Can you donate now to join our fight?

We just launched the Power to Appoint Fund to highlight the important role Dem Govs play to ensure integrity in our country’s judicial process and protect fundamental freedoms. Your support will ensure we can make crucial investments in key states and protect our democracy. Please don’t wait: rush your gift to elect Democratic governors! >>>

MEMORANDUM: Democratic Governors Leading on Party’s Policies

Latest News

MEMORANDUM: Democratic Governors Leading on Party’s Policies

TO: Interested Parties

FROM: Democratic Governors Association

Date: 7/25/16

During the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, the Democratic Party will come together around ideas to build a brighter outlook for the future of our country.

In Congress, these ideas remain theoretical – often thrown in a dustbin.

But in the states, Democratic governors have led on an economic strategy to strengthen the middle class and create jobs.

America’s Democratic governors are walking proof that the ideas in the Democratic platform work to create jobs and bring opportunity to more Americans.

From historic minimum wage increases, to passing paid sick leave laws, to investing in our children’s future, and fighting for equal pay, Democratic governors are leading on policies that matter to working families.  

As Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine campaign on these ideas at the top of the ticket, look no further than the states led by Democratic governors to see these policies working:

  • Democratic governors lead 4 of the 5 states to pass paid sick leave policies – and it has happened in states like Connecticut where 75% of businesses supported the law;

Meanwhile, Republican governors across the board have shifted their focus away from bread-and-butter economic policies in favor of divisive ideological agendas.

Republican governors are responsible for the nation’s most extreme anti-LGBT policies in North CarolinaIndiana, and Mississippi; the most restrictive anti-women’s healthcare laws in TexasWisconsin, and North Dakota; and have pushed failed experiments in trickle-down economics that have led to deficits, budget cuts, and closures of public schools.

There is no better example of the dangerous GOP gubernatorial agenda than Indiana Gov. Mike Pence. As Donald Trump’s running mate, Pence brings the worst of the GOP gubernatorial record to the national stage:

The difference for voters is clear: While Democratic governors focus on growing the economy and strengthening the middle class, Republican governors are pushing dangerous ideological agendas.

And the fallout from this extreme GOP gubernatorial agenda is clear: Millions in economic damage, national embarrassment, and outrage by the general public.

Unrigging the Map

Electing Democratic governors is also important for restoring fair electoral maps. To meet this goal, the Democratic Governors Association launched Unrig the Map, a redistricting initiative the New York Times called “a plan to fight gerrymandering.”

The projected is a targeted strategy to get Democratic governors elected to office to fight for fair maps during the 2020 redistricting process.

Currently, the map is rigged against the American people: In 2012, Congressional Democrats received 1.4 million more votes, yet Republicans still won a 33-seat advantage in Congress.

This is the result of a wave of Republican gerrymandering that occurred in the 2010 redistricting process.

In order to fight back, the DGA’s 2020 Redistricting Fund initially targets gubernatorial races in 18 of the 35 states where a strong Democratic governor can make a major difference in the redistricting process.

Fair maps in these 18 states could net Democrats 44 Congressional seats, enough to win back Congress. 

Through this effort, the DGA will work with electoral committees such as the DCCC and the DLCC to focus on candidate recruitment, fundraising, and campaign support for each targeted race.

“With the underlying goal of producing a sophisticated and coordinated redistricting effort to match Republicans, Thursday’s strategy session is seen as the first of many steps in recalibrating the balance of power in the states and on Capitol Hill,” the Huffington Post wrote during a joint meeting the three committees held this winter.

The Unrig the Map initiative presents a plan to bring more Democratic governors to the table in 2020 to fight back against the kind of gerrymandering that occurred in 2010.

This will give Democrats the best chance of implementing fair electoral maps and retaking control of the U.S. House of Representatives.

###