Latest news with #LauraKelly
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Govs. Walz, Kelly to leave National Governors Association: Sources
Sources say two prominent Democrats are stepping away from a national bipartisan organization that brings together the chief executives of all 50 states, citing a lack of pushback to Trump administration policies and to some recent threats to state funding and operations. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, the chair of the Democratic Governors Association (DGA), will be leaving the National Governors Association (NGA) at the end of the month, a source familiar with her thinking told ABC News. She will actively step back from the organization, not only by not paying dues but also by withdrawing from promoting or taking part in any NGA-associated work, the source said. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the former DGA chair, is also cutting ties with the NGA and will stop paying dues to the organization next year as he is "reassessing" his membership, another source told ABC News. MORE: Trump says calling Walz after Minnesota shootings would be 'waste of time' The two governors are stepping away at a time when the association appears to engage in fewer bipartisan initiatives and advocate less for states as they face uncertainty around some of the Trump administration's policies and Congress' recent cuts to federal funding, according to the second source, who called that a departure from the group's past work to champion local issues. The NGA is "not living up to the most fundamental aspect of its mission statement" while Congress and the Trump administration are "dismantling solutions-based governance," said the source familiar with Kelly's thinking. What the NGA says The National Governors Association is a bipartisan organization that brings together the nation's governors to work on state and local issues and to liaise with the federal government. Every year, the leadership of the organization alternates between Democrats and Republicans. The current chair is Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, of Colorado. Asked about the departure of Walz and Kelly, NGA spokesperson Eric Wohlschlegel said the organization "continues to see strong engagement from governors across the country, with record attendance at recent convenings and bipartisan participation across all major initiatives." The second source said some governors and their staff feel frustrated because they feel the group hasn't pushed back enough on Trump administration policies that directly impact their states. That source said that there is a "a shocking lack of willingness to speak out on states' rights and federal overreach. Silence on the one set of issues that all governors should agree on." The source added: "There are a lot of ways governors coordinate on a bipartisan basis and this is simply too great an expense to taxpayers for the value we get in return right now." Kelly would be "open" to staying in the organization should it return to work on bipartisan, local-focused issues, according to the source familiar with her thinking. MORE: Trans youth care ban vetoed by Kansas governor again Kelly, the leader of the Democratic governors' group, is not advocating for her peers to follow her direction in leaving the NGA. What other governors say Democratic Gov. Wes Moore, of Maryland, the incoming vice-chair of the NGA, told ABC News Friday that he counts Kelly and Walz among his friends. He said he's heard similar frustrations about the group, and finds them totally understandable. "I've definitely heard it. And I think a lot of the frustration… is justified, because I don't think this organization has really moved with a sense of urgency on some of these topics that they needed to," said Moore, who added that the group's silence on Trump's public spat with Maine Gov. Janet Mills "can never and should never be tolerated again." The source familiar with Kelly's thinking also cited silence from the group when Congress passed a recissions package earlier this month, which cut a chunk of critical federal funding that Kansas relies on, as well as silence from the group when Trump deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles in response to the protests over immigration enforcement. The Guard is typically authorized by governors. Still, Moore said he believes the NGA provides value in having a direct line to bipartisan collaboration, and that the "virtue of this organization is one that's worth fighting for. "I respect the frustration that some of my colleagues have, I also know that I feel like we have a responsibility to actually work to fix it and address it," said Moore. Moore said he believes that Walz and Kelly could come back into the fold after he takes the helm and pushes the leadership on improving. "I think they also know that I hear their frustrations, and I plan on addressing their frustrations," said Moore. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican, is the incoming NGA chair. He said while he's friends with Walz and Kelly, he thinks their decision to walk away isn't the right one. "I don't think you should take your ball and go home," Stitt told reporters Saturday. "Working together for all 50 states in the benefits of our country, and our states, it's hard and it's messy and we should be able to debate what is the right policy. But let's not take our ball and go home. Let's sit here and let's talk about what is the best thing that we can do for America." New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, who chaired the NGA from 2022-2023, told ABC Saturday morning that he hadn't heard of the concerns from Democrats until recently. While he is a "huge fan" of both Kelly and Walz, Murphy said he doesn't agree with the decision to pull back from the organization. "I respect their decisions. I just don't agree with that," he said. "I think the NGA is a very valuable entity. Does that mean everybody we're going to hear from today be inviting over to my house for dinner? No, for sure. But the fact of the matter is, we come together in common cause to try to find common ground. I think it does a very good job of that, is it perfect? No, and it's also a very personal reason for me, in the sense of you get to walk in the other guy's shoes, hear different perspectives." Murphy continued: "I don't care if I'm sitting next to a Republican governor or a Democratic governor, we're there, as they say, to find common ground, to get to know each other. I think that has great value."
