming elections.
Gov. Murphy emphasized the importance of having meaningful reflection, dialogue, and debate about the Democratic Party’s identity, values, and messaging.
More specifically, he called for “a cold-blooded assessment” to determine why a majority of Americans did not vote for Democrats last November, and how to ensure that is not repeated going forward. “[We’ve] got to look long and hard in the mirror and ask [ourselves]…what can we be doing differently? Is it the message? Is it the messenger?” he explained.
Gov. Murphy acknowledged that there are many differences of opinion amongst Democrats currently about what the answer to those questions is. He pointed to New York City’s ongoing mayoral race, which New York State Rep. Zohran Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, is primed to win this November. And while some Democrats are embracing this shift toward democratic socialism, such as Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, others believe the Democratic Party should shift back toward the center, not move further to the left.
Gov. Murphy — who labels himself a “proud progressive and cold-blooded capitalist” — expressed his hope that the Democratic Party remains a progressive party, which he called the “heartbeat” of the party. Even so, he recognized that they “have to make the math work” and ensure that jobs are created, investments are made, and business is done in a way that makes sense for Americans. To achieve this, in his view, it requires fiscal responsibility and restraint to ensure economic stability and a balanced budget — an outlook that undoubtedly aligns more with the moderates in the Democratic establishment as opposed to those on the far left of the party.
Gov. Polis shared similar attitudes, explaining that the Democratic Party needs to focus on the “bread and butter issues,” such as cost of living, crime, and public safety, to improve everyday lives, which he thinks governors have championed. Even so, he added, it is still possible to promote progressive policies such as reproductive rights and marriage equality, as he has done in Colorado.
Gov. Lamont’s outlook on the Democratic Party’s identity echoed his colleagues. Specifically, he believes in being “progressive when it comes to the services” being provided by the government, even though he labels himself a fiscally moderate Democrat. In Connecticut, this has meant balancing the state’s budget and ensuring economic predictability while still expanding health care, welfare programs, and public education.
In addition to his focus on the Democratic Party’s identity, Gov. Lamont felt strongly that Democrats have to work on clarity and efficiency in their messaging. While he did acknowledge that national Democratic leaders are in a “nonstop political campaign” combating the Trump administration, he said it is critical that they not only communicate what they’re against, but also what they’re for.
“Talk about your plan and policy. What would you do on health care that’s different from [Trump]?” Gov. Lamont said. “Lead with some agenda items, less about political posturing.”
Gov. Lamont explained that not communicating specific alternatives is a common issue faced by the minority party. This applies to Democrats in Congress, of course, but also to Republicans in Connecticut’s state legislature, as Gov. Lamont pointed out. He drew parallels between the two groups, pointing out that he believes they both frequently express parts of agendas and policies that they are against, but not often what they are for. Ultimately, Gov. Lamont hopes to see congressional Democrats express not only what is wrong with President Trump’s policies, but also what they would do differently.
Gov. Polis agreed with this point, expressing plainly that, “it’s not what you’re not going to do. It’s what you are going to do.”
While some governors are focused more on identity and messaging, Gov. Moore is fully focused on urgency.
“Gone are the days of ‘no’ and ‘slow.’ We need to be the party of ‘yes’ and ‘now,’” Gov. Moore said. “We prove what that means by not just talking about an alternative to Trump, but by delivering one — with the kind of impatience that demonstrates to people we understand just how fast their lives are unraveling.”
In Maryland, this has recently meant working to protect the 200,000 residents who had their health care taken away and the 684,000 residents who had their food assistance benefits cut due to the Federal Budget Reconciliation Bill, known more commonly as the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’, which was passed by Congress and signed by President Trump in early July.
Of course, Democrats across the country at the national, state, and local levels are working to protect Americans from harmful Trump administration policies such as the ‘Big Beautiful Bill.’ But for Gov. Moore, the urgency with which that work is done is just as important. “Urgency is the instrument of change,” he concluded.
In contrast, Gov. Green, who was a physician before becoming a politician, focused on a specific message he hopes to see the Democratic Party embrace. “I feel strongly that we’re going to have to heal our country. We have to heal America,” he said. “Find ways to help us heal, to heal the rifts, to help people deal with the economic crises they’ve been facing [and] their actual access to health care.”
Gov. Green explained that the nation has gone through “trauma” due to a hostile political climate. Because of this, he feels that politicians must “come to terms with our people’s actual needs” to “provide compassionate leadership” to all Americans. “It’s about finding the right message to unite and heal our country,” Gov. Green concluded.
Gov. Polis has a similar message that he hopes the Democratic Party will embrace. “We need more love and hope,” Gov. Polis began. “We need to realize that whether you’re on the left or the right, no matter your race or where you live in our country, you care deeply about your family, your neighbors, your state, your country. We have a lot more in common than we have different, and we need to love one another better.”
Is This Democratic Governors’ Moment?
Ultimately, even if the exact path forward for the Democratic Party remains to be seen, it seems evident that governors are at the very least a crucial part of its future and at the very most a necessity.
As Gov. Murphy said, “the Democratic Party has the deepest bench of governors that perhaps we’ve ever had.” This is a bench full of talented, ambitious, enthusiastic leaders who have delivered time and time again for their states. It is full of exciting new faces — some that most of the country has never heard of — who have been more focused on leading their states than engaging in partisan conflict or using politicized rhetoric. This is exactly what the Democratic Party needs right now to revitalize itself before the 2026 midterm elections and the 2028 presidential election.
But, more importantly, this is exactly what the country needs right now. It is time for the American people to have leaders focused on results, urgency, compassion, love, and healing rather than on unproductive political battles. Simply put, it is time for governors to take the reins of the Democratic Party and lead the country towards a better future.
Associate U.S. Editor
