State Governors
Leadership from the office of the governor is critical for child care policy. There were 36 governor races this year. In some states, the governor’s political party changed 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 11 brand new governors taking office in January. The list below includes the governors from all 50 states.
Key
Highlight: New Governor taking office in January
| State |
Governor |
Party |
Governor Elected in November 2006 |
Party |
Governor Party Change? |
| State |
Governor |
Party |
Governor Elected in November 2006 |
Party |
Governor Party Change? |
| Alabama |
Bob Riley |
R |
Bob Riley |
R |
no |
| Alaska |
Frank Murkowski |
R |
Sarah Palin |
R |
no |
| Arizona |
Janet Napolitano |
D |
Janet Napolitano |
D |
no |
| Arkansas |
Mike Huckabee |
R |
Mike Beebe |
D |
yes |
| California |
Arnold Schwarzenegger |
R |
Arnold Schwarenegger |
R |
no |
| Colorado |
Bill Owens |
R |
Bill Ritter |
D |
yes |
| Connecticut |
M. Jodi Rell |
R |
M. Jodi Rell |
R |
no |
| Delaware |
Ruth Ann Minner |
D |
no election in 2006 |
N/A |
N/A |
| Florida |
Jeb Bush |
R |
Charlie Crist |
R |
no |
| Georgia |
Sonny Perdue |
R |
Sonny Perdue |
R |
no |
| Hawaii |
Linda Lingle |
R |
Linda Lingle |
R |
no |
| Idaho |
Dirk Kempthrone |
R |
C.L. "Butch" Otter |
R |
no |
| Illinois |
Rod Blagojevich |
D |
Rod Blagojevich |
D |
no |
| Indiana |
Mitch Daniels |
R |
no election in 2006 |
N/A |
N/A |
| Iowa |
Tom Vilsack |
D |
Chet Culver |
D |
no |
| Kansas |
Kathleen Sebelius |
D |
Kathleen Sebelius |
D |
no |
| Kentucky |
Ernie Fletcher |
R |
no election in 2006 |
N/A |
N/A |
| Louisiana |
Kathleen Babineaux Blanco |
D |
no election in 2006 |
N/A |
N/A |
| Maine |
John Baldacci |
D |
John Baldacci |
D |
no |
| Maryland |
Robert Ehrlich |
R |
Martin O'Malley |
D |
yes |
| Massachusetts |
Mitt Romney |
R |
Deval Patrick |
D |
yes |
| Michigan |
Jennifer Granholm |
D |
Jennifer Granholm |
D |
no |
| Minnesota |
Tim Pawlenty |
R |
Tim Pawlenty |
R |
no |
| Mississippi |
Haley Barbour |
R |
no election in 2006 |
N/A |
N/A |
| Missouri |
Matt Blunt |
R |
no election in 2006 |
N/A |
N/A |
| Montana |
Brian Schweitzer |
D |
no election in 2006 |
N/A |
N/A |
| Nebraska |
Dave Heineman |
R |
Dave Heineman |
R |
no |
| Nevada |
Kenny C. Guinn |
R |
Jim Gibbons |
R |
no |
| New Hampshire |
John Lynch |
D |
John Lynch |
D |
no |
| New Jersey |
Jon Corzine |
D |
no election in 2006 |
N/A |
N/A |
| New Mexico |
Bill Richardson |
D |
Bill Richardson |
D |
no |
| New York |
George E. Pataki |
R |
Eliot Spitzer |
D |
yes |
| North Carolina |
Michael F. Easley |
D |
no election in 2006 |
N/A |
N/A |
| North Dakota |
John Hoeven |
R |
no election in 2006 |
N/A |
N/A |
| Ohio |
Bob Taft |
R |
Ted Strickland |
D |
yes |
| Oklahoma |
Brad Henry |
D |
Brad Henry |
D |
no |
| Oregon |
Ted Kulongoski |
D |
Ted Kulongoski |
D |
no |
| Pennsylvania |
Edward G. Rendell |
D |
Edward G. Rendell |
D |
no |
| Rhode Island |
Don Carcieri |
R |
Don Carcieri |
R |
no |
| South Carolina |
Mark Sanford |
R |
Mark Sanford |
R |
no |
| South Dakota |
Michael Rounds |
R |
Michael Rounds |
R |
no |
| Tennessee |
Phil Bredesen |
D |
Phil Bredesen |
D |
no |
| Texas |
Rick Perry |
R |
Rick Perry |
R |
no |
| Utah |
John Huntsman, Jr. |
R |
no election in 2006 |
N/A |
N/A |
| Vermont |
Jim Douglas |
R |
Jim Douglas |
R |
no |
| Virginia |
Tim Kaine |
D |
no election in 2006 |
N/A |
N/A |
| Washington |
Christine Gregoire |
D |
no election in 2006 |
N/A |
N/A |
| West Virginia |
Joe Manchin III |
D |
no election in 2006 |
N/A |
N/A |
| Wisconsin |
Jim Doyle |
D |
Jim Doyle |
D |
no |
| Wyoming |
David Freudenthal |
D |
David Freudenthal |
D |
no |
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