Democratic Governors Association
List of current Democratic Governors
Table:
Current Governor

State

Past

Took office

Seat Up

Gavin Newsom

California

List

2019

2022

Jared Polis

Colorado

List

2019

2022

Ned Lamont

Connecticut

List

2019

2022

John Carney

Delaware

List

2017

2020

David Ige

Hawaii

List

2014

2022 (term limited)

J. B. Pritzker

Illinois

List

2019

2022

Laura Kelly

Kansas

List

2019

2022

Andy Beshear

Kentucky

List

2019

2023

John Bel Edwards

Louisiana

List

2016

2023 (term limited)

Janet Mills

Maine

List

2019

2022

Gretchen Whitmer

Michigan

List

2019

2022

Tim Walz

Minnesota

List

2019

2022

Steve Bullock

Montana

List

2013

2020 (term limited)

Steve Sisolak

Nevada

List

2019

2022

Phil Murphy

New Jersey

List

2018

2021

Michelle Lujan Grisham

New Mexico

List

2019

2022

Andrew Cuomo

New York

List

2011

2022

Roy Cooper

North Carolina

List

2017

2020

Kate Brown

Oregon

List

2015

2022 (term limited)

Tom Wolf

Pennsylvania

List

2015

2022 (term limited)

Using the provided table and the passages listed below.

Provide an answer to this question: Considering only the governors who were born in a year ending with 0 or 3 who has no restrictions on granting pardons ? Return your answer as JSON: {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}.