Fox News
4 days ago
- Business
- Fox News
Incoming NGA Chair 'disappointed' in Dem governors 'playing politics' in bipartisan group
Colorado Springs, Colo. – Incoming chair of the National Governors Association (NGA), Gov. Kevin Stitt, R-Okla., is "disappointed" that some Democratic governors might stop paying their dues to the bipartisan group. The Atlantic reported ahead of the NGA's summer meeting in Colorado Springs, Colo., that at least two Democrats, Govs. Tim Walz of Minnesota and Laura Kelly of Kansas, plan to stop paying their dues when asked to renew their membership this month over the NGA's response to President Donald Trump's second term. "We shouldn't be playing politics like they do in Washington, D.C.," Stitt told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview at the summer meeting. "But sometimes, if you're a governor running for president or a higher office, you make it political." Kelly is chair of the Democratic Governors Association (DGA), the partisan gubernatorial arm that has been vocal in resisting the Trump administration. As Walz weighs a third gubernatorial run, the former vice presidential candidate has remained a leading critic of Trump's administration since losing the White House alongside Vice President Kamala Harris last year. The Democratic discontent comes as Democratic Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado prepares to cede his chairmanship to Stitt, a Republican, at this weekend's summer meeting. Gov. Wes Moore, D-Md., is set to become vice chair. "I would tell anybody, listen, do you want your leaders to take their ball and go home just because they get mad at something? That's not the way to solve problems," Stitt said, adding that he likes both Walz and Kelly. "Listen, this isn't the time to take our ball and go home. Let's sit down and debate what the best policies [are] going forward," Stitt added. The Oklahoma governor said it can be "frustrating" when Democrats are constantly targeting Trump, but as a business leader, he said there are plenty of instances in which governors can find common ground, including a reduction of the United States' more than $36 trillion in debt. Ahead of the summer meeting, Eric Wohlschlegel, NGA communications director, emphasized the bipartisan nature of the NGA and told Fox News Digital the NGA's "mission hasn't changed." According to The Atlantic report, Democratic members of the NGA complained the group "did not respond forcefully enough" when the Trump administration paused federal funding early this year, as Gov. Janet Mills of Maine clashed with Trump over biological men playing in women's sports and, more recently, when Trump authorized the National Guard to California to amid the anti-ICE protests. "Every public statement NGA issues reflects bipartisan consensus. So far this year, all but one statement has had that consensus, and when governors don't agree, we simply don't issue one. That's how we preserve our role as a bipartisan convener, a principle we won't compromise," Wohlschlegel explained. Thirteen Republican and seven Democratic leaders planned to attend the summer meeting, featuring discussions with Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. A source familiar with the situation blamed the controversy on "Democratic infighting, unspoken campaign jockeying and a few anonymous voices looking to reshape a nonpartisan institution into a political one." The source added that "no governors are on the record expressing discontent with the NGA. No allegations of misconduct, governance failure or mismanagement have been raised." And without addressing the controversy directly, Conor Cahill, a spokesperson for Polis, told Fox News Digital the governor "has been honored" to lead the NGA and to "work across the aisle with governors on education, permitting reform, standing up to federal efforts to strip away gubernatorial authority around the National Guard and elevating the priorities of states." He added that "during this polarizing time, bipartisan organizations are needed more than ever, and NGA must continue to demonstrate value to all governors and effectively communicate governors' opinions on various matters with the public and the federal government." Abegail Cave, a spokesperson for Stitt, told Fox News Digital ahead of the NGA that "people seem to forget NGA is a bipartisan organization, not a political one." Fox News Digital reached out to Walz and Kelly for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore dodges question on Democrats leaving bipartisan governors' group
BALTIMORE — Pressed by an MSNBC host Friday, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore did not directly answer a question about two of his Democratic counterparts who could leave the bipartisan group of governors he will soon help to lead. 'Morning Joe' host Jonathan Lemire asked Moore for his reaction to The Atlantic reporting that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly had stopped paying dues to the National Governors' Association, or NGA. Walz and Kelly have concluded 'the organization's usefulness is now in doubt' because it did not respond forcefully enough to President Donald Trump's 'federal incursions into state matters,' according to sources cited by the outlet. 'I have a deep respect for my colleagues in Minnesota and also Governor Kelly in Kansas; they are dear friends, both Governor Walz and Governor Kelly,' Moore told Lemire. 