More U.S. Senators becoming governors?
In politics, serving as a governor has long been considered the premier launching pad for a U.S. Senate run. While that still remains true, the reverse trend is gaining steam: U.S. Senators are increasingly eyeing their home states, frustrated by Washington’s dysfunction and the growing centralization of power in the executive branch.
Take Alabama’s Tommy Tuberville, a first-term senator, who recently voiced his thoughts:
“Where can I help the most? Is it going to be here [in the senate], or is it going to be back in the state? It’s the same kind of job, it’s just a different level of what you’re doing.”
Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee is expressing similar sentiments. A two-term senator and former House member, she recently told Semafor:
“I’m finalizing my plans to run for governor and will be the strongest conservative candidate in the race,” Blackburn told Semafor. “This is our time to prove what conservative leadership can do as power for education, regulation, health care and benefits return to the states. This is the time for Tennessee to be America’s conservative leader.”
Indiana’s Mike Braun served a single term in the Senate before giving it up to run for—and win—the governor’s office in 2024.
Even when the opportunity seems ripe for a Senate seat in Washington, some leaders are opting out. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a popular Republican who’s seen as a strong contender to unseat Democrat Jon Ossoff in 2026, has declined to run—despite fervent encouragement from GOP operatives and Republican Senators.
And it’s not just Republicans. In April, Democratic U.S. Senator Michael Bennet announced his candidacy for governor of Colorado.
Is this trend a good omen for federalism? Time will tell but it does add more fuel to the increasing dysfunction of Washington and the inability of Congress to solve much of anything.
If national leaders are redirecting their focus to state-level governance, it suggests a renewed appreciation for the constitutional balance of powers—and a recognition that real, responsive leadership begins closer to home.
— The Federalism Beat