Democratic governors now using their executive powers to resist Trump and challenge his ‘dangerous imperial overreach’

Democratic governors across the country are using their state powers to fight back against President Donald Trump‘s policies. This has created early competition for the 2028 presidential race. Governors like Gavin Newsom of California and JB Pritzker of Illinois are taking strong stands against Trump’s agenda.

The governors are acting while Congress has limited power to stop Trump’s plans. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries must mostly react to Republican policies rather than create their own. The governors have more freedom to act in their states.

This summer, Democratic governors stepped up their resistance to Trump’s policies outside Washington. According to The Hill, they used their executive powers to challenge what they called “dangerous imperial overreach” by the federal government. The political battles have sped up the 2028 presidential timeline, with early voting states like New Hampshire and South Carolina already hosting potential candidates.

Newsom leads in early polls as governors gain attention

California Governor Gavin Newsom has taken the biggest steps to oppose Trump this summer. He started a campaign to create more Democratic congressional districts in his state. His social media strategy of copying Trump’s style has also gotten national attention. The California Highway Patrol announced it would protect former Vice President Kamala Harris after Trump cancelled her Secret Service detail.

A new Emerson University poll shows Newsom leads the 2028 Democratic presidential primary with 25% support, a 13-point increase from the Emerson June national poll. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has 16% support and Harris has 11%. Other potential candidates are in single digits.

Harris will promote her book “107 Days” about her 2024 presidential campaign this fall. Other Democratic governors like Andy Beshear of Kentucky, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Tim Walz of Minnesota, and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania need to increase their national profiles to stay competitive. Recent polls show Newsom’s rising popularity among Democratic voters as he visits early primary states.

Illinois Governor Pritzker has followed Newsom’s lead in challenging Trump. He threatened to redraw his state’s congressional map after Texas Republicans did the same. Trump has said Chicago and New York are most likely his next targets for federal military deployment. This could put Pritzker directly in conflict with the president. Their fight over federal troops in Chicago could help Pritzker’s presidential campaign just like redistricting helped Newsom.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore suggested his legislature might create a new Democratic congressional seat. Trump responded by threatening federal funding for Baltimore’s Key Bridge reconstruction. The president has a history of targeting Democratic governors who challenge him. It would not be surprising if he sent federal troops to occupy Baltimore as well.

The focus in Congress will be on the federal budget. The government will shut down on October 1 unless Congress passes a budget or continuing resolution. House Speaker Mike Johnson usually keeps his caucus together on spending issues. This may limit Jeffries to raising talking points for next year’s midterm elections. However, Johnson might have trouble stopping Democrats and conservative Republicans from demanding release of documents about Trump’s involvement in various controversies.

Schumer has more power than Jeffries because spending bills need 60 votes to avoid a filibuster. Senator Cory Booker, who might run for president, criticized Schumer for not fighting harder against Trump’s budget bill earlier this year. This puts pressure on Senate Democratic leaders to be more aggress