Democratic governors step forward to set the party's agenda

As President Donald Trump’s second administration takes shape in Washington, Democratic governors across the country are laying out their own plans for the year, with some using high-profile speeches to detail plans to resist the president’s agenda — even if they’re not always saying so explicitly.

As President Donald Trump’s second administration takes shape in Washington, Democratic governors across the country are laying out their own plans for the year, with some using high-profile speeches to detail plans to resist the president’s agenda — even if they’re not always saying so explicitly.

The Democratic Party is trying to find its way back after a tough 2024 election that locked it out of power in Washington. Many in the party are looking to the future in the states, where a number of governors have been floated as potential presidential contenders in 2028.

And the plans these governors are laying out now, even in the early days of Trump’s term, could be crucial to building their governing resumes ahead of a future campaign. Similarly, how they handle Trump is part of a broader conversation among Democrats about how to react to the election and Trump’s return to power.

Indeed, while many Democrats are highlighting priorities like expanding affordable child care, legalizing cannabis and protecting access to abortion, they are also using recent “State of the State” addresses to signal that they’re ready to take on Trump, even as his administration is still taking shape.

While this year not all of the Democratic governors have yet outlined their budget proposals in what is traditionally known as a State of the State address, those who have (including Govs. Katie Hobbs of Arizona, Jared Polis of Colorado, Wes Moore of Maryland, Phil Murphy of New Jersey, Kathy Hochul of New York, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Tony Evers of Wisconsin) are laying out generally progressive plans of action for their states — and not always outwardly lambasting the Trump administration.