The following is a list of current governors of U.S. states and territories . In the United States , a governor is the chief executive officer of a state or a territory . The partisan affiliations of American governors are close to being evenly split among the fifty states . As of January 2020 , there are twenty-four states with Democratic governors and there are twenty-six states with Republican governors - a slight edge for Republicans over Democrats among the fifty states . Additionally , 3 U.S. territories ( American Samoa , Guam and the United States Virgin Islands ) have Democratic governors , while 1 ( the Northern Mariana Islands ) has a Republican governor . Wanda Vázquez Garced of Puerto Rico is registered with the New Progressive Party , but is affiliated with the Republican Party .
In the United States , a state is a constituent political entity , of which there are currently 50 . Bound together in a political union , each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory and shares its sovereignty with the federal government . Due to this shared sovereignty , Americans are citizens both of the federal republic and of the state in which they reside . State citizenship and residency are flexible , and no government approval is required to move between states , except for persons restricted by certain types of court orders ( such as paroled convicts and children of divorced spouses who are sharing custody ) . States are divided into counties or county-equivalents , which may be assigned some local governmental authority but are not sovereign . County or county-equivalent structure varies widely by state , and states may also create other local governments . State governments are allocated power by the people ( of each respective state ) through their individual constitutions . All are grounded in republican principles , and each provides for a government , consisting of three branches , each with separate and independent powers : executive , legislative , and judicial . States , unlike U.S. territories , possess a number of powers and rights under the United States Constitution . States and their residents are represented in the United States Congress , a bicameral legislature consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives . Each state is also entitled to select a number of electors ( equal to the total number of representatives and senators from that state ) to vote in the Electoral College , the body that directly elects the President of the United States . Additionally , each state has the opportunity to ratify constitutional amendments , and , with the consent of Congress , two or more states may enter into interstate compacts with one another .
Gavin Christopher Newsom ( born October 10 , 1967 ) is an American politician and businessman who is the 40th governor of California , serving since January 2019 . A member of the Democratic Party , he previously served as the 49th lieutenant governor of California from 2011 to 2019 and as the 42nd mayor of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011 . He was sworn in as Governor of California on January 7 , 2019 . Newsom attended Redwood High School , and graduated from Santa Clara University . After graduation , he founded the PlumpJack wine store with family friend Gordon Getty as an investor . The PlumpJack Group grew to manage 23 businesses , including wineries , restaurants , and hotels . Newsom began his political career in 1996 , when San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown appointed him to serve on the city 's Parking and Traffic Commission . Brown appointed Newsom to fill a vacancy on the Board of Supervisors the following year , and Newsom was later elected to the Board in 1998 , 2000 , and 2002 . In 2003 , Newsom was elected the 42nd Mayor of San Francisco , becoming the city 's youngest mayor in a century . Newsom was re-elected in 2007 with 72 percent of the vote . He was elected Lieutenant Governor of California in 2010 as the running mate of Jerry Brown , and was re-elected in 2014 . In February 2015 , Newsom announced his candidacy for Governor of California in the 2018 election .
California is a state in the Pacific Region of the United States . With 39.5 million residents across a total area of about 163,696 square miles ( 423,970 km2 ) , California is the most populous U.S. state and the third-largest by area . The state capital is Sacramento . The Greater Los Angeles Area and the San Francisco Bay Area are the nation 's second- and fifth-most populous urban regions , with 18.7 million and 9.7 million residents respectively . Los Angeles is California 's most populous city , and the country 's second-most populous , after New York City . California also has the nation 's most populous county , Los Angeles County , and its largest county by area , San Bernardino County . The City and County of San Francisco is both the country 's second most densely populated major city after New York City and the fifth most densely populated county , behind only four of the five New York City boroughs . California 's economy , with a gross state product of $ 3.0 trillion , is the largest sub-national economy in the world . If it were a country , California would be the fifth-largest economy in the world ( larger than the United Kingdom , France , or India ) , and the 36th-most populous as of 2017 [ update ] . The Greater Los Angeles Area and the San Francisco Bay Area are the nation 's second- and third-largest urban economies ( $ 1.3 trillion and $ 1.0 trillion respectively as of 2018 [ update ] ) , after the New York metropolitan area . The San Francisco Bay Area PSA had the nation 's highest gross domestic product per capita in 2018 ( $ 106,757 ) among large primary statistical areas , and is home to three of the world 's ten largest companies by market capitalization and three of the world 's ten richest people . California culture is considered a global trendsetter in popular culture , communication , information , innovation , environmentalism , economics , politics , and entertainment .
The governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government , whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature , submitting the budget , and ensuring that state laws are enforced . The governor is also the commander-in-chief of the state 's military forces . The current governor is Gavin Newsom , who has been in office since 2019 . Thirty-nine people have served as governor , over 40 distinct terms ; many have been influential nationwide in areas far-flung from politics . Leland Stanford founded Stanford University in 1891 . Earl Warren , later Chief Justice of the United States , won an election with the nominations of the three major parties - the only person ever to run essentially unopposed for governor of California . Ronald Reagan , who was president of the Screen Actors Guild and later President of the United States , and Arnold Schwarzenegger both came to prominence through acting . Gray Davis , the 37th governor of California , was the second governor in American history to be recalled by voters . The shortest tenure was that of Milton Latham , who served only five days before being elected by the legislature to fill a vacant United States Senate seat . The longest tenure is that of Edmund Gerald Jerry Brown , Jr. , who previously served as governor from 1975 to 1983 and again from 2011 to 2019 . He is the son of former governor Edmund Gerald Pat Brown , Sr. who served from 1959 to 1967 .
Jared Schutz Polis ( /ˈpoʊlɪs/ ; born May 12 , 1975 ) is an American politician , entrepreneur , and philanthropist serving as the 43rd governor of Colorado since January 2019 . A member of the Democratic Party , he served on the Colorado State Board of Education from 2001 to 2007 and was the United States Representative for Colorado 's 2nd congressional district from 2009 to 2019 . He was elected governor of Colorado in 2018 , defeating Republican nominee Walker Stapleton . Polis is the first openly gay person and second openly LGBT person ( after Kate Brown of Oregon ) to be elected governor in the United States . He is also the first Jewish person to be elected governor of Colorado .
Colorado ( /ˌkɒləˈrædoʊ , -ˈrɑːdoʊ/ ( listen ) , other variants ) is a state of the Western United States encompassing most of the southern Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains . It is the 8th most extensive and 21st most populous U.S. state . The estimated population of Colorado is 5,770,545 as of 2019 , an increase of 14.7% since the 2010 United States Census . The state was named for the Colorado River , which early Spanish explorers named the Río Colorado ( Red River ) for the ruddy silt the river carried from the mountains . The Territory of Colorado was organized on February 28 , 1861 , and on August 1 , 1876 , U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant signed Proclamation 230 admitting Colorado to the Union as the 38th state . Colorado is nicknamed the Centennial State because it became a state one century after the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence . Colorado is bordered by Wyoming to the north , Nebraska to the northeast , Kansas to the east , Oklahoma to the southeast , New Mexico to the south , Utah to the west , and touches Arizona to the southwest at the Four Corners . Colorado is noted for its vivid landscape of mountains , forests , high plains , mesas , canyons , plateaus , rivers and desert lands . Colorado is part of the western and southwestern United States and is one of the Mountain States . Denver is the capital and most populous city of Colorado . Residents of the state are known as Coloradans , although the antiquated term Coloradoan is occasionally used .
The Governor of Colorado is the chief executive of the U.S. state of Colorado . The governor is the head of the executive branch of Colorado 's state government and is charged with enforcing state laws . The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Colorado General Assembly , to convene the legislature , and to grant pardons , except in cases of treason or impeachment . The governor is also the commander-in-chief of the state 's military forces . Seven people served as governor of Colorado Territory over eight terms , appointed by the President of the United States . Since statehood , there have been 36 governors , serving 41 distinct terms . The longest-serving governors were Richard Dick Lamm ( 1975-1987 ) and Roy Romer ( 1987-1999 ) , who each served 12 years over three terms . The shortest term occurred in March 16 and 17 , 1905 , when the state had three governors in the span of 24 hours : Alva Adams won the election , but soon after he took office , the legislature declared his opponent , James Hamilton Peabody , governor , but on the condition that he immediately resign , so that his lieutenant governor , Jesse McDonald , could be governor . Thus , Peabody served less than a day as governor . The current governor is Democrat Jared Polis , who took office on January 8 , 2019 .
