Democratic lieutenant governors are forming a group which will raise funds for lieutenant governor candidates in the November elections, Politico reported.
Republican governors and lieutenant governors outnumber Democrats who hold those positions, and the Republican Governors Association routinely pulls in more funds than its Democratic version, the report said.
The 2016 election created a “great sense of urgency” among Democrats to ramp up campaign operations in states, said Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, who is the Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association first chairman.
“Particularly since 2016, people have really been looking for leadership and hope from the states to advance progressive public policy,” said Fairfax, Politico reported.
Democrats only hold 15 lieutenant governorships in the U.S. and its territories. Most states give the holder of the position few duties, Politico noted.
However, the office can also launch higher-profile careers. California Democrat Gavin Newsom used the office to prepare for his run for governor of California, which he has a likely chance of winning, Politico reported.
In another example, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton chose his lieutenant, Tina Smith, to take over Al Franken’s Senate position after he resigned.
Delaware Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long, Montana Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney, and Washington Lt. Gov. Cyrus Habib are members of the association’s executive committee, Politico reported.
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