Hobbs considers leaving the National Governors Association, which costs Arizona $130K a year

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs is considering leaving the bipartisan National Governors Association, known as the NGA.

Hobbs said she’s in conversation with colleagues about weighing the cost versus the benefit of staying in the NGA, which is majority-Republican.

According to its website, the NGA is an avenue for all 50 governors, and the leaders of United States territories and commonwealths, to advocate for solutions to the challenges facing state governments.

But some Democratic governors don’t think it’s fulfilling that role anymore.

“I would like my national organization to help further the interest of governors, and it’s been challenging to be on the same page in these really partisan times, and I'm not sure that’s what’s happening right now,” Hobbs told reporters last week.

Arizona pays about $130,000 a year to be in the NGA.

“It's a high cost, and I'm not sure we’re getting the benefit,” Hobbs said.

She is one of five Democratic governors who have recently threatened to leave it.

Some, like California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said they’re considering leaving because the NGA refuses to take a position on President Donald Trump’s actions, like deploying the national guard to various states.

Hobbs said that’s not the reason she’s assessing the merits of staging in the NGA. She said it’s greater than the national guard issue.

In July, ABC reported that Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz would be leaving the NGA for similar reasons as Newsom, that the NGA isn’t doing its duty by staying silent about the Trump administration.

Hobbs is also a member of the Democratic Governors Association - which she gets to be in for free.

The DGA is focused on electing Democratic governors and supporting the ones in office. It’s not shy about making political statements. Kelly is the chair of the DGA.

There’s also a Republican Governors Association with a similar purpose.