Edward Miner Lamont Jr. ( born January 3 , 1954 ) is an American businessman and politician serving as the 89th governor of Connecticut since January 9 , 2019 . A member of the Democratic Party , he served as a Greenwich selectman from 1987 to 1989 . He ran for the U.S. Senate in 2006 , defeating incumbent Senator Joe Lieberman in the state Democratic primary election . In the general election , both he and Republican Alan Schlesinger lost to Lieberman , who had opted to run as a third-party candidate . Lamont then ran for governor in 2010 , but lost the state Democratic primary election to former Stamford mayor Dan Malloy , who went on to win the general election . He ran again in 2018 , winning the party nomination and defeating Republican Bob Stefanowski and independent Oz Griebel in the general election . He uses his nickname Ned in his official capacity as governor , as he has done throughout his public life .
Connecticut ( /kəˈnɛtɪkət/ ( listen ) ) is the southernmost state in the New England region of the northeastern United States . As of the 2010 Census , it has the highest per-capita income , Human Development Index ( 0.962 ) , and median household income in the United States . It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east , Massachusetts to the north , New York to the west , and Long Island Sound to the south . Its capital is Hartford and its most populous city is Bridgeport . It is part of New England , although portions of it are often grouped with New York and New Jersey as the tri-state area . The state is named for the Connecticut River which approximately bisects the state . The word Connecticut is derived from various anglicized spellings of an Algonquian word for long tidal river . Connecticut 's first European settlers were Dutchmen who established a small , short-lived settlement called Fort Hoop in Hartford at the confluence of the Park and Connecticut Rivers . Half of Connecticut was initially part of the Dutch colony New Netherland , which included much of the land between the Connecticut and Delaware Rivers , although the first major settlements were established in the 1630s by the English . Thomas Hooker led a band of followers from the Massachusetts Bay Colony and founded the Connecticut Colony ; other settlers from Massachusetts founded the Saybrook Colony and the New Haven Colony . The Connecticut and New Haven colonies established documents of Fundamental Orders , considered the first constitutions in America . In 1662 , the three colonies were merged under a royal charter , making Connecticut a crown colony .
The Governor of Connecticut is the elected head of the executive branch of Connecticut 's state government , and the commander-in-chief of the state 's military forces . The governor has a duty to enforce state laws , and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Connecticut General Assembly and to convene the legislature . Unusual among U.S. governors , the Governor of Connecticut has no power to pardon . The Governor of Connecticut is automatically a member of the state 's Bonding Commission . He is an ex-officio member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Connecticut and Yale University . There have been 68 post-Revolution governors of the state , serving 72 distinct spans in office . The longest terms in office were in the state 's early years , when four governors were elected to nine or more one-year terms . The longest was that of the first governor , Jonathan Trumbull , who served over 14 years , but 7 of those as colonial governor ; the longest-serving state governor - with no other position included in the term - was his son , Jonathan Trumbull Jr. , who served over 11 years . The shortest term was that of Hiram Bingham III , who served only one day before resigning to take an elected seat in the U.S. Senate . Lowell Weicker , is noted for a rare third party win in American politics , having been elected to a term in 1990 representing A Connecticut Party . The current governor is Ned Lamont , a Democrat who took office on January 9 , 2019 .
John Charles Carney Jr. ( born May 20 , 1956 ) is an American politician who is the 74th Governor of Delaware , serving since January 2017 . He is a member of the Democratic Party , and served as the U.S. Representative for Delaware 's at-large congressional district from 2011 to 2017 prior to his governorship . Carney was also the 24th Lieutenant Governor of Delaware from 2001 to 2009 and served as Delaware 's Secretary of Finance . He first unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for Governor of Delaware in 2008 , losing to Jack Markell . He ran for Governor of Delaware again in 2016 and won to succeed Markell , who was term-limited .
Delaware ( /ˈdɛləwɛər/ ( listen ) ) is one of the 50 states of the United States , in the Mid Atlantic region . [ a ] It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland , north by Pennsylvania , and east by New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean . The state takes its name from Thomas West , 3rd Baron De La Warr , an English nobleman and Virginia 's first colonial governor . Delaware occupies the northeastern portion of the Delmarva Peninsula and some islands and territory within the Delaware River . It is the second smallest and sixth least populous state , but the sixth most densely populated . Delaware 's largest city is Wilmington . The state is divided into three counties , the lowest number of any state . From north to south , they are New Castle County , Kent County , and Sussex County . While the southern two counties have historically been predominantly agricultural , New Castle County is more urbanized . Before its coastline was explored by Europeans in the 16th century , Delaware was inhabited by several groups of Native Americans , including the Lenape in the north and Nanticoke in the south . It was initially colonized by Dutch traders at Zwaanendael , near the present town of Lewes , in 1631 . Delaware was one of the 13 colonies participating in the American Revolution .
The Governor of Delaware ( President of Delaware from 1776 to 1792 ) is the head of the executive branch of Delaware 's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state 's military forces . The governor has a duty to enforce state laws , and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Delaware Legislature , to convene the legislature , and to grant pardons , except in cases of impeachment , and only with the recommendation of the Board of Pardons . There have been 71 people who have served as governor , over 74 distinct terms . Additionally , Henry Molleston was elected , but died before he could take office . Only four governors have been elected to two consecutive terms , with the longest-serving being Ruth Ann Minner , who was elected twice after succeeding to the office , serving a total of just over eight years . The shortest term is that of Dale E. Wolf , who served 18 days following his predecessor 's resignation ; David P. Buckson served 19 days under similar circumstances . The current governor is Democrat John Carney , who took office on January 17 , 2017 .
David Yutaka Ige ( /ˈiːɡeɪ/ ; born January 15 , 1957 ) is an American politician serving as the eighth governor of Hawaii . A Democrat , he previously served in the Hawaii State Senate . In the 2014 gubernatorial election , he won the Democratic primary over incumbent Governor Neil Abercrombie , and the general election over Republican nominee Duke Aiona . He was reelected in 2018 .
Hawaiʻi ( /həˈwaɪi/ ( listen ) hə-WY-ee ; Hawaiian : Hawaiʻi [ həˈvɐjʔi ] ) is a state of the United States of America . It is the only state located in the Pacific Ocean and the only state composed entirely of islands . The state encompasses nearly the entire Hawaiian archipelago , 137 islands spread over 1,500 miles ( 2,400 km ) . The volcanic archipelago is physiographically and ethnologically part of the Polynesian subregion of Oceania . At the southeastern end of the archipelago , the eight main islands are , in order from northwest to southeast : Niʻihau , Kauaʻi , Oʻahu , Molokaʻi , Lānaʻi , Kahoʻolawe , Maui , and Hawaiʻi . The last is the largest island in the group ; it is often called the Big Island or Hawaiʻi Island to avoid confusion with the state or archipelago . Hawaiʻi is the 8th-smallest geographically and the 11th-least populous , but the 13th-most densely populated of the 50 states . It is the only state with an Asian American plurality . Hawaii has more than 1.4 million permanent residents , along with many visitors and U.S. military personnel . The state capital and largest city is Honolulu on the island of Oʻahu . The state 's ocean coastline is about 750 miles ( 1,210 km ) long , the fourth longest in the U.S. , after the coastlines of Alaska , Florida , and California . Hawaii is the most recent state to join the union , on August 21 , 1959 .
The governor of the State of Hawaii is the head of the executive branch of Hawaii 's state government , and commander-in-chief of the state 's military forces . The governor has a duty to enforce state laws ; the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Hawaii Legislature ; the power to convene the legislature ; and the power to grant pardons , except in cases of treason and impeachment . Of the eight governors of the state , two have been elected to three terms , four have been elected to two terms , and one has been elected to one term . No state governor has yet resigned or died in office , nor did any territorial governor die in office . George Ariyoshi was the first Asian American to be governor of any U.S. state . The current governor is Democrat David Ige , who took office on December 1 , 2014 . The longest-serving governors are John A. Burns ( 1962-1974 ) and George Ariyoshi ( 1974 to 1986 ) , both of whom served 12 years each .
Jay Robert J . B. Pritzker ( born January 19 , 1965 ) is an American businessman , philanthropist , and politician serving as the 43rd Governor of Illinois . He is a private business owner based in Chicago and a managing partner and co-founder of the Pritzker Group , and a member of the Pritzker family which owns the Hyatt hotel chain . He has an estimated personal net worth of $ 3.4 billion . Pritzker was the Democratic nominee for governor of Illinois in the 2018 gubernatorial election . He defeated Republican incumbent Bruce Rauner in the general election on November 6 , 2018 , and took office on January 14 , 2019 . As governor , he holds more private wealth than any other governor in U.S. history and is the second-wealthiest U.S. politician to have ever held office , after Michael Bloomberg .
