American Governors 2019

Demographic Facts for the United States

According to the numbers of the United States Census Bureau from 2010, the largest generation in the U.S. is the Boomer Generation (25%).^1,2 With 22.2%, the second largest generation is the Millennial Generation. About 21% of the U.S. population belong to Generation X. The smallest generation is the Silent Generation with 11.3%.

In 2018, 50.8% of the American population was female.³ About 60% of the population was White, 13.4% Black/African American, and 18.1% Latino/Hispanic. Almost 6% were Asian American, and 1.3% American Indian/Alaska Native. About 0.2% were Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders. There were almost 3% that belong to two or more categories.

Generational Breakdown

Most of the U.S. Governors currently serving in office belong to the Boomer Generation. Almost 30 percent belong to the Generation X. One Governor, Repulican Kay Ivey, belongs to the Silent Generation. With age 74, she is the oldest currently serving Governor. There are no Governors from the Millennial Generation. The youngest is Governor Ralph Torres representing the Marina Islands. He was born in 1979 and belongs to Generation X.

Generational Composition of U.S. Governors

Gender and Generation

Of the 55 U.S. Governors, 45 are men and 10 are women. Of the 38 Governors belonging to the Boomer Generation, 6 (almost 16 percent) are female. The percentage of women in Generation X is slightly higher with almost 19 percent (3 out of 16 are female). Five of the 10 women currently serving as Governor began their political careers as Young Elected Leaders.

Gender by Generation of U.S. Governors

Ethnicity and Generation

Almost of 88 percent of the Governors currently serving in office are White/Caucasian. In the Boomer Generation, almost 90 percent of the Governors are White/Caucasian. Governors belonging to Generation X are 81 percent White/Caucasian.

• Lou Leon Guerrero, Governor of Guam, is the only Asian/Pacific American among Governors (Boomer Generation)
• Albert Bryant Jr., Governor of the Virgin Islands, is the only Black/African American Governor (Generation X)
• David Ige, Governor of Hawaii (Boomer Generation) and Lolo Moliga (Boomer Generation) are the only Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Governors
• there are 3 Hispanic/Latinx Governors
  • Michelle Lujan Grisham, Governor of New Mexico (Boomer Generation)
  • Ricardo Rossello Nevares, Governor of Puerto Rico (Generation X)
  • Ralph Torres, Governor of Marina Islands (Generation X)

Ethnicity by Generation of U.S. Governors

Almost half of all governors are members of the Republican Party (28 of 55). Twenty-five are Democrats (including Timothy Waltz, who belongs to Minnesota’s Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party DFL). One governor is an Independent, and other belongs to the Puerto Rican PNP.

There are generational differences with regard to partisanship. Slightly more governors belonging to Generation X are Democrats. In the Baby Boomer Generation, there are more Republicans than Democrats. Governor Kay Ivey of the Silent Generation belongs to the Republican Party.

Partisanship by Generation of U.S. Governors

Governors Who Started as Young Elected Leaders

Of the 55 Governors currently serving in office, these 12 began their political careers as Young Elected Leaders: