Democratic governors running for president love to tout their records of getting things done. But in the race for the party’s nomination in 2020, voters appear to be nearly done with them.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, and former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper all debated on stage in Detroit this week, Bullock qualifying for the first time. But despite their home state popularity and record of accomplishments, the three governors lacked the kind of breakout performance that would propel them to an easy slot on stage in Houston, where the Democratic National Committee has upped the threshold to compete.
“There was a period of time when governor was the single greatest springboard to the presidency,” Mo Elleithee, a longtime Democratic strategist, said. “But if you look at the last cycles, governors have really struggled.”