Illinois ( /ˌɪləˈnɔɪ/ ( listen ) IL-ə-NOY ) is a state in the Midwestern and Great Lakes Regions of the United States . It has the fifth largest gross domestic product ( GDP ) , the sixth largest population , and the 25th largest land area of all U.S. states . Illinois has been noted as a microcosm of the entire United States . With Chicago in northeastern Illinois , small industrial cities and immense agricultural productivity in the north and center of the state , and natural resources such as coal , timber , and petroleum in the south , Illinois has a diverse economic base , and is a major transportation hub . Chicagoland , Chicago 's metropolitan area , encompasses over 65% of the state 's population . The Port of Chicago connects the state to international ports via two main routes : from the Great Lakes , via the Saint Lawrence Seaway , to the Atlantic Ocean and from the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River , via the Illinois Waterway to the Illinois River . The Mississippi River , the Ohio River , and the Wabash River form parts of the boundaries of Illinois . For decades , Chicago 's O'Hare International Airport has been ranked as one of the world 's busiest airports . Illinois has long had a reputation as a bellwether both in social and cultural terms and , through the 1980s , in politics . The capital of Illinois is Springfield , which is located in the central part of the state . Although today Illinois 's largest population center is in its northeast , the state 's European population grew first in the west as the French settled lands near the Mississippi River , when the region was known as Illinois Country and was part of New France . Following the American Revolutionary War , American settlers began arriving from Kentucky in the 1780s via the Ohio River , and the population grew from south to north .
The Governor of Illinois is the chief executive of the U.S. state of Illinois . The governor is the head of the executive branch of Illinois 's state government and is charged with enforcing state laws . The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Illinois Legislature , to convene the legislature , and to grant pardons , except in cases of impeachment . The governor is also the commander-in-chief of the state 's military forces . Since becoming a state in 1818 , 42 people have served as governor of Illinois ; before statehood , it had only 1 territorial governor , Ninian Edwards . The longest-serving governor was James R. Thompson , who was elected four times to a term lasting 14 years , from 1977 to 1991 . Only one governor , Richard J. Oglesby , has served multiple separate terms , having been elected in 1864 , 1872 , and 1884 . One governor , Rod Blagojevich , was impeached and removed from office in 2009 . Unique among the states is the notable fact that four of Illinois ' seven governors between 1961 and 2009 were imprisoned for various forms of corruption while in office . The current governor is J . B. Pritzker , who took office on January 14 , 2019 .
Laura Kelly ( born January 24 , 1950 ) is an American politician serving as the 48th governor of Kansas since 2019 . A member of the Democratic Party , she represented the 18th district in the Kansas Senate from 2005 to 2019 . Kelly ran for governor in the 2018 election and defeated the Republican nominee , Kris Kobach .
Kansas /ˈkænzəs/ ( listen ) is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States . Its capital is Topeka and its largest city is Wichita , with its most populated county and largest employment center being Johnson County . Kansas is bordered by Nebraska on the north ; Missouri on the east ; Oklahoma on the south ; and Colorado on the west . Kansas is named after the Kansas River , which in turn was named after the Kansa Native Americans who lived along its banks . The tribe 's name ( natively kką : ze ) is often said to mean people of the ( south ) wind although this was probably not the term 's original meaning . For thousands of years , what is now Kansas was home to numerous and diverse Native American tribes . Tribes in the eastern part of the state generally lived in villages along the river valleys . Tribes in the western part of the state were semi-nomadic and hunted large herds of bison . Kansas was first settled by Americans in 1827 with the establishment of Fort Leavenworth . The pace of settlement accelerated in the 1850s , in the midst of political wars over the slavery debate . When it was officially opened to settlement by the U.S. government in 1854 with the Kansas-Nebraska Act , abolitionist Free-Staters from New England and pro-slavery settlers from neighboring Missouri rushed to the territory to determine whether Kansas would become a free state or a slave state . Thus , the area was a hotbed of violence and chaos in its early days as these forces collided , and was known as Bleeding Kansas .
The Governor of Kansas is the head of the executive branch of Kansas 's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state 's military forces . The governor has a duty to enforce state laws , and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Kansas Legislature , to convene the legislature at any time , and to grant pardons . The governor has a 4-year term , commencing on the second Monday of January after election . The governor originally had a 2-year term ; this was changed to four years by a constitutional amendment in 1974 . The lieutenant governor is elected at the same time as the governor . When the office of governor becomes vacant for any reason , the lieutenant governor becomes governor for the remainder of the term . Since becoming a state , Kansas has had 47 governors . The state 's longest-serving governors were Robert Docking , John W. Carlin , and Bill Graves , each of whom served 8 years and 4 days ( Docking served four two-year terms ; Carlin and Graves each served 2 4-year terms ) . The shortest-serving governor was John McCuish , who served only 11 days after the resignation of Fred Hall . The current governor is Democrat Laura Kelly , who took office on January 14 , 2019 .
Andrew Graham Beshear ( born November 29 , 1977 ) is an American attorney and politician who is serving as the 63rd Governor of Kentucky since 2019 . A member of the Democratic Party , he previously served one term as attorney general of Kentucky . He is the son of Steve Beshear , the 61st Governor of Kentucky , who served from 2007 to 2015 . Beshear graduated from Vanderbilt University and the University of Virginia School of Law , before working at Stites & Harbison . He was elected attorney general in 2015 . As attorney general , Beshear sued Governor Matt Bevin several times over issues such as health care and pensions , before challenging and narrowly defeating him in the 2019 gubernatorial election .
Kentucky ( UK : /kɛnˈtʌki/ ken-TUK-ee , US : /kən-/ ( listen ) kən- ) , officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky , is a state located in the Southern United States . Although styled as the State of Kentucky in the law creating it , ( because in Kentucky 's first constitution , the term state was used ) , Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth ( the others being Virginia , Pennsylvania , and Massachusetts ) . Originally a part of Virginia , in 1792 Kentucky split from it and became the 15th state to join the Union . Kentucky is the 37th most extensive and the 26th most populous of the 50 United States . Kentucky is known as the Bluegrass State , a nickname based on the bluegrass , a species of grass found in many of its pastures . One of the major regions in Kentucky is the Bluegrass Region in central Kentucky , which houses its two largest cities , Louisville and Lexington . It is a land with diverse environments and abundant resources , including the world 's longest cave system , Mammoth Cave National Park , one of the greatest lengths of navigable waterways and streams in the contiguous United States , and the two largest man-made lakes east of the Mississippi River . Kentucky is also known for horse racing , bourbon , moonshine , coal , My Old Kentucky Home historic state park , automobile manufacturing , tobacco , bluegrass music , college basketball , Kentucky Fried Chicken , and the Kentucky colonel .
The Governor of Kentucky is the head of the executive branch of Kentucky 's state government , and serves as commander-in-chief of the state 's military forces . The governor has a duty to enforce state laws ; the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Kentucky General Assembly ; the power to convene the legislature ; and the power to grant pardons , except in cases of treason and impeachment . He or she is also empowered to reorganize the state government or reduce it in size . Historically , the office has been regarded as one of the most powerful executive positions in the United States . Fifty-eight individuals have held the office of Governor . Prior to a 1992 amendment to the state 's constitution , the Governor was prohibited from succeeding himself in office , though four men ( Isaac Shelby , John L. Helm , James B. McCreary and Happy Chandler ) served multiple non-consecutive terms . Paul E. Patton , the first Kentucky Governor eligible for a second consecutive term under the amendment , won his reelection bid in 1999 . James Garrard succeeded himself in 1800 , before the constitutional provision existed . William Goebel , who was elected to the office in the disputed election of 1899 , remains the only Governor of any U.S. state to die from assassination while in office . Martha Layne Collins , who held the office from 1983 to 1987 , was the first woman to serve as governor and was only the third woman to serve as governor of any U.S. state who was not the wife or widow of a previous governor . The 63rd and current Kentucky Governor is Democrat Andy Beshear , who took office on December 10 , 2019 .
John Bel Edwards ( born September 16 , 1966 ) is an American politician and attorney serving as the 56th governor of Louisiana since 2016 . A member of the Democratic Party , he previously served as the Democratic leader of the Louisiana House of Representatives for two terms . Edwards was elected to the Louisiana House in 2011 . He defeated Republican U.S . Senator David Vitter in the second round of the 2015 election for governor . Edwards won a second term in the 2019 election , becoming the first Democratic governor to win reelection in the state since 1975 . He is a United States Army veteran , having served with the 82nd Airborne Division , reaching the rank of captain .
