About Us

Who We Are

The Democratic Governors Association (DGA) is an independent voluntary political organization organized to support Democratic governors and candidates across the nation.

The DGA is proud to support the Democratic governors in 22 states and 3 U.S. territories, as well as the mayor in Washington, D.C.

What We Do

As the only organization dedicated to electing Democratic governors and candidates, the DGA participates at all levels of campaigns, from providing resources to fund operations to helping articulate and deliver their messages.

The DGA also helps governors lead their states. We serve as a clearinghouse of best practices to help governors and their staff share their policy successes and learn from each other.

DGA Leadership

Chair

Phil Murphy
Governor of New Jersey

As Governor, Phil Murphy has restored New Jersey to its historic role as a progressive national leader. Gov. Murphy has succeeded in raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, securing paid sick leave for all workers, and requiring equal pay for equal work. He restored funding for Planned Parenthood and women’s health initiatives. He has embarked on one of the nation’s most-aggressive plans for generating offshore-wind electricity.

Prior to becoming Governor, Gov. Murphy served as the United States Ambassador to Germany under President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013. He had also previously served as National Finance Chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

Gov. Murphy, who was born and raised in the Boston suburbs, graduated from Harvard University in 1979 and earned his MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He and his wife, First Lady Tammy Snyder Murphy, are the parents of four children: Josh, Emma, Charlie, and Sam.

Vice Chair

Laura Kelly
Governor of Kansas

Gov. Kelly grew up in a military family and learned the importance of service, integrity and accountability at a young age. She lived all over the world, but she and her family wanted to put down roots in a place with great public schools and vibrant communities. Kansas was an obvious choice.

As governor, Kelly has worked tirelessly to rebuild the state’s broken foundation. Since taking office, she fulfilled her promise to fully fund public schools, led the passage of a comprehensive 10-year infrastructure plan, eliminated Kansas’ food tax, and secured the largest economic development project in state history. All while balancing the state’s budget, as promised.

She continues to pursue policies good for Kansas families, and is fighting to expand affordable health care to approximately 150,000 Kansans.

Finance Chair

Wes Moore
Governor of Maryland

As a combat veteran, bestselling author, small business owner, Rhodes Scholar, and former CEO of one of the nation’s largest anti-poverty organizations, Gov. Moore has devoted his life’s work to the same basic principle he learned on Day 1 in the Army: Leave no one behind.

Moore served as a captain and paratrooper with the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne, including leading soldiers in combat in Afghanistan. He also served as a White House Fellow, advising on issues of national security and international relations.

It was Gov. Moore’s commitment to taking on our toughest challenges that brought him to the Robin Hood foundation, where he served for four years as CEO. During his tenure, the foundation distributed over $600 million toward lifting families out of poverty, including in Maryland.

Of the many titles Gov. Moore has held over the years, there are two that he’s most proud of: husband and father. Wes and his wife Dawn live with their two children in Baltimore City.

Strategic Engagement Chair

Josh Shapiro
Governor of Pennsylvania

Throughout his career as a public servant, Josh Shapiro has taken on the status quo and brought people together to solve tough problems.

Josh grew up in Pennsylvania, watching his parents serve their community — his father was a pediatrician, and his mother was an educator. Their example inspired Josh to enter into public service, and from a young age, Josh recognized that standing up for others was how he wanted to spend his career.

During the 2020 presidential election, Josh protected the right to vote and defended Pennsylvania’s election result, winning in court dozens of times before and after Election Day. As Governor, he continues to call out the dangerous lies that undermine our democracy and provide steady, strong, and competent leadership to protect Pennsylvanians’ fundamental rights.

Josh and Lori live in Montgomery County with their three school age sons, and their eldest daughter attends the University of Pittsburgh.

Policy Chair

Gavin Newsom
Governor of California

On January 6, 2023, Gavin Newsom was sworn in for a second term as Governor of California.

Gov. Newsom was born and raised in San Francisco. He graduated from Redwood High School in Marin County and received a baseball scholarship to Santa Clara University where he studied political science.

Gov. Newsom has established himself as a leader at the forefront of policy initiatives in arenas such as gun safety, same-sex marriage, education affordability and access, criminal justice reform, climate action, and universal health care.

Gov. Newsom and his wife Jennifer Siebel Newsom have four children: Montana, Hunter, Brooklynn, and Dutch.