Montana's Brian Schweitzer Elected Chair Of Democratic Governors Association

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer has been elected chair of the Democratic Governors Association (DGA), West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin, the current chair of the DGA, said on Wednesday.

The nation's Democratic governors held the election after a meeting between President-elect Barack Obama and the National Governors Association on Tuesday. Obama also met informally with the DGA Monday night.

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley was elected as vice chair.

"The DGA has never been in a stronger position, and Brian Schweitzer is a dynamic leader who will take the organization to the next level," Manchin said in a statement. "Brian has made in-roads in traditionally conservative-leaning areas because he's honest, practical, and knows how to get results."

The 53-year-old Schweitzer, who served as vice chair under Manchin's leadership, said in a statement, "The DGA has the greatest number of Democratic Governors since 1994, and we have an incoming President who looks at us as partners rather than adversaries. I cannot think of a more exciting time to be leading the DGA."

Obama said during his meeting with the nation's governors on Tuesday that he would ask for their help in crafting an economic stimulus package. The meeting was held two days after the National Bureau of Economic Research officially announced that the U.S. economy has been in recession since December 2007.

"These are difficult times, and we're going to have to make hard choices in the months ahead about how to invest precious tax dollars and how to save them... I won't stand here and tell you that you'll like all the decisions I make. You probably won't. But I promise you this - as President, I will seek your counsel. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And we will once again be true partners in the work of rebuilding our economy, strengthening our states, and lifting up our entire country," Obama also said.

The National Governors Association released a statement a day before the meeting calling on Congress and the government to "take early action to stabilize the nation's economy." Twenty states already have cut $7.6 billion from their 2009 budgets, it said, and 30 states have more than $30 billion in deficits.