'And I also know that in this moment, the people in our states, the people in our country, they need us to focus on best practices and working together to make their lives better.' Moore is set to become the NGA's vice president this year and is gearing up to run for a second term as governor of Maryland in 2026. While he's been critical of Trump at times, Moore has sought to position himself as 'not the leader of the resistance' and spoken about eliminating 'waste, fraud and abuse,' while cuts by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency angered Democrats. Both Kelly and Walz, the party's vice presidential nominee in the 2024 presidential election, will be term-limited next year — perhaps explaining their willingness to question the group. Another Democrat, Maine Gov. Janet Mills, will not attend this summer's NGA meeting in Colorado. In February, Mills publicly sparred with Trump over his effort to withhold federal funds from Maine when she refused to comply with the executive order banning transgender women from participating in female sports leagues. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, the NGA's current vice president, will ascend to the presidency this year, succeeding Colorado Gov. Jared Polis. Stitt appeared alongside Moore on 'Morning Joe' Friday; the two governors were friendly and agreed on several issues. Moore also discussed his approach to Maryland's budget, pointing out that his first three budgets decreased the size of the state's general fund. While true, spending has increased under Moore in areas such as Medicaid and Blueprint for Maryland's Future, a decadelong plan to reform public education that caused financial headaches during the recent legislative session. 'In our first three years as governor, we have actually had three straight budgets where we actually decreased the size of the general fund ... decreasing the size of state government, saying we can be more efficient,' the governor said. 'We can be more effective, and that doesn't mean we have to spend more. ... We've got to be really careful and cautious when it comes to utilization of taxpayer dollars.' His references to the general fund do not include the Blueprint for Maryland's Future, Medicaid and other areas where spending has increased. In recent political ads and other TV appearances, Moore has said the fiscal 2026 budget he signed turned a $3 billion deficit 'into a budget surplus' without raising state income taxes for most Marylanders. Republicans have called this messaging misleading and pointed to other tax and fee increases — such as the state's new 3% sales tax on technology services and increased vehicle registration costs — as measures Moore used to balance the budget. _____
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Second Johnson County lawmaker enters Democratic primary for Kansas governor
A second Johnson County Democratic lawmaker has taken the plunge and announced a bid to become the next governor of Kansas. State Sen. Ethan Corson of Fairway joined Overland Park Sen. Cindy Holscher in the primary field, launching his campaign in an official statement Tuesday. 'I'm a lifelong Kansan, a dad with young kids, and a proud product of our public schools,' said Corson, 43. 'I'm running for governor to create opportunity for the next generation of Kansans, so they can build a life here.' In short, he said, that means making sure Kansas has both the best schools in America and the most affordable housing options. In a separate news release Tuesday morning, Lt. Gov. David Toland — long rumored to harbor gubernatorial aspirations — announced that he would not seek the job, choosing instead to focus on economic development work in his other role as commerce secretary. Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat who can't run again due to term limits, appeared to throw her weight behind Corson's candidacy in a post to X that stopped just short of an explicit endorsement. 'When I think about the type of leader Kansas will need to keep us on the path to prosperity — it's someone laser focused on the issues Kansans really care about,' Kelly said. 'Someone who understands how to bring people together to get good things done for Kansas. That's exactly who Ethan Corson is.' Holscher also welcomed him to the race. 'The more the merrier! Kansans deserve to hear from all the candidates,' Holscher said in a campaign statement. 'I'm confident that voters will learn I'm the best choice in this race, because I've proven I know how to fight, win, and move Kansas forward.' Besides Corson and Holscher, the only other Democrat who has filed to run is Marty Tuley, a Lawrence personal fitness trainer. Deep Johnson County field With Corson's entrance into the race, half of the 12 candidates vying to succeed Kelly live in Johnson County. On the Republican side, former Gov. Jeff Colyer, Secretary of State Scott Schwab, former County Commissioner Charlotte O'Hara and conservative podcaster Doug Billings all hail from the state's wealthiest and most populous county. Excluding Colyer, who became governor in 2018 after Sam Brownback's resignation, Kansas last elected a Johnson County governor in 1975. A Johnson County Democrat hasn't served as chief executive in over a century. The county has long fought to shake the reputation that