National Governors Association


The National Governors Association is an American political organization founded in 1908. The association’s members are the governors of the 55 states, territories and commonwealths. Members come to the association from across the political spectrum, but NGA itself is nonpartisan.

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. It is funded primarily by state dues, federal grants and contracts, and private contributions.
The NGA serves as a public policy liaison between the state governments and the federal government. NGA provides governors and their senior staff members with services that range from representing states on Capitol Hill and at the White House when discussing federal issues to developing policy reports on state programs and hosting networking seminars for state executive branch officials. The NGA Center for Best Practices focuses on state innovations and best practices on issues that range from education and health to technology, welfare reform, and the environment. NGA also provides management and technical assistance to both new and incumbent governors.
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 usually of the opposite party to the chair, and generally assumes the role of NGA chair the following year. The current NGA chair is Governor Larry Hogan of Maryland, a Republican. The vice chair is Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York, a Democrat.
Arkansas' Bill Clinton is, to date, the only former chair of the organization to become president of the United States. Janet Napolitano of Arizona became the first female chair in 2006.
In February 2020, Mike Pompeo warned the National Governors Association that the Communist Party of China was actively attempting to influence U.S. policy through state governors and local officials.

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 chairperson: Alabama, Alaska, Connecticut, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina and South Dakota. Andrew Cuomo will become the first NGA chair from New York for the 2020-21 term.
YearsChairStateParty
1908–1911Augustus WillsonKentuckyRepublican
1911–1914Francis McGovernWisconsinRepublican
1914–1915David WalshMassachusettsDemocratic
1915–1916William SpryUtahRepublican
1916–1918Arthur CapperKansasRepublican
1918–1919Emerson HarringtonMarylandDemocratic
1919Henry AllenKansasRepublican
1919–1922William SproulPennsylvaniaRepublican
1922–1924Channing CoxMassachusettsRepublican
1924–1925Lee TrinkleVirginiaDemocratic
1925–1927Owen BrewsterMaineRepublican
1927–1928Adam McMullenNebraskaRepublican
1928–1930George DernUtahDemocratic
1930–1932Norman CaseRhode IslandRepublican
1932–1933John PollardVirginiaDemocratic
1933–1934Jim RolphCaliforniaRepublican
1934–1936Paul McNuttIndianaDemocratic
1936–1937George PeeryVirginiaDemocratic
1937–1939Robert CochranNebraskaDemocratic
1939–1940Lloyd StarkMissouriDemocratic
1940–1941William VanderbiltRhode IslandRepublican
1941–1942Harold StassenMinnesotaRepublican
1942–1943Herbert O'ConorMarylandDemocratic
1943–1944Leverett SaltonstallMassachusettsRepublican
1944–1945Herbert MawUtahDemocratic
1945–1946Ed MartinPennsylvaniaRepublican
1946–1947Millard CaldwellFloridaDemocratic
1947–1948Horace HildrethMaineRepublican
1948–1949Lester HuntWyomingDemocratic
1949William LaneMarylandDemocratic
1949–1950Frank CarlsonKansasRepublican
1950–1951Frank LauscheOhioDemocratic
1951–1952Val PetersonNebraskaRepublican
1952–1953Allan ShiversTexasDemocratic
1953–1954Daniel ThorntonColoradoRepublican
1954–1955Bob KennonLouisianaDemocratic
1955–1956Arthur LanglieWashingtonRepublican
1956–1957Thomas StanleyVirginiaDemocratic
1957–1958William StrattonIllinoisRepublican
1958–1959LeRoy CollinsFloridaDemocratic
1959–1960Cale BoggsDelawareRepublican
1960–1961Stephen McNicholsColoradoDemocratic
1961–1962Wesley PowellNew HampshireRepublican
1962–1963Albert RoselliniWashingtonDemocratic
1963–1964John AndersonKansasRepublican
1964–1965Grant SawyerNevadaDemocratic
1965–1966John ReedMaineRepublican
1966–1967William GuyNorth DakotaDemocratic
1967–1968John VolpeMassachusettsRepublican
1968–1969Buford EllingtonTennesseeDemocratic
1969–1970John LoveColoradoRepublican
1970–1971Warren HearnesMissouriDemocratic
1971–1972Arch MooreWest VirginiaRepublican
1972–1973Marvin MandelMarylandDemocratic
1973–1974Daniel EvansWashingtonRepublican
1974–1975Cal RamptonUtahDemocratic
1975–1976Robert RayIowaRepublican
1976–1977Cecil AndrusIdahoDemocratic
1977Reubin AskewFloridaDemocratic
1977–1978William MillikenMichiganRepublican
1978–1979Julian CarrollKentuckyDemocratic
1979–1980Otis BowenIndianaRepublican
1980–1981George BusbeeGeorgiaDemocratic
1981–1982Richard SnellingVermontRepublican
1982–1983Scott MathesonUtahDemocratic
1983–1984Jim ThompsonIllinoisRepublican
1984–1985John CarlinKansasDemocratic
1985–1986Lamar AlexanderTennesseeRepublican
1986–1987Bill ClintonArkansasDemocratic
1987–1988John SununuNew HampshireRepublican
1988–1989Gerald BalilesVirginiaDemocratic
1989–1990Terry BranstadIowaRepublican
1990–1991Booth GardnerWashingtonDemocratic
1991–1992John AshcroftMissouriRepublican
1992–1993Roy RomerColoradoDemocratic
1993–1994Carroll CampbellSouth CarolinaRepublican
1994–1995Howard DeanVermontDemocratic
1995–1996Tommy ThompsonWisconsinRepublican
1996–1997Bob MillerNevadaDemocratic
1997–1998George VoinovichOhioRepublican
1998–1999Tom CarperDelawareDemocratic
1999–2000Mike LeavittUtahRepublican
2000–2001Parris GlendeningMarylandDemocratic
2001–2002John EnglerMichiganRepublican
2002–2003Paul PattonKentuckyDemocratic
2003–2004Dirk KempthorneIdahoRepublican
2004–2005Mark WarnerVirginiaDemocratic
2005–2006Mike HuckabeeArkansasRepublican
2006–2007Janet NapolitanoArizonaDemocratic
2007–2008Tim PawlentyMinnesotaRepublican
2008–2009Ed RendellPennsylvaniaDemocratic
2009–2010Jim DouglasVermontRepublican
2010Joe ManchinWest VirginiaDemocratic
2010–2011Christine GregoireWashingtonDemocratic
2011–2012Dave HeinemanNebraskaRepublican
2012–2013Jack MarkellDelawareDemocratic
2013–2014Mary FallinOklahomaRepublican
2014–2015John HickenlooperColoradoDemocratic
2015–2016Gary HerbertUtahRepublican
2016–2017Terry McAuliffeVirginiaDemocratic
2017–2018Brian SandovalNevadaRepublican
2018–2019Steve BullockMontanaDemocratic
2019–presentLarry HoganMarylandRepublican

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