TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly will transition to chair of the Democratic Governors Association to complete the term of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who complied with the organization’s rules by resigning after chosen to be Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate in the 2024 presidential election.
Kelly, who served as vice chair since December 2022, assumed the chair’s position of the partisan organization dedicated to electing and reelecting Democratic candidates for governor.
“With reproductive freedom, democracy and voting rights on the line, the stakes couldn’t be higher, and it’s never been more important to elect Democratic governors,” Kelly said.
Walz stepped down Tuesday from the DGA post in accordance with bylaws that prohibit candidates for federal office to lead the organization.
In addition to the presidential election in November, 11 states conduct simultaneous gubernatorial elections.
“I know what it means to win tough races in a red state,” Kelly said. “The DGA was by my side for two tough fights in 2018 and 2022, and I’m glad to be by theirs as we sprint to the finish line to elect Democratic governors in key states across the country and build on the DGA’s record of success this fall.”
In 2022, Kelly won reelection against then-Attorney General Derek Schmidt. Four years prior, she beat then-Secretary of State Kris Kobach to move from the Kansas Senate to the governor’s office. Republican Donald Trump, who endorsed Schmidt and Kobach in those gubernatorial races, carried Kansas in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections.
Kelly credited Walz with the DGA’s fundraising success from January to June. Reports showed the organization raised $61 million in the period.
Meghan Meehan-Draper, executive director of the association, said the DGA’s objective during the final three months of the 2024 election cycle was to bring attention to issues of greatest concern to voters.
“By focusing on the issues that matter most to Kansans, Governor Kelly has shown what effective leadership looks like, and has been a huge asset to the DGA in her role as vice chair these last two years. Governor Kelly knows what it takes to win tough races in some of the most challenging environments.”
