The Governors

Florida’s Ron Desantis (r)

Ron DeSantis is Florida’s 46th Governor as of January 2019. A conservative Republican of Italian descent, 45-year-old DeSantis, was previously a three-term U.S. Representative from the state’s East Coast who narrowly defeated the Democrat Mayor of Tallahassee for the office with his first term with a heavy assist from President Donald Trump in both the primary against popular Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, and then general election against Andrew Gillum. DeSantis won his second term handily besting Democrat Charlie Crist in 2022. Before he was elected Governor, DeSantis was also a candidate for the United States Senate in 2016, before withdrawing from the race when the incumbent, Marco Rubio, who had abandoned his race for the White House chose re-election instead. DeSantis is a former candidate for the Republican nomination for President. The Governor graduated from Harvard University before earning his law degree from Yale University. He is Roman Catholic, married with three children, and was a United States Naval Reserve Lieutenant Commander in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps who was awarded the Bronze Star for his Seal Team One service in Iraq.

Thomas Rank: F

Thomas Take: Not Running for Re-Election in 2024

Governor’s website

Read more on DeSantis in our article: Dissecting DeSantis

New Hampshire’s Chris Sununu (R)

Chris Sununu is arguably the most popular governor the state of New Hampshire has ever had in office. He has served four two-year terms as Governor. The 82nd Governor of New Hampshire, the married father of three, is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was an environmental engineer specializing in cleaning up contaminated waste sites before public service. Fiscally conservative and socially moderate, Sununu consistently falls in the middle of the political spectrum having lowered taxes in the state, increased school spending per pupil, and ensured friendly workplaces while making certain those workplaces flourished. It was speculated that the Governor might run for president in 2024 but instead, Sununu chose to champion Nikki Haley. Governor Sununu has announced that he will not seek a fifth term as Governor.

Thomas Rank: A

Thomas Take: Not Running for Re-Election in 2024 (Open Seat) - Nudging Republican

Governor’s website

Read more on Sununu’s track success with Nikki Haley in our article: Winter’s Choices

New York’s Governor Kathy Hochul (D)

New York’s 57th governor is the first female Governor in state history, having assumed the office in 2021 as Lieutenant Governor succeeding Andrew Cuomo who left office under an ethics cloud. Governor Hochul, who is married and the mother of two, graduated from Syracuse University and earned a law degree from Catholic University in Washington, D.C. Her focus is on better healthcare, small businesses, and working families. Governor Hochul has also spoken forcefully on abortion rights and what she calls commonsense gun laws. Her 2022 re-election was a close outcome, more than was expected by most pundits and pollsters.

Thomas Rank: B

Thomas Take: Not Running for Re-Election in 2024

Governor’s website

Virginia’s Governor Glenn Youngkin (R)

Virginia’s 74th governor is political newcomer Glenn Youngkin, a native Old Dominion state resident who was inaugurated in 2022. The Virginia governor can only be elected to one four-year term in office. A former co-CEO of the private equity firm, the Carlyle Group, Youngkin helped successfully lead the effort to take the firm public. A graduate of Rice University with an MBA from Harvard University, Governor Youngkin supported COVID-19 vaccine efforts but opposed vaccine mandates. Youngkin also opposed mask mandates in Virginia schools. As governor, Youngkin has been focused on funding job growth, business expansion, economic investments, historic tax cuts, and public safety initiatives.

Thomas Rank: A

Thomas Take: Not Running for Re-Election in 2024 (Term Limited)

Governor’s website

Read more on Youngkin with our article: A Flicker of Hope