Louisiana ( /luˌiːziˈænə/ ( listen ) , /ˌluːzi-/ ( listen ) ) [ a ] is a state in the Deep South region of the South Central United States . It is the 31st most extensive and the 25th most populous of the 50 United States . Louisiana is bordered by the state of Texas to the west , Arkansas to the north , Mississippi to the east , and the Gulf of Mexico to the south . A large part of its eastern boundary is demarcated by the Mississippi River . Louisiana is the only U.S. state with political subdivisions termed parishes , which are equivalent to counties . The state 's capital is Baton Rouge , and its largest city is New Orleans . Much of the state 's lands were formed from sediment washed down the Mississippi River , leaving enormous deltas and vast areas of coastal marsh and swamp . [ self-published source ] These contain a rich southern biota ; typical examples include birds such as ibis and egrets . There are also many species of tree frogs , and fish such as sturgeon and paddlefish . In more elevated areas , fire is a natural process in the landscape and has produced extensive areas of longleaf pine forest and wet savannas . These support an exceptionally large number of plant species , including many species of terrestrial orchids and carnivorous plants . Louisiana has more Native American tribes than any other southern state , including four that are federally recognized , ten that are state recognized , and four that have not received recognition .
The Governor of Louisiana is the chief executive of the U.S. state of Louisiana . The governor is the head of the executive branch of Louisiana 's state government and is charged with enforcing state laws .
Janet Trafton Mills ( born December 30 , 1947 ) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the 75th Governor of Maine , since January 2019 . She previously served as the Attorney General of Maine on two separate occasions . A member of the Democratic Party , Mills was first elected Maine Attorney General by the Maine Legislature on January 6 , 2009 , succeeding G. Steven Rowe . Her second term began on January 3 , 2013 , after the term of Republican William Schneider . She is the first woman to hold the position of Attorney General of Maine . Prior to her election , she served in the Maine House of Representatives representing the towns of Farmington and Industry . She was nominated by her party for Governor of Maine in the 2018 gubernatorial election . She won the November general election , defeating Republican Shawn Moody and Independent Terry Hayes . On January 2 , 2019 , she became the first female Governor of Maine .
Maine ( /meɪn/ ( listen ) ) is the northernmost state in the northeastern United States . Maine is the 12th smallest by area , the 9th least populous , and the 13th least densely populated of the 50 U.S. states . Located in New England , it is bordered by New Hampshire to the west , the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast , and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Québec to the northeast and northwest , respectively . Maine is the only state to border exactly one other state , is the easternmost among the contiguous United States , and is the northernmost state east of the Great Lakes . Maine is known for its jagged , rocky coastline ; low , rolling mountains ; heavily forested interior ; and picturesque waterways , as well as its seafood cuisine , especially lobster and clams . There is a humid continental climate throughout most of the state , including coastal areas . Maine 's most populous city is Portland and its capital is Augusta . For thousands of years , indigenous peoples were the only inhabitants of the territory that is now Maine . At the time of European arrival in what is now Maine , several Algonquian-speaking peoples inhabited the area . The first European settlement in the area was by the French in 1604 on Saint Croix Island , by Pierre Dugua , Sieur de Mons . The first English settlement was the short-lived Popham Colony , established by the Plymouth Company in 1607 . A number of English settlements were established along the coast of Maine in the 1620s , although the rugged climate , deprivations , and conflict with the local peoples caused many to fail over the years .
The Governor of Maine is the head of the executive branch of Maine 's state government and the commander-in-chief of its military forces . The governor has a duty to enforce state laws , and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Maine Legislature , to convene the legislature at any time , and , except in cases of impeachment , to grant pardons . There have been 75 governors of Maine since statehood . 70 people have held the office ; 4 of them served multiple non-consecutive terms . The longest-serving governor was Joseph E. Brennan , who served two terms from 1979 to 1987 . The shortest-serving governors were Nathaniel M. Haskell and Richard H. Vose , who each served only one day . John W. Dana also served for one day in 1844 , after the incumbent governor resigned , but was later elected to the governorship . The current governor is Democrat Janet Mills , who took office on January 2 , 2019 .
Gretchen Esther Whitmer ( born August 23 , 1971 ) is an American politician serving as the 49th governor of Michigan . A member of the Democratic Party , she served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2001 to 2006 and in the Michigan Senate from 2006 to 2015 . Born and raised in Michigan as the daughter of two lawyers , Whitmer graduated from Forest Hills Central High School near Grand Rapids , Michigan State University , and the Michigan State University College of Law . She ran unsuccessfully for the state house in the 1990s before being elected in 2000 . In 2006 she became a state senator , a position she kept until term limits forced her to step down in 2015 . She was the Senate 's first female Democratic leader from 2011 to 2015 . In 2013 , Whitmer gained national attention for a floor speech during a debate on abortion in which she shared her experience of being sexually assaulted . For six months in 2016 , she was the county prosecutor for Ingham County . Whitmer was elected governor in the 2018 gubernatorial election , defeating Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette . As governor , Whitmer has focused on healthcare and infrastructure . In February 2020 , she was selected to give the Democratic response to President Donald Trump 's 2020 State of the Union Address .
Michigan ( /ˈmɪʃɪɡən/ ( listen ) ) is a state in the Great Lakes and Midwestern regions of the United States . Its name originates from the Ojibwe word mishigamaa , meaning large water or large lake . With a population of just under 10 million , Michigan is the tenth most populous of the 50 United States , with the 11th most extensive total area , and is the largest state by total area east of the Mississippi River . [ b ] Its capital is Lansing , and its largest city is Detroit . Metro Detroit is among the nation 's most populous and largest metropolitan economies . Michigan is the only state to consist of two peninsulas . The Lower Peninsula is often noted as being shaped like a mitten . The Upper Peninsula ( often called the U.P . ) is separated from the Lower Peninsula by the Straits of Mackinac , a five-mile ( 8 km ) channel that joins Lake Huron to Lake Michigan . The Mackinac Bridge connects the peninsulas . The state has the longest freshwater coastline of any political subdivision in the world , being bounded by four of the five Great Lakes , plus Lake Saint Clair . Michigan also has 64,980 inland lakes and ponds .
The Governor of Michigan is the head of the executive branch of Michigan 's state government and serves as the commander-in-chief of the state 's military forces . The governor has a duty to enforce state laws ; the power to either approve or veto appropriation bills passed by the Michigan Legislature ; the power to convene the legislature ; and the power to grant pardons , except in cases of impeachment . He or she is also empowered to reorganize the executive branch of the state government . Michigan was originally part of French and British holdings , and administered by their colonial governors . After becoming part of the United States , numerous areas of what is today Michigan were originally part of the Northwest Territory , Indiana Territory and Illinois Territory , and administered by territorial governors . In 1805 , the Michigan Territory was created , and five men served as territorial governors , until Michigan was granted statehood in 1837 . Forty-eight individuals have held the position of state governor . The first female governor , Jennifer Granholm , served from 2003 to 2011 . After Michigan gained statehood , governors held the office for a 2-year term , until the 1963 Michigan Constitution changed the term to 4 years . The number of times an individual could hold the office was unlimited until a 1992 constitutional amendment imposed a lifetime term limit of 2 4-year governorships . The longest-serving governor in Michigan 's history was William Milliken , who was promoted from lieutenant governor after Governor George W. Romney resigned , then was elected to three further successive terms .
Timothy James Walz ( /ˈwɔːlz/ ; born April 6 , 1964 ) is an American politician who is the 41st governor of Minnesota , serving since January 2019 . A member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party , he served as the U.S. Representative for Minnesota 's 1st congressional district from 2007 to 2019 . The district comprises the state 's southern end , running along the entire border with Iowa ; it includes Rochester , Austin , Winona and Mankato . He was first elected in 2006 , defeating six-term Republican incumbent Gil Gutknecht . He was reelected five times and served on the Agriculture Committee , Armed Services Committee and Veterans ' Affairs Committee . Walz also served on the Congressional-Executive Commission on China . In March 2017 Walz announced that he would not run for reelection to Congress and instead run for Governor of Minnesota . On November 6 , 2018 , Walz was elected to the governorship , defeating the Republican nominee , Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson , who was also the 2014 nominee .
Minnesota ( /ˌmɪnɪˈsoʊtə/ ( listen ) ) is a state in the Upper Midwest , Great Lakes , and northern regions of the United States . Minnesota was admitted as the 32nd U.S. state on May 11 , 1858 , created from the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory . The state has many lakes , and is known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes . Its official motto is L'Étoile du Nord ( French : Star of the North ) . Minnesota is the 12th largest in area and the 22nd most populous of the U.S. states ; nearly 55% of its residents live in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area ( known as the Twin Cities ) . This area has the largest concentration of transportation , business , industry , education , and government in the state . Urban centers in Greater Minnesota include Duluth , Mankato , Moorhead , Rochester and St . Cloud . The geography of the state consists of western prairies now given over to intensive agriculture ; deciduous forests in the southeast , now partially cleared , farmed , and settled ; and the less populated North Woods , used for mining , forestry , and recreation . Thousands of years before Europeans arrived , Minnesota was inhabited by various indigenous peoples , some of whom remain in the state today . French explorers , missionaries , and fur traders began exploring the region in the 17th century , encountering the Dakota and Ojibwe/Anishinaabe tribes . Much of what is now Minnesota was part of the vast French holding of Louisiana , which was purchased by the United States in 1803 .
