Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was elected unanimously as the vice chair of the Democratic Governors Association at the group’s annual meeting in Phoenix on Saturday.

Whitmer will succeed Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear in the role, as Beshear was elected as the chair of the association.

“In Michigan, we’ve shown that staying focused on the kitchen table issues — like costs, jobs, and roads — is a winning strategy,” Whitmer said in a press release from her Fight Like Hell PAC. “We flipped counties that voted for Trump like Macomb, Bay, and Eaton because we showed up and focused on what Michiganders needed to get ahead. As Vice Chair of the DGA, I look forward to taking what we’ve learned in Michigan to races across the country and helping candidates win tough races.”

The Democratic Governors Association is a political organization focused on electing Democrats in gubernatorial elections nationwide, as well as providing support for sitting Democratic governors.

“We’ve proven that when we show up and focus on what we can do to make people’s lives better, then we can win anywhere, even in the toughest places,” Whitmer said in a press release from the association following the election.

Whitmer’s term will include the 2026 election cycle, in which 36 gubernatorial seats are up for election — 18 currently held by Democrats, including Michigan, and 18 by Republicans.

“We also know with all the chaos coming out of Washington, D.C., it’s never been more important to elect Democratic governors,” she added in a video posted to X. “I know the stakes are high, but I know we can meet the moment and win.”

Whitmer stepped away from the National Governors Association earlier this year over what her office said were concerns about a lack of bipartisanship in the organization.

Other Democratic governors who left the organization, including Govs. Tim Walz of Minnesota and Laura Kelly of Kansas, reportedly did so due to what they perceived as a lack of pushback to the policies of the Trump administration.