Leadership from the office of the governor is critical for child care policy. There were 11 governor races this year. Missouri was the only state in which, the governor’s political party changed (republican to democrat) meaning leadership changes at state agencies very possibly impacting the administration of child care funding and leadership over quality initiatives, and much more. There are 3 brand new governors taking office in January. The list below includes the governors from all 50 states.
State
Governor
Party
Term Limits
State
Governor
Party
Term Limits
Alabama
Bob Riley
R
2010
Alaska
Sarah Palin
R
2010
Arizona
Janet Napolitano**
D
2010
Arkansas
Mike Beebe
D
2010
California
Arnold Schwarzenegger
R
2010
Colorado
Bill Ritter
D
2010
Connecticut
M. Jodi Rell
R
2010
Delaware
Jack Markell*
D
N/A
Florida
Charlie Crist
R
2010
Georgia
Sonny Perdue
R
2010
Hawaii
Linda Lingle
R
2010
Idaho
C.L. Butch Otter
R
2010
Illinois
Rod Blagojevich
D
2010
Indiana
Mitch Daniels
R
2012
Iowa
Chet Culver
D
2010
Kansas
Kathleen Sebelius
D
2010
Kentucky
Steve Beshear
D
2011
Louisiana
Bobby Jindal
R
2011
Maine
John Baldacci
D
2010
Maryland
Martin O'Malley
D
2010
Massachusetts
Deval Patrick
D
2010
Michigan
Jennifer M. Granholm
D
2010
Minnesota
Tim Pawlenty
R
2010
Mississippi
Haley Barbour
R
2011
Missouri
Jay Nixon*
D
N/A
Montana
Brian Schweitzer
D
2012
Nebraska
Dave Heineman
R
2010
Nevada
Jim Gibbons
R
2010
New Hampshire
John Lynch
D
2010
New Jersey
Jon Corzine
D
2009
New Mexico
Bill Richardson
D
2010
New York
David A. Patterson
D
2010
North Carolina
Beverly Perdue*
D
N/A
North Dakota
John Hoeven
R
2012
Ohio
Ted Strickland
D
2010
Oklahoma
Brad Henry
D
2010
Oregon
Ted Kulongoski
D
2010
Pennsylvania
Edward G. Rendell
D
2010
Rhode Island
Don Carcieri
R
2010
South Carolina
Mark Sanford
R
2010
South Dakota
Mike Rounds
R
2010
Tennessee
Phil Bredesen
D
2010
Texas
Rick Perry
R
2010
Utah
Jon Huntsman Jr.
R
2012
Vermont
Jim Douglas
R
2010
Virginia
Tim Kaine
D
2009
Washington
Christine Gregoire
D
2012
West Virginia
Joe Manchin
D
2012
Wisconsin
Jim Doyle
D
2010
Wyoming
Dave Freudenthal
D
2010
*Governor-elect, January 2009
**May be US Secretary of Homeland Security January 2009, if this is the case, Jan Brewer (R) will be Arizona's governor.