its candidates are out of touch with rural Kansas voters. Officials with both parties and some independent commentators say the paradigms that have held Johnson County candidates back in the past may be shifting. Who is Ethan Corson? Corson was first elected to the Senate in 2020, cruising to re-election by nearly 30 percentage points last November. He's pitching himself to voters as a bipartisan problem solver. Corson, who serves as a ranking member on the Senate's tax, transportation and judiciary committees, said he's always been focused 'on the kitchen table issues that matter to Kansans: strong public schools and lower taxes for working and middle-class families.' Among his legislative achievements, Corson cites his votes to help eliminate the state tax on groceries, remove taxes on Social Security and deliver targeted tax relief for seniors, veterans and middle-class Kansans. In impassioned speeches on the Senate floor this spring, Corson squared off against Republican lawmakers over their decision to create an automatic mechanism for lowering state income tax rates without first passing the property tax reform they promised to combat soaring valuations. Corson has also been an outspoken opponent of the Republican-backed constitutional amendment proposal aiming to reshape the Kansas Supreme Court by switching to direct election of justices. Corson attended Washington University in St. Louis, where he earned a bachelor's degree in political science and journalism before returning for a law degree. After graduating, Corson worked as an attorney in Washington D.C., going on to serve as a senior advisor to Obama-era Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker and as chief of staff at the Commerce Department's International Trade Administration. According to his release, in that role, Corson helped manage a team of over 2,200 employees across 75 countries — 'experiences that gave Ethan a perspective on how to recruit businesses to Kansas and how to help Kansans, especially our farmers, ship their products around the world.' Corson returned to Kansas in 2019 to serve a stint as executive director of the state Democratic Party. 'But for Ethan, it all comes back to public education,' the release says. 'It's the education Ethan received in the Shawnee Mission School District — and the teachers and coaches who touched his life — that made his path possible.' Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kansas Sen. Ethan Corson joins Democratic primary for Kansas governor
Kansas State Sen. Ethan Corson, D-Fairway, announced July 22 he's running for governor, becoming the third Democrat to seek the office. In a press release, Corson said his campaign will focus on "kitchen table issues" like decreasing taxes, recruiting new businesses to the state and improving public schools. 'I've always been laser-focused on the kitchen table issues that matter to Kansans: strong public schools and lower taxes for working and middle-class families,' Corson said. 'I'm not interested in the partisan battles you see on cable news — Kansans want leaders who work together — regardless of political party — to get things done. "That's exactly what I've done in the State Senate, and that's the kind of common-sense, bipartisan leadership I'll bring to the Governor's Office.' Corson won his Senate seat in 2020 and was reelected in 2024. He was the first Democrat to win the district. He is the Democrats' ranking minority member in the transportation, judiciary and assessment and taxation committees. In his announcement, his campaign highlighted bipartisan bills he worked on that eliminated the sales tax on groceries, cut property taxes and removed taxes on Social Security payments. Corson is a lawyer and previously worked at the U.S. Department of Commerce and was the chief of staff at the International Trade Administration. Kansas governor releases statement on Corson Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly posted on social media supporting Corson. The statement was short of a full endorsement but did call him "the type of leader Kansas will need to keep us on the path to prosperity." "When I think about the type of leader Kansas will need to keep us on the path to prosperity — it's someone laser focused on the issues Kansans really care about. Someone who understands how to bring people together to get good things done for Kansas. That's exactly who Ethan Corson is," Kelly posted on X. She went on to call him an advocate for attracting jobs to the state, funding public schools and affordable housing, child care and health care. "Ethan also played a critical role in axing the food sales tax and lowering property taxes. He'll be a very strong candidate," Kelly said. Kelly didn't make a similar statement about Kansas Sen. Cindy Holscher, D-Overland Park, who announced her campaign last month. More than 10 candidates are running for Kansas governor Corson faces Holscher and fitness trainer Marty Tuley in the August 2026 Democratic Primary. On the Republican ticket, at least eight candidates have announced campaigns, including Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson, Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt and former Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer. This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas Democratic State Senator joins governor race
