In the wake of Vice President Kamala Harris tapping him to be her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) has resigned as chairman of the Democratic Governors Association.
According to the bylaws of the DGA, Walz was no longer able to lead the organization after becoming a candidate for federal office. Walz will be replaced by Gov. Laura Kelly (D-KS).
“Having the DGA Chair become the VP candidate is a BIG DEAL and a thing to celebrate! His team called me this morning to say, ‘We want you to know how important the DGA is to the governor and to our whole team,’” Meghan Meehan-Draper, the organization’s executive director, wrote to the DGA staff on Tuesday, according to the Washington Post.
In July, Walz rose to prominence when he organized a call between Democratic governors and President Joe Biden about the future of Biden’s presidential campaign. The phone call resulted in an in-person meeting at the White House in which several governors traveled from their states to meet with Biden and share any concerns.
He has also helped the DGA raise record amounts, with $61 million coming in from January to June of this year.
Kelly is in her second term as a rare Democratic governor in a deeply Republican state.
“I want to thank Governor Tim Walz for his leadership and partnership over this last year, helping to steer the ship to success — including breaking fundraising records and putting Democratic candidates for governor in the best position to be competitive in tough races this year,” Kelly said in a statement. “We will do everything in our power to ensure success of the Harris-Walz ticket this November.”
There are 11 gubernatorial races across the country this election, but just two appear to be competitive: North Carolina’s race between Attorney General Josh Stein and Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson and New Hampshire’s race between unknown candidates because the primary has not happened.
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The DGA appears confident in Kelly’s ability to run the group through the election in Walz’s absence.
“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,” Meehan-Draper said. “Governor Kelly knows what it takes to win tough races in some of the most challenging environments, and we are grateful to have her leadership and guidance at the helm of the DGA.”
