OAN Staff Blake Wolf
3:21 PM – Wednesday, October 15, 2025
A group of Democrat state governors launched a public health alliance to coordinate public health efforts, directly undermining Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Democrat governors in 14 states, including California, New York, and Illinois, have announced the launch of the Governors Public Health Alliance, which is described as a “new non-partisan hub coordinating public health leadership across the country.”
Additionally, Guam’s governor, a Democrat, chimed in to join the effort as well. Guam is a U.S. territory.
The Governors Public Health Alliance includes the following Democrat governors:
| State/Territory | Governor |
|---|---|
| California | Gavin Newsom |
| Colorado | Jared Polis |
| Connecticut | Ned Lamont |
| Delaware | Matt Meyer |
| Guam (U.S. territory) | Lou Leon Guerrero |
| Hawaii | Josh Green |
| Illinois | JB Pritzker |
| Maryland | Wes Moore |
| Massachusetts | Maura Healey |
| New Jersey | Phil Murphy |
| New York | Kathy Hochul |
| North Carolina | Josh Stein |
| Oregon | Tina Kotek |
| Rhode Island | Dan McKee |
| Washington | Bob Ferguson |
The new health coalition is tasked with “strengthening emergency preparedness, improving communication, sharing data and expertise, and ensuring states and territories can respond quickly and consistently to emerging health threats.”
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Despite the claim of non-partisanship, all 15 of the governors involved belong to the Democrat party.
Governor Kathy Hochul (D-N.Y.) stated that the new coalition was in direct response to “the assaults on science and medicine coming out of Washington.”
“We have to show that we will continue supporting science, supporting medical research, supporting our institutions, supporting access to vaccinations,” Hochul continued. “We believe in science.”
Governor Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) also announced that “California is proud to help launch this new alliance because the American people deserve a public health system that puts science before politics. As extremists try to weaponize the CDC and spread misinformation, we’re stepping up to coordinate across states, protect communities, and ensure decisions are driven by data, facts, and the health of the American people.”
The coalition appears to have formed in response to the proactive measures taken by HHS under Secretary Kennedy’s leadership, including updated guidance on several vaccines aimed at strengthening public health strategies.
In June, Secretary Kennedy also restructured the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), appointing new members he selected to ensure the committee reflects his vision for transparent and accountable vaccine policy.
“A clean sweep is necessary to reestablish public confidence in vaccine science,” Kennedy stated at the time, justifying the firings due to the failure of the panel during the COVID-19 pandemic. “ACIP new members will prioritize public health and evidence-based medicine. The Committee will no longer function as a rubber stamp for industry profit-taking agendas.”
Meanwhile, in response to the new coalition, an HHS spokesperson proclaimed that Kennedy’s federal health agency bases its decisions on “rigorous evidence and Gold Standard Science, not the failed politics of the pandemic.”
The HHS spokesperson went on to highlight that Democrat leadership has already destroyed public trust in health institutions by promoting “unscientific school lockdowns, toddler mask mandates, and draconian vaccine passports during the COVID era.”
The new health coalition counts Dr. Mandy Cohen, former CDC Director under President Biden, among its top advisors.
“The CDC did provide an important backstop for expertise and support,” she stated. “And I think now with some of that gone, it’s important for states to make sure that they are sharing best practices, and that they are coordinating, because the problems have not gone away. The health threats have not gone away.”
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