Stitt and Moore launch bipartisan push for dignity in politics

Kevin Stitt and Wes Moore used the National Governors Association’s summer meeting in Oklahoma City on Friday to argue that partisan primaries push politicians toward the extremes, then launched a Center for Dignity in Politics. The Republican governor of Oklahoma and the Democratic governor of Maryland made their case during an NGA and NBC News “Common Ground” town hall with “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker.

A January 2026 Unite America Institute brief put 87% of congressional races in 2024 in primary elections, meaning the 7% of voters who participated in those primaries effectively chose most of Congress. Another turnout analysis put average participation in U.S. primaries at about 20% of eligible voters.

State rules sharpen that low participation. In closed primaries, only registered party members can vote; open and nonpartisan systems widen the pool. The Independent Voter Project counts 63.4 million voters registered independent or unaffiliated, and 18.2 million of them live in states where they cannot vote in primaries at all.

Stitt and Moore said that structure pulls candidates toward harder lines, because the voters who show up in primaries are usually the most committed partisans. FairVote counted 70 statewide and congressional primaries in 2024 that were won with less than 50% of the vote. In Pennsylvania this spring, Chris Rabb defeated the party machine in a Philadelphia House primary, a result celebrated by progressives looking for more insurgent wins.

At its 2026 Winter Meeting, the association held a session called “Civility, Federalism, and the Future of American Politics,” and on February 21 posted a recording titled “Respect in Politics - NGA 2026 Winter Meeting,” featuring Stitt and Moore in conversation. At the summer meeting, the new center launched to equip governors with tools, training and resources to reduce polarization, model respectful leadership and promote civil discourse.