Democratic governors are diverging of their approaches to President Trump amid mounting hypothesis that a few of them are gunning for the White Home in 2028.
Some are digging their heels into resistance efforts, as in Illinois, the place Gov. JB Pritzker (D) this week trolled Trump’s plan to rename the Gulf of Mexico. Others are taking a softer method, as in California, the place Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is working with Trump to assist the Golden State get better from wildfires.
Pritzker and Newsom are amongst a number of Democratic governors — together with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and others — who’ve generated early 2028 chatter. Their various engagements with Trump underscore the complexities of navigating a Republican energy trifecta in Washington, and the excessive stakes for Democrats as they appear towards the following presidential election.
“There’s a pretty marked dichotomy between those Democratic governors in swing states and those in safe states,” mentioned Dan Schnur, a political communications professor on the College of Southern California and the College of California, Berkeley. “Someone like JB Pritzker in Illinois can afford to go out to Trump with both barrels at every opportunity. Gretchen Whitmer is a governor in a much more purple state, so she has to be much more careful.”
Democrats have been trying to the governors of blue states as a line of protection in opposition to the barrage of government actions and controversial insurance policies popping out of the Trump White Home, from pledging to guard progressive insurance policies to urging social gathering management to get extra aggressive with Trump.
“I think the Trump strategy of flooding the zone with chaos is making the Democratic Party leaders probably reorganize and figure out how to resist,” mentioned Democratic strategist Alvina Vasquez. “They’re going to have to get creative in how they’re resisting.”
So-called resistance efforts are additional difficult for governors who could also be gearing up for their very own Oval Workplace runs. A number of — together with Newsom, Whitmer and Shapiro — have been floated final yr as potential contenders to affix former Vice President Kamala Harris’s 2024 marketing campaign, they usually’re already filling out the social gathering’s hypothetical 2028 bench.
An Emerson School ballot taken after the election discovered Harris because the 2028 Democratic front-runner, with 37 p.c of respondents supporting her and all different potential candidates within the single digits. But it surely’s not set in stone that Harris, who has additionally seen promising early polling for the California governor’s race, will attempt once more for the White Home.
Newsom snagged second place in that polling, adopted by former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Whitmer and Shapiro. One other late November ballot from Puck Information and Echelon Insights equally discovered Harris forward, with Newsom and Shapiro subsequent up.
None have formally declared a bid, however 2028 could possibly be a part of their calculus as they interact with Trump.
“There will probably be governors who see the path to their social gathering’s nomination in 2028 as being the chief critic of President Trump,” mentioned Thad Kousser, a political science professor on the College of California, San Diego, and the creator of “The Power of American Governors.” He mentioned such a lane is “really designed to impress Democratic primary voters in 2028.”
Then there’s a route that will attraction extra to a nationwide normal election viewers, Kousser mentioned, and that’s a “extra loyal opposition, find-areas-for-common-ground” method.
Newsom, who has lengthy been seen as positioning himself for greater workplace, faces a fragile dance in solidly blue California as he walks that stability whereas additionally advocating for his wildfire-torn state.
Newsom known as a particular legislative session to deal with Trump’s election and warned of the attainable “consequences of his presidency,” drawing the president’s ire. However after Newsom lobbied for catastrophe support in Washington final week, the governor advised CNN that he has “all the confidence in the world that it’s going to be a strong partnership moving forward.”
“Both Newsom and Trump have benefited tremendously from their attacks on each other, but right now, Newsom can’t afford to take that approach,” Schnur mentioned.
Over in Illinois, which Harris received by 11 factors, Pritzker has notably been vital of early Trump administration actions on immigration, saying he would cooperate to take away “violent criminals” however known as indications that officers may goal law-abiding migrants and people with jobs and households within the U.S. “quite disturbing.” He additionally took a jab at Trump in response to a lawsuit difficult the state’s sanctuary standing, saying “unlike Donald Trump, Illinois follows the law.”
Illinois Democratic strategist Aviva Bowen mentioned Democratic political leaders “are doing what they believe is most important to defend their state and families right now,” and that robust coverage will be politically efficient too.
“I’ve heard him and others describe his approach sometimes as ‘happy warrior,’” she mentioned.
“I think their job right now is what we’re seeing many of them, like Gov. Pritzker, doing, which is focusing on 2025, not 2028,” Bowen mentioned. “What’s often good policy ends up being good politics. But there are policies he’s fighting back against … that are actively hurting working families.”
Pritzker has additionally gone after Trump’s tariff insurance policies, arguing “working families will pay the price.”
In the meantime, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) has walked a fantastic line between criticism and a few openness to Trump. He shocked some observers with fast reward for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s controversial decide to guide the Division of Well being and Human Companies, saying he could be an enchancment from Trump’s first-term alternative.
Polis mentioned throughout his State of the State tackle final month that he would “welcome” extra federal help to deport “dangerous criminals,” however migrants who had not dedicated a criminal offense ought to have the ability to keep. He additionally declared his help on Monday for Trump’s order to halt the manufacturing of the penny to economize.
“I do think he’s having a nuanced approach because anything he does say could put more Coloradans at risk because of the way that Trump is leading,” mentioned Vasquez, who served as political director for Polis’s 2018 gubernatorial marketing campaign.
She mentioned Polis is taking the identical method as his 2018 marketing campaign when he spoke to everybody no matter their social gathering, which may “open doors” for him in 2028.
“The campaign slogan was, ‘Let Jared be Jared,’ and so he really has his own way of doing things whether people like it or not,” Vasquez mentioned. “I do think the personality of what is the most practical, pragmatic way is [Jared’s] way.”
A spokesperson for Polis advised The Hill that he’s targeted on doing what’s greatest for Colorado: saving folks cash, reducing housing and well being care prices, defending air high quality and making communities safer.
“The Governor hopes that there are opportunities to work with the new administration on these important affordability issues,” they mentioned.
In the meantime, swing-state Democrats are treading rigorously.
In battleground Michigan, Whitmer burdened after the election that she wasn’t a part of Governors Safeguarding Democracy, a resistance group kick-started after the election by Pritzker and Polis. She mentioned in remarks round Trump’s inauguration final month that she desires to search out frequent floor with the president, although she wouldn’t again down on points like Trump’s controversial tariff plans.
Shapiro, one other swing-state governor who some argued would have been a greater decide for Harris’s marketing campaign than Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), hasn’t been essentially the most vocal in attacking Trump over the previous month. He advised a Philadelphia ABC affiliate final month that he respects “the will of the people” and that he hopes for Trump’s success. However he has additionally criticized a number of of Trump’s strikes for the reason that president was sworn in.
“We’re going to find opportunities to work with him. I trust he will find opportunities to work with me, support the people of Pennsylvania,” he advised the outlet. “When he does something I disagree with, I will not hesitate to stand up to him.”
Shapiro slammed Trump’s proposal for the U.S. to take over Gaza in an interview with Stephen A. Smith, calling it “deeply disrespectful” and probably a violation of worldwide regulation.
“Your power goes away the more you scream about everything,” Vasquez mentioned. “You really do have to pick the things that are going to be the worst.”