The following is a list of Governors of the State of Minnesota and Minnesota Territory , United States . The officeholder , who serves as head of the executive branch of the Government of Minnesota and is charged with ensuring the faithful execution of the state 's laws , [ a ] is empowered to name state commissioners and department heads and to approve or veto bills passed by the Minnesota Legislature . [ b ] The Governor of Minnesota also serves as commander-in-chief of the Minnesota National Guard . Henry H. Sibley was elected the first governor in a statewide election held on October 13 , 1857 and took office following Minnesota 's entry into the Union as the 32nd state on May 11 , 1858 . [ c ] At the time , the governor and lieutenant governor were elected on separate ballots to terms lasting two years . Prior to 1886 , statewide elections were held on odd years . Because of this change ( the result of an 1883 state constitutional amendment ) , Lucius F. Hubbard 's second term as governor lasted three years . With the passage of a 1958 state constitutional amendment , the terms of governor and lieutenant governor increased to four-years in 1963 . [ b ] A 1972 state constitutional amendment provided for the joint election of the governor and lieutenant governor starting in 1974 . The numerals indicate the consecutive time in office served by a single person . For example , William R. Marshall served two consecutive terms and is counted as the fifth state governor ( not the fifth and sixth ) . Henry A .
Stephen Clark Bullock ( born April 11 , 1966 ) is an American politician , attorney and former professor serving as the 24th and current Governor of Montana since 2013 . He is a member of the Democratic Party . Born in Missoula , Montana , Bullock graduated from Claremont McKenna College and Columbia Law School . He began his career working as legal counsel to the Secretary of State of Montana before becoming the Executive Assistant Attorney General and acting Chief Deputy Attorney General of Montana . Bullock then entered private practice as an attorney for Steptoe & Johnson . He was an adjunct professor at the George Washington University Law School before opening his own law firm upon returning to Montana . In 2008 , Bullock was elected Attorney General of Montana , and he served one term from 2009 to 2013 . Bullock declared his candidacy for Governor of Montana on September 7 , 2011 . The seat was open in 2012 , as incumbent Governor Brian Schweitzer , a Democrat , could not seek reelection due to term limits . Bullock won the Democratic primary with 87% of the vote and defeated Republican nominee Rick Hill in the general election with 48% of the vote . In 2016 , Bullock won re-election with 50.2% of the vote , defeating Republican nominee Greg Gianforte . Bullock chaired the National Governors Association from 2018 to 2019 .
Montana ( /mɒnˈtænə/ ( listen ) ) is a state in the Northwestern United States . Montana has several nicknames , although none are official , including Big Sky Country and The Treasure State , and slogans that include Land of the Shining Mountains and more recently The Last Best Place . Montana is the fourth-largest in area , the 8th least populous , and the third-least densely populated of the 50 U.S. states . The western half of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges . Smaller island ranges are found throughout the state . In all , 77 named ranges are part of the Rocky Mountains . The eastern half of Montana is characterized by western prairie terrain and badlands . Montana is bordered by Idaho to the west , Wyoming to the south , North Dakota and South Dakota to the east , and the Canadian provinces of British Columbia , Alberta , and Saskatchewan to the north . The economy is primarily based on agriculture , including ranching and cereal grain farming . Other significant economic resources include oil , gas , coal , hard rock mining , and lumber . The health care , service , and government sectors also are significant to the state 's economy . The state 's fastest-growing sector is tourism .
The Governor of Montana is the head of the executive branch of Montana 's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state 's military forces . The governor has a duty to enforce state laws , the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Montana State Legislature , to convene the legislature at any time , and to grant pardons and reprieves . The current Montana Constitution , ratified in 1972 , calls for a 4-year term for the governor , commencing on the first Monday in January following an election . The governor is term-limited to 8 years in any 16-year period . The constitution provides for the election of a lieutenant governor for the same term as the governor . The two offices are elected on the same ticket ; a provision which did not appear in the state 's first constitution , ratified in 1889 . In the event of a vacancy in the office of governor due to resignation , disqualification , or death , the lieutenant governor becomes governor for the remainder of the term . If the governor is unable to perform his duties for any other reason , the lieutenant governor may become acting governor at the discretion of the state legislature . The 1889 constitution made the lieutenant governor president of the state senate , but this provision was removed in the 1972 constitution . Montana has had 24 governors ( ten of whom were actually born within state boundaries ) , consisting of 9 Republicans and 15 Democrats . The longest-serving governor was Joseph Toole , who served from 1889 to 1893 and again from 1901 until his resignation in 1908 with 11 years in office . The shortest-serving governor was Elmer Holt , who served less than 13 months when the previous governor died .
Stephen F. Sisolak ( born December 26 , 1953 ) is an American businessman and politician serving as the 30th and current Governor of Nevada since 2019 . A member of the Democratic Party , he previously chaired the Clark County Commission from 2013 to 2019 . After becoming involved in several civic causes and government projects , Sisolak won election to the Nevada Board of Regents and served from 1999 to 2008 . In 2008 , he won election to the Clark County Commission and was reelected in 2012 and 2016 . In 2018 , Sisolak won the Democratic nomination for Governor of Nevada , defeating Clark County Commission colleague Chris Giunchigliani in the primary election . On November 6 , 2018 , Sisolak defeated Republican nominee , Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt in the general election , becoming the first Democrat serving in the Nevada governorship since Bob Miller left office in 1999 . Sisolak 's top campaign contributor is MGM Resorts International under Chairman and CEO James Murren .
Nevada ( /nɪˈvædə/ or /nɪˈvɑːdə/ ) is a state in the Western United States . It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest , Idaho to the northeast , California to the west , Arizona to the southeast , and Utah to the east . Nevada is the 7th most extensive , the 32nd most populous , and the 9th least densely populated of the U.S. states . Nearly three-quarters of Nevada 's people live in Clark County , which contains the Las Vegas-Paradise metropolitan area , including three of the state 's four largest incorporated cities . Nevada 's capital is Carson City . Nevada is officially known as the Silver State because of the importance of silver to its history and economy . It is also known as the Battle Born State because it achieved statehood during the Civil War ( the words Battle Born also appear on the state flag ) ; as the Sagebrush State , for the native plant of the same name ; and as the Sage-hen State . Nevada is largely desert and semi-arid , much of it within the Great Basin . Areas south of the Great Basin are within the Mojave Desert , while Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada lie on the western edge . About 86% of the state 's land is managed by various jurisdictions of the U.S. federal government , both civilian and military . Before European contact , American Indians of the Paiute , Shoshone , and Washoe tribes inhabited the land that is now Nevada . The first Europeans to explore the region were Spanish .
The Governor of Nevada is the chief magistrate of the U.S. state of Nevada , the head of the executive department of Nevada 's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state 's military forces . The governor has a duty to enforce state laws , and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Nevada Legislature , to convene the legislature at any time , and , except in cases of treason or impeachment , to grant pardons and reprieves . The Governor serves a four-year term . He or she is limited to two terms , even if they are non-consecutive . If a person ascends to the governorship and serves more than two years of a previous governor 's term , he or she is only eligible to run for one full term . Candidates for Governor must be at least 25 years old , and must have been citizens of Nevada for at least two years , at the time of election . The Lieutenant Governor of Nevada is not elected on the same ticket as the Governor . The current governor is Democrat Steve Sisolak , who took office on January 7 , 2019 .
Philip Dunton Murphy ( born August 16 , 1957 ) is an American financier , diplomat and Democratic Party politician who has been the 56th governor of New Jersey since January 2018 . Murphy served as the United States Ambassador to Germany from 2009 to 2013 , during which time he dealt with fallout from the United States diplomatic cables leak . He served as finance chairman for the Democratic National Committee in the mid-late 2000s under Howard Dean . Before that , Murphy had a 23-year career at Goldman Sachs , where he held several high-level positions and accumulated considerable wealth before retiring in 2006 . He is involved in many civic organizations and philanthropic pursuits . While planning to run for governor , Murphy launched New Way for New Jersey , a progressive organization intended to increase his political visibility in the state . He defeated then Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno in the 2017 gubernatorial election . In December 2019 , Murphy became the chairperson of the Democratic Governors Association .
