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Four lieutenant governors, led by Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, are launching the Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association (DLGA) today.
- There are only 14 Dem lieutenant governors currently.
- The goal is to have more than that elected after November, with a specific focus on flipping these offices from red to blue in Nevada, Illinois, New Mexico and Minnesota.
Why it matters: This is the first national organization dedicated to electing Democrats as states' second-in-command. And it's another example of Dems organizing around and investing in candidates at the state level to build a bigger, more diverse bench of candidates.
- "People are looking to the states post-2016 for leadership and for advancing progressive policies," Fairfax, who will serve as DGLA chairman, told me. "If we tap into every community, that makes us stronger electorally and makes our states better."
Bottom line: The group is "growing a foundation for future candidates," not just in 2018, but through 2021 and beyond, said Roshan Patel, DGLA executive director. He added that DGLA won't be involved in primaries, but will provide resources to advise and assist Democrats running for lieutenant governor and to help fund operations.