Bloomberg Government: DGA’s “Aggressive Strategy to Flip Gubernatorial Seats”

Bloomberg Government: DGA's "Aggressive Strategy to Flip Gubernatorial Seats"

New reporting from Bloomberg Government highlights the Democratic Governors Association's "aggressive strategy to flip gubernatorial seats that once seemed out of reach."

Bloomberg Government notes that potential wins "in Georgia, Nevada, Alaska, Ohio, and Iowa, a mix of established and fresh battlegrounds where the party has historically struggled to compete," could mark a "huge comeback" for the party that hasn't held 26 governorships since 2010.

The DGA is "optimistic as candidates sense inroads among conservative voters fretting over gas and grocery prices," and is spending at least $10 million in top flip opportunities to take advantage of the "political climate that polls indicate is increasingly friendly to Democratic candidates."

Bloomberg Government: Democrats Growing Bullish on Capturing Red-State Governorships

• Democrats are mounting an aggressive strategy to flip gubernatorial seats in contests that once seemed out of reach, hoping to capitalize on a political climate that polls indicate is increasingly friendly to Democratic candidates.

• National organizations like the Democratic Governors Association are eyeing potential wins in Georgia, Nevada, Alaska, Ohio, and Iowa, a mix of established and fresh battlegrounds where the party has historically struggled to compete. Although some of the states haven't elected a Democratic governor in years, the party is optimistic as candidates sense inroads among conservative voters fretting over gas and grocery prices and artificial intelligence fears.

• President Donald Trump won some of the targeted states by double digits in 2024, but now has low approval ratings among voters. Flipping the governorships would mark a "huge comeback" for Democrats, translating to a potential total of 26 states governed by the party, a Democratic majority that hasn't been seen since 2010, DGA spokesperson Sam Newton said.

• The group is spending at least $10 million apiece in Georgia, Nevada, Iowa and Ohio, while running ad campaigns and polling operations in other states, like Arizona. Newton said gubernatorial and congressional campaigns may differ in scope, but nearly all have seized on the opportunity to hammer Republican opponents over Trump's foreign policy and domestic economic agenda. Each group of candidates is "dividing and conquering and reaching as many voters as possible," he added. "While it looks different in every state, the economy is absolutely top of mind for voters everywhere, and affordability in particular."

• Democratic moves across competitive states to tie their opponents to Trump have appeared to benefit Democrats running uphill this cycle, Lawrence Levy, executive dean of the National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University, said. "Turning the race into a proxy between Trump and whoever the Republican candidate considers the most effective bogeyman in the Democratic side has worked better for Democratic candidates so far," Levy said, adding that recent polling appears to reflect a shift among suburban voters - historically a fickle voting bloc - toward Democrats.

• In Ohio, Republican entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy faces Democrat Amy Acton, a physician and former state health director. In Iowa, Republican Zach Lahn is running against Democrat Rob Sand, the state's auditor. Both state governments are currently held by a Republican trifecta where the governor is either retiring or term-limited.

• Georgia's open-seat contest pits Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, a former Atlanta mayor, against Republican businessman Rick Jackson. In Nevada, Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford is challenging Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, while in Alaska, Democratic candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins is facing three Republican candidates under the state's unique ranked-choice election system.

• The Democratic Governors Association is also funneling money to candidates in swing states like Michigan, where Lt. Gov. Jocelyn Benson (D) is facing Rep. John James (R). Both are seeking to fill an open seat left by Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is term-limited.

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