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the Northeastern United States . It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York ; on the east , southeast , and south by the Atlantic Ocean ; on the west by the Delaware River and Pennsylvania ; and on the southwest by the Delaware Bay and the State of Delaware . New Jersey is the fourth-smallest state by area but the 11th-most populous , with 9 million residents as of 2017 and an area of 8,722.58 square miles , making it the most densely populated of the 50 U.S. states , with its biggest city being Newark . New Jersey lies completely within the combined statistical areas of New York City and Philadelphia . New Jersey was the second-wealthiest U.S. state by median household income as of 2017 . New Jersey was inhabited by Native Americans for more than 2,800 years , with historical tribes such as the Lenape along the coast . In the early 17th century , the Dutch and the Swedes founded the first European settlements in the state . The English later seized control of the region , naming it the Province of New Jersey after the largest of the Channel Islands , Jersey , and granting it as a colony to Sir George Carteret and John Berkeley , 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton . New Jersey was the site of several important battles during the American Revolutionary War in the 18th century . In the 19th century , factories in the cities Camden , Paterson , Newark , Trenton , Jersey City , and Elizabeth ( known as the Big Six ) , helped drive the Industrial Revolution . New Jersey 's geographic location at the center of the Northeast megalopolis , between Boston and New York City to the northeast , and Philadelphia , Baltimore , and Washington , D.C. , to the southwest , fueled its rapid growth through the process of suburbanization in the second half of the 20th century . At the turn of the 21st century , this suburbanization began reverting with the consolidation of New Jersey 's culturally diverse populace toward more urban settings within the state , with towns home to commuter rail stations outpacing the population growth of more automobile-oriented suburbs since 2008 .
The Governor of New Jersey is the head of the executive branch of New Jersey 's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state 's military forces . The governor has a duty to enforce state laws and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the New Jersey Legislature , to convene the legislature , and to grant pardons , except in cases of treason or impeachment . There have been 55 official governors of New Jersey , 1 of which were female , with several others acting as governor for a time . [ a ] In the official numbering , governors are counted only once each , and traditionally , only elected governors were included . However , legislation signed on January 10 , 2006 , allowed acting governors who had served at least 180 days to be considered full governors . The law was retroactive to January 1 , 2001 ; it therefore changed the titles of Donald DiFrancesco and Richard Codey , affecting Jim McGreevey 's numbering . The current governor is Phil Murphy , who took office on January 16 , 2018 .
Michelle Lynn Lujan Grisham ( /ˈluːhɑːn ˈɡrɪʃəm/ ; born October 24 , 1959 ) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the 32nd Governor of New Mexico . She previously represented New Mexico 's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 2013 to 2018 . On November 6 , 2018 , she became the first Democratic woman elected as governor of New Mexico , as well as the first Democratic Latina elected state chief executive in the history of the United States . Lujan Grisham previously served as Secretary of Health of New Mexico ( 2004-2007 ) and Bernalillo County Commissioner ( 2010-2012 ) . She was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2012 election , defeating Janice Arnold-Jones . In 2016 , Lujan Grisham was selected as the Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus . Lujan Grisham won the Democratic nomination for Governor of New Mexico in the 2018 election and defeated Republican Steve Pearce , on November 6 , 2018 .
New Mexico ( Spanish : Nuevo México Spanish pronunciation : [ ˈnweβo ˈmexiko ] ( listen ) , Navajo : Yootó Hahoodzo pronounced [ jòːtxó xɑ̀xʷòːtsò ] ) is a state in the Southwestern region of the United States of America ; its capital and cultural center is Santa Fe , which was founded in 1610 as capital of Nuevo México ( itself established as a province of New Spain in 1598 ) , while its largest city is Albuquerque with its accompanying metropolitan area . It is one of the Mountain States and shares the Four Corners region with Utah , Colorado , and Arizona . New Mexico is also bordered by the state of Texas to the east-southeast , Oklahoma to the northeast , and the Mexican states of Chihuahua to the south and Sonora to the southwest . With an estimated population of 2,096,829 as of the July 1 , 2019 U.S. Census Bureau estimate , New Mexico is the 36th largest state by population . With a total area of 121,592 sq mi ( 314,920 km2 ) , it is the fifth-largest and sixth-least densely populated of the 50 states . Due to their geographic locations , northern and eastern New Mexico exhibit a colder , alpine climate , while western and southern New Mexico exhibit a warmer , arid climate . The economy of New Mexico is dependent on oil drilling , mineral extraction , dryland farming , cattle ranching , lumber milling , and retail trade . As of 2018 , its total gross domestic product ( GDP ) was $ 101 billion with a GDP per capita of $ 45,465 . New Mexico 's status as a tax haven yields low to moderate personal income taxes on residents and military personnel , and gives tax credits and exemptions to favorable industries . Because of this , its film industry has grown and contributed $ 1.23 billion to its overall economy . Due to its large area and economic climate , New Mexico has a large U.S. military presence marked notably with the White Sands Missile Range . Various U.S. national security agencies base their research and testing arms in New Mexico such as the Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories .
The following is a list of the Governors of the state of New Mexico ( Spanish : Gobernadores de Nuevo México ) and New Mexico Territory . Twenty-seven individuals have held the office of governor of New Mexico since the state 's admission to the Union in 1912 , two of whom - Edwin L. Mechem and Bruce King - served three non-consecutive terms . King holds the record as New Mexico 's longest-serving governor , with 12 years of service . William C. McDonald , the first governor , took office on January 6 , 1912 . The current officeholder is Michelle Lujan Grisham , who took office on January 1 , 2019 , as the first elected female Democratic governor of the state . Governors are limited to two consecutive terms , but a former governor is eligible for re-election after an intervening governor 's term expires .
Andrew Mark Cuomo ( /ˈkwoʊmoʊ/ KWOH-moh ; born December 6 , 1957 ) is an American politician , author , and lawyer serving as the 56th governor of New York since 2011 . A member of the Democratic Party , he was elected to the same position his late father , Mario Cuomo , held for three terms . Born in New York City , Cuomo is a graduate of Fordham University and Albany Law School of Union University , New York . He began his career working as the campaign manager for his father , then as an assistant district attorney in New York City before entering private law practice . He founded Housing Enterprise for the Less Privileged ( HELP USA ) and was appointed chair of the New York City Homeless Commission , a position he held from 1990 to 1993 . In 1993 , Cuomo joined the Clinton Administration as Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development in the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development . From 1997 to 2001 , he served as the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development . In 2006 , Cuomo was elected Attorney General of New York . He won the election as Governor of New York in 2010 and has been reelected twice after winning primaries against liberal challengers Zephyr Teachout ( 2014 ) and Cynthia Nixon ( 2018 ) . During his governorship , Cuomo oversaw the passage of a law legalizing same-sex marriage in New York , creation of the United States Climate Alliance , a group of states committed to fighting climate change by following the terms of the Paris Climate Accords , passage of the strictest Gun Control law in the U.S , Medicaid Expansion , a new tax code that raised taxes for the wealthy and lowered taxes for the middle class , paid family leave , an increase in the minimum wage , wage equality , and legislation legalizing medical marijuana .
New York is a state located in the Northeastern United States . New York was one of the original thirteen colonies that formed the United States . With an estimated 19.45 million residents in 2019 , it is the fourth most populous state . In order to distinguish the state from its city with the same name , it is commonly referred to as New York State ( NYS ) . The state 's most populous city , New York City , makes up over 40% of the state 's population . Two-thirds of the state 's population lives in the New York metropolitan area , and nearly 40% lives on Long Island . The state and city were both named for the 17th-century Duke of York , the future King James II of England . With an estimated population of 8.39 million in 2018 , New York City is the most populous city in the United States and the premier gateway for legal immigration to the United States . The New York metropolitan area is one of the most populous in the world . New York City is a global city , home to the United Nations Headquarters , and has been described as the cultural , financial , and media capital of the world , as well as the world 's most economically powerful city . The next four most populous cities in the state are Buffalo , Rochester , Yonkers , and Syracuse , while the state capital is Albany . The 27th largest U.S. state in land area , New York has a diverse geography .
