Republican Governors Association facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Republican Governors Association
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Chair | Brian Kemp (GA) |
| Vice Chair | Greg Gianforte (MT) |
| Policy Chair | Henry McMaster (SC) |
| Executive Committee | Sarah Huckabee Sanders (AR) Mike Kehoe (MO) Bill Lee (TN) Tate Reeves (MS) Kim Reynolds (IA) Kevin Stitt (OK) Glenn Youngkin (VA) |
| Founded | 1961 |
| Headquarters | 1747 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 250 Washington, DC 20006 |
| Affiliated | Republican Party |
| State governors |
27 / 50
|
| Territorial governors |
3 / 5
|
| Federal district mayorship |
0 / 1
|
The Republican Governors Association (RGA) is a group that helps elect and support Republican governors. It was started in 1961 and is based in Washington, D.C.. Governors are the leaders of U.S. states and territories.
The RGA's main goal is to make sure more Republican governors are elected. They also support those governors once they are in office.
For 2024, the RGA has an Executive Committee. This committee includes several governors. They help guide the RGA's work. Some members are Governor Brian Kemp from Georgia, who is the Chair, and Governor Greg Gianforte from Montana, who is the Vice Chair.
The RGA has a similar group on the other side of politics. This is the Democratic Governors Association. It helps elect and support Democratic governors. The RGA is not connected to the National Governors Association. The National Governors Association works with governors from all political parties.
Contents
Who Are the Republican Governors?
Governors are important leaders in each state. They are like the chief executive of a state. They make sure state laws are followed and manage state government. The RGA supports Republican governors across the United States.
Here are the states and territories that currently have Republican governors. All of these governors are part of the Republican Governors Association.
| Current governor | State | Past | Took office | Current term |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kay Ivey |  Alabama |
List | 2017 | Second term (term-limited in 2026) |
| Mike Dunleavy |  Alaska |
List | 2018 | Second term (term-limited in 2026) |
| Sarah Huckabee Sanders |  Arkansas |
List | 2023 | First term |
| Ron DeSantis |  Florida |
List | 2019 | Second term (term-limited in 2026) |
| Brian Kemp |  Georgia |
List | 2019 | Second term (term-limited in 2026) |
| Brad Little |  Idaho |
List | 2019 | Second term |
| Mike Braun |  Indiana |
List | 2025 | First term |
| Kim Reynolds |  Iowa |
List | 2017 | Second term (elected to first full term in 2018) |
| Jeff Landry |  Louisiana |
List | 2024 | First term |
| Tate Reeves |  Mississippi |
List | 2020 | Second term (term-limited in 2027) |
| Mike Kehoe |  Missouri |
List | 2025 | First term |
| Greg Gianforte |  Montana |
List | 2021 | First term |
| Jim Pillen |  Nebraska |
List | 2023 | First term |
| Joe Lombardo |  Nevada |
List | 2023 | First term |
| Kelly Ayotte |  New Hampshire |
List | 2025 | First term (two-year term) |
| Kelly Armstrong |  North Dakota |
List | 2024 | First term |
| Mike DeWine |  Ohio |
List | 2019 | Second term (term-limited in 2026) |
| Kevin Stitt |  Oklahoma |
List | 2019 | Second term (term-limited in 2026) |
| Henry McMaster |  South Carolina |
List | 2017 | Second term (elected to first full term in 2018; term-limited in 2026) |
| Larry Rhoden |  South Dakota |
List | 2025 | First term |
| Bill Lee |  Tennessee |
List | 2019 | Second term (term-limited in 2026) |
| Greg Abbott |  Texas |
List | 2015 | Third term |
| Spencer Cox |  Utah |
List | 2021 | Second term |
| Phil Scott |  Vermont |
List | 2017 | Fourth term (two-year term) |
| Glenn Youngkin |  Virginia |
List | 2022 | First term (term-limited in 2025) |
| Patrick Morrisey |  West Virginia |
List | 2025 | First term |
| Mark Gordon |  Wyoming |
List | 2019 | Second term (term-limited in 2026) |
The RGA also includes Republican governors from U.S. territories. These are areas controlled by the United States but are not states.
| Current governor | Territory | Past | Took office | Current term |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pula Nikolao Pula |  American Samoa |
List | 2025 | First term |
| Arnold Palacios |  Northern Mariana Islands |
List | 2023 | First term |
| Jenniffer González-Colón |  Puerto Rico |
List | 2025 | First term |
How the RGA Helps in Elections
The RGA is very active during election years. They work to help Republican candidates win governor races. This involves supporting campaigns and sharing information.
Election Results in Recent Years
The RGA tracks how many Republican governors are elected each cycle.
2018 Election Cycle
In 2018, there were 36 elections for governor. Republicans lost 7 governorships that year. The RGA also supported a website called The Free Telegraph. This website shared news and opinions from a Republican point of view.
2020 Election Cycle
In 2020, 11 states and two territories held governor elections. Republicans gained one state governorship in Montana. This was the first time Montana elected a Republican governor in 16 years. However, they lost one territorial governorship in Puerto Rico.
2022 Election Cycle
In 2022, 36 governor races took place. Republicans lost 2 governorships overall. They also lost all territorial governorships in this election cycle.
2023 Election Cycle
In 2023, there were 3 governor elections. In Louisiana, Republican Jeff Landry was elected. He will become governor in January 2024.
How the RGA Raises Money
To support candidates and run its operations, the RGA needs money. This is called fundraising. They raise money from different sources.
The RGA can accept large amounts of money from companies and other groups. This is different from how national political parties or candidates for federal office raise money. For example, in 2010, the RGA received $1 million from News Corporation, which owns Fox News. They also received $500,000 from WellPoint (now Anthem).
In 2017, the RGA raised a record amount of money. They collected $63.2 million throughout the year. This shows how much support they get from their donors.
