ASMA KHALID, HOST:
Democrats are still grappling with Vice President Harris' loss in the presidential election this past November. Now, this coming January, Republicans will control the White House and both chambers of Congress. And some Democrats are looking to statehouses for new leaders and new messages. For two House Democrats, the future is actually back in their home states.
MIKIE SHERRILL: These are the only two races in the nation, the first two races in the nation, where we can stand up and say, this is the vision that we have of the future.
KHALID: That's New Jersey's Mikie Sherrill. She and Virginia Democrat Abigail Spanberger are both running for governor. NPR congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh sat down with them together, and she joins me now to talk about their conversation. Deirdre, it's great to have you with us.
DEIRDRE WALSH, BYLINE: Good morning, Asma.
KHALID: So who are these two women, and why are they making a move out of Congress to run for these executive roles?
WALSH: Well, Mikie Sherrill's a former Navy helicopter pilot. Spanberger's a former CIA analyst. They're actually roommates in Washington right now. Both were elected a 2018 as a group of more centrist Democrats with national security credentials. They see their experiences in Congress as something that can translate to statehouses. They tout their work working across the aisle.
But Sherrill did talk about a lack of urgency she's felt in Congress and says there's ability to have more of an impact as an executive, especially on economic issues. Both of these Democrats see their work on the Hill as a model for way they could operate running a state. Spanberger said the move is more about trying to use her experience in her district, but across the state.
ABIGAIL SPANBERGER: And so, for me, the decision to run for governor is not a decision to leave Congress. It's a decision to run for governor, to be able to focus on the things that are priorities - strengthening our public schools, addressing rising costs for Virginians, really dealing with the crisis of supply of housing, and all that that impacts.
WALSH: Spanberger can make history as the first female governor in Virginia. It's also worth noting her likely Republican opponent is also a woman.
KHALID: Interesting. So Deirdre, what issues do Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill as well, feel are key to the Democratic Party's future?
WALSH: They both emphasized affordability broadly as sort of the top issue they hear about from voters, but also say abortion access in their states is a concern. Spanberger notes Virginia's the only Southern state that hasn't faced new abortion restrictions since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and she's committing to codifying existing protections. And Sherrill says Democrats can't rely on a single issue.
SHERRILL: I don't think it's enough for Democrats to run as anti-Trump, pro-abortion and hope for great results. That's not enough. We have got to define a vision forward that is going to create opportunity for people, that is going to help economically stabilize people - feel like, look, I'm on steady ground now, and I'm going to be on steady ground in 10 years from now and my kids are going to have a good future.
WALSH: You know, neither of these House Democrats directly criticized President Biden or Vice President Harris, but they both stressed that they're both parents of school-age kids, and they get what people are struggling with. They mentioned school quality issues and inflation, and they believe they can connect with voters.
KHALID: So both of these women were elected during Donald Trump's first term in the White House, and, you know, these races that they are running for - New Jersey and Virginia, the governor's races - are really marquee races in 2025 as Trump is heading back to the White House.
WALSH: Right.
KHALID: So how much of a factor do they think that he will be in whether or not they get elected?
WALSH: It's still really early for now. Both of them seem very focused on pivoting away to talking about Trump and talking more about the economy and the issues that they're hearing about. But they know that people are going to be paying a lot of attention to these races. As you noted, these are the only off-year elections. In the past, these governor's races become a referendum on the new President's first year in office. And the other thing is if they do well, these women could become a blueprint for their party moving forward.
KHALID: All right, that's NPR's Deirdre Walsh. Thanks so much.
WALSH: Thanks, Asma. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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