National Governors Association

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. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

NOTES

• Cecil Andrus resigned as Governor of Idaho upon being confirmed as Secretary of the Interior in January 1977. Florida's Reubin Askew completed Andrus' unexpired term as chair.
• Joe Manchin resigned as Governor of West Virginia when he was elected to the United States Senate in November 2010. Washington's Christine Gregoire completed Manchin's unexpired term as chair.

References

References

1. (July 26, 2025). "NGA Leadership".
2. [http://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/united-states-inland-waterways-commission/preliminary-report-of-the-inland-waterways-commission-message-from-the-presiden-tin/page-4-preliminary-report-of-the-inland-waterways-commission-message-from-the-presiden-tin.shtml Inland Waterways Commission Recommendations... Inquiries in Progress] {{Webarchive. link. (November 17, 2019 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;...")
3. [http://www.nga.org/cms/home/about/faq/col2-content/main-content-list/f-how-are-nga-and-the-nga-center.html FAQ] {{webarchive. link. (December 14, 2013 National Governors Association website, "How is NGA funded?" Retrieved December 8, 2013.)
4. [https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Janet_Napolitano Janet Napolitano], ''[[Sourcewatch]]'', June 7, 2019. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
5. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/governors-in-red-and-blue/2014/02/25/3e90e25c-9e46-11e3-a050-dc3322a94fa7_story.html National Governors Association showing deep Republican, Democratic divisions], ''[[Washington Post]]'', Dan Balz, February 25, 2014. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
6. Allen-Ebrahimian, Bethany. (February 19, 2020). "How a Chinese think tank rates all 50 U.S. governors". [[Axios (website).
7. (October 28, 2020). "U.S. designates Chinese body a foreign mission, quits local cooperation agreement". Reuters.
8. (October 28, 2020). "Designation of the National Association for China's Peaceful Unification (NACPU) as a Foreign Mission of the PRC".
9. "Govs. Walz, Kelly to leave National Governors Association citing lack of bipartisan initiatives: Sources".
10. https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/5417758-kelly-walz-stop-nga-dues/
11. (2025-10-06). "Newsom, Pritzker threaten to pull out of National Governors Association over Trump's troop deployments".
12. "Historical Timeline". National Governors Association Centennial.