The governor of New York is the head of the executive branch of New York 's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state 's National Guard . The governor has a duty to enforce state laws , to convene the New York legislature , the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the legislature , and to grant pardons , except in cases of treason and impeachment . Fifty-six people have served as governor , four of whom served non-consecutive terms ; the official numbering only lists each governor once , so there have officially been fifty-six governors . All of them have been men . New York has never had a female governor . This numbering includes one acting governor : the lieutenant governor who filled the vacancy after the resignation of the governor , under the 1777 Constitution . The list does not include people who have acted as governor when the governor was out of state , such as Lieutenant Governor Timothy L. Woodruff during Theodore Roosevelt 's vice presidential campaign in 1900 , or Acting Speaker of the New York State Assembly Moses M. Weinstein , who acted as governor for 10 days in 1968 while the governor , the lieutenant governor and the senate majority leader were out of the state , attending the Republican National Convention in Miami . Four men have become President of the United States after serving as Governor of New York : Martin Van Buren , Grover Cleveland , Theodore Roosevelt , and Franklin D. Roosevelt , and six were Vice President of the United States . Van Buren and Theodore Roosevelt held both offices . Two governors have been Chief Justice of the United States : John Jay held that position when he was elected governor in 1795 , and Charles Evans Hughes became chief justice in 1930 , two decades after leaving the governorship . The longest-serving governor was the first , George Clinton , who first took office on July 30 , 1777 , and served seven terms in two different periods , totaling just under 21 years in office . As 18 of those years were consecutive , Clinton also served the longest consecutive period in office for a New York governor .
Roy Asberry Cooper III ( born June 13 , 1957 ) is an American politician and attorney who has served as the 75th Governor of North Carolina since January 1 , 2017 . A member of the Democratic Party , Cooper had previously served as the elected Attorney General of North Carolina since 2001 . Prior to that , he served in the General Assembly in both the North Carolina House of Representatives and the North Carolina Senate . He narrowly defeated Republican incumbent Pat McCrory for the governorship in the 2016 election . On December 5 , McCrory conceded the election , making Cooper the first challenger since 1850 to defeat a sitting North Carolina Governor . Cooper took office on January 1 , 2017 . The Republican-dominated legislature passed bills in a special session before he took office to reduce the power of the governor 's office . The legislature has overridden several of his vetoes of legislation .
North Carolina ( /ˌkærəˈlaɪnə/ ( listen ) ) is a U.S. state located in the southeastern region of the United States . North Carolina is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the 50 United States . It is bordered by Virginia to the north , the Atlantic Ocean to the east , Georgia and South Carolina to the south , and Tennessee to the west . Raleigh is the state 's capital and Charlotte is its largest city . The Charlotte metropolitan area , with an estimated population of 2,569,213 in 2018 , is the most populous metropolitan area in North Carolina , the 23rd-most populous in the United States , and the largest banking center in the nation after New York City . The Raleigh metropolitan area is the second-largest metropolitan area in the state , with an estimated population of 1,362,540 in 2018 , and is home to the largest research park in the United States , Research Triangle Park . North Carolina was established as a royal colony in 1729 and is one of the original Thirteen Colonies . North Carolina is named in honor of King Charles I of England who first formed the English colony , with Carolus being Latin for Charles . On November 21 , 1789 , North Carolina became the 12th state to ratify the United States Constitution . In the run-up to the American Civil War , North Carolina declared its secession from the Union on May 20 , 1861 , becoming the last of eleven states to join the Confederate States . Following the Civil War , the state was restored to the Union on June 25 , 1868 . On December 17 , 1903 , Orville and Wilbur Wright successfully piloted the world 's first controlled , sustained flight of a powered , heavier-than-air aircraft at Kill Devil Hills in North Carolina 's Outer Banks .
The Governor of North Carolina has a duty to enforce state laws and to convene the legislature . The Governor may grant pardons except in cases of impeachment . For about 220 years the Governor had no power to veto bills passed by the North Carolina General Assembly , but a referendum in November 1996 altered the state 's constitution , so that North Carolina ceased to be the only state whose governor lacked that power . There have been three Presidents and 71 Governors of North Carolina , with four Governors serving non-consecutive terms , totaling 78 terms in both offices . The current Governor is Democrat Roy Cooper , who took office on January 1 , 2017 .
Katherine Kate Brown ( born June 21 , 1960 ) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the 38th governor of Oregon . A member of the Democratic Party , Brown previously served in both houses of the Oregon State Legislature and as Oregon Secretary of State . Brown entered Oregon politics in 1991 when she was appointed to fill a vacancy in the Oregon House of Representatives . In 1996 she won an election to the Oregon Senate , where she remained until her election as secretary of state in 2009 . As secretary of state , Brown focused on modernizing the office with new technology . The secretary of state is next in the order of succession to the governor . When Governor John Kitzhaber resigned in February 2015 , amid a public corruptions scandal , Brown was sworn in . She was elected to serve out remainder of Kitzhaber 's gubernatorial term in the special election the following year and reelected in 2018 to a full term in her own right . Brown is the first openly bisexual governor in the United States , the first openly LGBT person elected governor in the United States , and the second female governor of Oregon , after Barbara Roberts .
Oregon ( /ˈɒrɪɡən/ ( listen ) ORR-ih-gən ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region on the West Coast of the United States . The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon 's northern boundary with Washington , while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho . The parallel 42° north delineates the southern boundary with California and Nevada . Oregon was inhabited by many indigenous tribes before European traders , explorers , and settlers arrived . An autonomous government was formed in the Oregon Country in 1843 before the Oregon Territory was created in 1848 . Oregon became the 33rd state on February 14 , 1859 . Today , at 98,000 square miles ( 250,000 km2 ) , Oregon is the ninth largest and , with a population of 4 million , 27th most populous U.S. state . The capital , Salem , is the second most populous city in Oregon , with 169,798 residents . Portland , with 647,805 , ranks as the 26th among U.S. cities . The Portland metropolitan area , which also includes the city of Vancouver , Washington , to the north , ranks the 25th largest metro area in the nation , with a population of 2,453,168 . Oregon is one of the most geographically diverse states in the U.S. , marked by volcanoes , abundant bodies of water , dense evergreen and mixed forests , as well as high deserts and semi-arid shrublands . At 11,249 feet ( 3,429 m ) , Mount Hood , a stratovolcano , is the state 's highest point .
This article lists the individuals who have served as Governor of Oregon from the establishment of the Provisional Government between 1841 and 1843 to the present day .
Thomas Westerman Wolf ( born November 17 , 1948 ) is an American politician and businessman who has served as the 47th governor of Pennsylvania since January 20 , 2015 . A member of the Democratic Party , he defeated Republican incumbent Tom Corbett in the 2014 gubernatorial election and was re-elected in 2018 by a margin of 17.1% . Prior to his election as Governor , Wolf was the Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue from April 2007 to November 2008 and an executive in his family-owned business .
Pennsylvania ( /ˌpɛnsəlˈveɪniə/ ( listen ) PEN-səl-VAY-nee-ə ) , officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , is a state located in the Northeastern , Great Lakes , Appalachian , and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States . The Appalachian Mountains run through its middle . The Commonwealth is bordered by Delaware to the southeast , Maryland to the south , West Virginia to the southwest , Ohio to the west , Lake Erie and the Canadian province of Ontario to the northwest , New York to the north , and New Jersey to the east . Pennsylvania is the 33rd-largest state by area , and the 5th-most populous state according to the most recent official U.S. Census count in 2010 . It is the 9th-most densely populated of the 50 states . Pennsylvania 's two most populous cities are Philadelphia ( 1,580,863 ) , and Pittsburgh ( 302,407 ) . The state capital and its 10th-largest city is Harrisburg . Pennsylvania has 140 miles ( 225 km ) of waterfront along Lake Erie and the Delaware River . The state is one of the 13 original founding states of the United States ; it came into being in 1681 as a result of a royal land grant to William Penn , the son of the state 's namesake . Part of Pennsylvania ( along the Delaware River ) , together with the present State of Delaware , had earlier been organized as the Colony of New Sweden . It was the second state to ratify the United States Constitution , on December 12 , 1787 . Independence Hall , where the United States Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution were drafted , is located in the state 's largest city of Philadelphia .
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is the head of the executive branch of Pennsylvania 's state government and serves as the commander-in-chief of the state 's military forces . The governor has a duty to enforce state laws , and the power to approve or veto bills passed by the Pennsylvania Legislature and to convene the legislature . The governor may grant pardons except in cases of impeachment , but only when recommended by the Board of Pardons . There have been seven presidents and 46 governors of Pennsylvania , with two governors serving non-consecutive terms , totaling 55 terms in both offices . The longest term was that of the first governor , Thomas Mifflin , who served three full terms as governor in addition to two years as president . The shortest term belonged to John Bell , who served only 19 days as acting governor after his predecessor , Edward Martin resigned . The current governor is Democrat Tom Wolf , whose term began on January 20 , 2015 .