WASHINGTON — With less than a year to go in his final term, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt spoke candidly to fellow governors last week about the freedom that comes with not running for reelection.
“Politics gets involved. You have to win the next election. It just gets so disgusting when you actually get down to what actually happens in the political world,” Stitt said during a panel discussion Feb. 20 for the winter meeting of the National Governors Association, which he is currently chairing.
Stitt said he relishes his newfound freedom to fight against the partisan allegiances that often define politics.
“I’m obviously terming out. I have one year left, so getting a lot more free,” Stitt said. “It’s so fun not having to run for reelection again. I can say and do what I want.”
This story was reported by Gaylord News, a Washington reporting project of the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Oklahoma.
The NGA meeting took place Feb. 19 through Feb. 21 under the banner of “Reigniting the American Dream.” The theme placed emphasis on state-driven economic successes, prioritizing state-led innovation over federal mandates, and government oversight.
This year’s NGA vice chairman, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, stressed the need for governors to adopt a rational approach to governance, regardless of the political climate.
“We have created this binary system in our country that makes it so difficult for people to get at the heart of what people are looking for, because they’re looking through every issue through a lens of either red or blue,” Moore said.
For Stitt and Moore, it was an opportunity to call for bipartisan cooperation on critical issues their constituents face on a daily basis, even when such collaboration pushes against partisan rhetoric at the national level.
“We can’t have these pendulum swings back and forth, depending on who’s in the White House,” Stitt said. “Most Oklahomans think like me that, sure, the climate’s changing, but the question is, what’s causing it? How do we stay as a world leader in energy? How do we make sure that we have an affordable electricity grid? Because most Americans just want to take their kids to piano lessons, soccer practice, heat their homes, their businesses.”
‘We’re just speeding towards the cliff’
The NGA winter meeting occurred despite a brief dispute over a White House gathering that Stitt said initially threatened to exclude certain governors based on party affiliation. While the White House eventually extended invitations to all governors for the formal business breakfast, the Friday meeting was cut short by the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on President Donald Trump’s tariff authority. Trump exited the breakfast early to address the decision. Stitt explained the situation when he sat down with CBS News after the breakfast.
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“First we see (White House chief of staff) Susie (Wiles) leave, and then (Secretary of State Marco) Rubio, and (U.S. Attorney General Pam) Bondi. I looked at my phone and saw it had just come out,” Stitt told CBS. “The president was disappointed, but we support the president in trying to bring manufacturing back to Oklahoma. We’ve benefited from some of the tariff policies.”
Stitt’s “more free” approach could be noted during discussions on immigration, when he said rural Oklahoma business owners are more interested in work authorizations than political posturing.
“The immigration issue that we’ve talked about, we think that the governors need a seat at that table,” Stitt said. “We have to have a strong border, but the state should be in charge of workforce permits. And so I think we, as governors, believe in the idea of federalism and states’ rights, instead of a one-size-fits-all from the federal government. I think that’s the best way.”
The NGA heard from veteran pollster Frank Luntz, who has spent three decades as a professional “temperature taker” for the American public. Luntz said his data show 40 percent of Americans have lost personal relationships over politics. But he also noted that state-elected officials remain the only group that still hold a majority of the public’s trust.
“You’re the ones who can solve this,” Luntz told the assembled governors. “You can do this. No one else can. This is not going to come from the White House, it’s not going to come from the mayors, it’s going to come from you all around this table.”
Stitt agreed with Luntz’s sentiment, offering a metaphor for his opinion on the current state of the country’s morale.
“It feels like we’re a country that’s in a car. We’re just speeding towards the cliff. And right now, our party’s driving and the other party’s in the passenger seat, and we’re worried about what’s on the radio,” Stitt said. “And then in three years, we may be flipping drivers, who knows? But we’re still going to be worried about who is controlling the radio as our car is screaming toward this cliff.”
Stitt will host the NGA summer meeting in Oklahoma City before his term as NGA chairman officially ends and he is succeeded by Moore. Stitt has made it clear he is not seeking a permanent role in Washington or a spot on a future national ticket. Stitt said in January he plans to return to the private sector once his term concludes in early 2027, viewing his time in office as a “limited engagement” rather than a career in politics.
