Stacy and I had the opportunity to attend the first-ever Democratic Governor’s Association Women Governor’s Retreat, hosted by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on beautiful Mackinac Island, Michigan.
It took all kinds of logistics to get there (planes to shuttles to ferries to horse-drawn carriages; no cars on the island!) but it was worth it for both the beautiful views and substantive content. Govs. Hobbs, Hochul, Kelly, Lujan Grisham, Mills, and Whitmer all attended (although Govs. Hobbs and Hochul had to leave early to deal with day jobs) and future Govs. Sherrill and Spanberger also attended. Several Electing Women members from across the country were also in attendance.
In between biking around the island and fudge tasting, we had the opportunity to network and chat with the Governors, their teams, and allied donors over several days. We learned more about how the Governors collaborate and “steal ideas” to solve issues like the impact of childcare costs on workforce development. We learned how Governors are responding to the devastating DOGE and Medicaid cuts and how they are challenging the Trump Administration. And we learned that Michiganders really, really love Big Gretch; during our pubcrawl, multiple women came up to the Governor, excited and crying.
We know growing the ranks of Democratic women from eight to 10 in 2025 and to as many as 12+ in 2026 will not be easy. But we saw, yet again, women govern differently. (See this timely article from The New York Times highlighting Gov. Kelly, her leadership as DGA Chair, and the importance of Governors in this moment.) They collaborate with each other and leaders across their states. They prioritize different issues and look for common-sense solutions. And they show up—for each other, for the DGA, and for Democrats.
So we need to continue to show up for them. Support Abigail and Mikie through your local groups or use this Women Governors slate to donate today.