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COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – When the Atlantic reported ahead of the National Association of Governors (NGA) summer meeting in Colorado Springs, CO, a bipartisan meeting, typically without drama, got off to a rocky start.
Chairperson of Kansas Democratic Governor’s Association (DGA) Governor Laura Kelly will stop paying NGA fees starting next month. The Atlantic reported that former DGA chairperson and failed Minnesota Vice Presidential candidate Tim Waltz also considered leaving the NGA.
Gov. Wes Moore, who became the NGA vice-chairman last weekend, told reporters on Saturday that some of the Democratic governor’s complaints about the effectiveness of the bipartisan group was “justified.”
However, a source familiar with the issue attending summer meetings and being given anonymity to speak more freely told Fox News Digital that “we cannot blame bipartisan organizations for their lack of cohesive messages.”
The NGA Chair of DEM Governors’ “Disappointment” was “disappointed” in the bipartisan group DEM Governors’ performance politics.
Media availability will be followed by National Association of Governors (NGA) Chairperson Gov. Kevin Stitt (right) and Vice-Chairman Gov. Wes Moore, who shakes hands after media availability at a summer meeting in Colorado Springs, Colorado. (Deirdre Heavey/Fox News Digital)
Since losing the White House and Congress last year, Democrats have been struggling to turn their eyes to the new leader and deliver a cohesive message.
Although it is clear that Democrats rejected Trump’s agenda, invaded the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and exposed party disagreements about how they effectively fight Republicans’ current political abilities in New York City’s mayoral elections.
Tim Waltz leads DEM efforts to change bipartisan groups against President Trump: Report
Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Police led the final meeting last weekend as NGA chairperson, handing over the leadership baton to the Republican governor of Oklahoma and Moore’s vice-chairman.
Amidst the availability of media closing the weekend, Moore confirmed that he spoke with both the Democratic governors who are considered a potential presidential candidate for 2028 and are questioning the effectiveness of the NGA.
“They have expressed some of their frustrations, and frankly, I think some of the frustrations they have expressed are justified because I think it’s important that this organization, no matter what the federal administration, is not a federal cheerleader, nor a federal administration heckler,” Moore said.
President Donald Trump will arrive on the White House south lawn from Camp David on Monday, June 9, 2025.
He said supporting or rejecting the Trump administration is not the job of a bipartisan NGA, but Moore said “there are certain things that we want to ensure that the organization continues to support it.”
Walz has not responded to requests for comment on Fox News Digital’s report, and has not issued an official statement describing his disagreement with the bipartisan group.
A source familiar with Kelly’s ideas said the Kansas governor would not renew his membership fees at the NGA this year.
Sources said Kelly doesn’t believe the NGA is doing enough to stand up to “the dismantling of solution-based governance, something that the NGA claims to move forward and promote.”
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly will join the House Chamber of Commerce for a state speech at the Kansas Capitol in Topeka, Kansas on January 10, 2024. (Kansas City Star/Tribune News Service by Emily Curiel/Getty Images)
But if the NGA demonstrates that “at this moment they are willing to stand up to state rights and show that it’s worth using taxpayer dollars,” Kelly will be interested in reevaluating Kansas membership, according to sources accustomed to the governor’s idea.
Citing an unknown source, Kelly and Waltz believed the NGA “didn’t forcefully respond” when the Trump administration suspends federal funds earlier this year, according to the Atlantic report.
However, NGA Communications Director Eric Walshlegel said, “All issues of the NGA reflect a bipartisan consensus. So far, all statements except one have had that consensus.
Jared Police, the National Association of Governors’ Associations (NGA) Senior Commissioner, will discuss American education with Education Secretary Linda McMahon at an NGA Summer Meeting held in Colorado Springs, Colorado on Friday, July 25th, 2025.
The summer meeting featured two of Trump’s most controversial cabinet picks, discussions with Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Police told reporters on Saturday that the governor is most interested in education and healthcare, so the participation of cabinet members created an effective forum for executives to address their questions and reach their states.
Wohlschlegel featured the bipartisans on display at the summer meeting in a statement from Fox News Digital.
“Days after a one-on-one meeting between the governor and education secretary Linda McMahon during the meeting, the department withheld more than $5.5 billion from the state. That’s not a coincidence, but bipartisan leadership came together to bring about real results,” he said.
Moore told reporters on Saturday that the NGA was “added to all of his colleagues that he is part of the NGA” and “a hopeful goal for the NGA.”
Police also confirmed he spoke with the Democratic governor about leaving the NGA, but did not affirm his complaints with reporters like Moore did.
“I think it is the organization’s duty to show value to the governor,” Police added. “For me, it’s an easy decision. We get the value for the dues and I’m a more effective governor for it, and that’s how we feel the majority of governors. Of course, there are some on both sides of the aisle that isn’t always the case.”
The NGA has been around since 1908 as a forum for bipartisan collaboration between the governors.
“We shouldn’t do politics the way we do in Washington, DC,” Stitt told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview at a summer conference. “But sometimes, if you’re a governor running for the president or a higher office, you make it political.”
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“Do I want to listen to someone, listen, take the ball to your leader and go home just because they’re mad at something? That’s not a way to solve the problem,” Stitt said, “Listen, this is not the time to go home with our ball. Sit down and discuss the best policy [are] from now on. ”
Peter Pinedo of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
Deirdre Heavey is a political writer for Fox News Digital.
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