Chris Gregoire to succeed Joe Manchin as chair of the National Governors Association

Well, this is an unexpected honor: Our very own Governor Chris Gregoire has been selected to succeed West Virginia's Joe Manchin as the chair of the National Governors Association, the lobbying organization for America's fifty governors (both Democratic and Republican). Gregoire issued a rather lengthy statement to the press in response to her election, which is as follows:

I am honored that my peers have asked me to serve as chair of the National Governors Association. I look forward to continuing to work with such a diverse and talented group of governors from around the country. I also look forward to welcoming many of the newly elected governors.

Governors have an important role as we work to strengthen our states’ economies by creating jobs and promoting opportunities for economic development. We will also be focusing on education, health care reform, public safety and homeland security issues over the coming year.

The current economy makes this a very challenging time to govern. States are still faced with a historic fiscal crisis, and difficult choices must be made. Together, we will develop solutions that improve state government and strengthen the state-federal partnership.

In addition to the duties of the chair, I will be leading the ‘Complete to Compete’ initiative we launched last year, which aims to increase the number of U.S. students who complete college degrees and postsecondary certificates. This new role offers a strong platform for developing a stronger, better education system for all students.

I’m proud that Mike will work with the spouses of governors and continue his lifelong commitment to veterans affairs, particularly on mental health issues and in providing our veterans with the support they deserve.

Our congratulations to Washington's chief executive. Serving as the representative of America's governors is a demanding but important job. We hope Gregoire uses her new position to advocate strongly for progressive change across the states.