WASHINGTON, D.C. — Democrats have recently demanded more autonomy for governors and state lawmakers. State leaders hope a renewed focus on federalism could lower the national political temperature.

This push culminated in a bipartisan declaration signed by the Assembly of State Legislative Leaders at its inaugural meeting in December 2024. The Assembly, which includes lawmakers from 30 states, approved a 449-word declaration emphasizing the importance of states' ability to legislate independently.

California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said in June 2024 that the White House had violated his state's sovereignty in deploying the National Guard to Los Angeles without the governor's consent. California cited arguments made by founding father James Madison in the Federalist Papers in a lawsuit regarding National Guard deployment that the state ultimately won.

Democrats in Minnesota pushed for more state oversight of the federal government after immigration officers killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis this winter. "This is a matter of states' rights," said Democratic state Senate leader Erin Murphy. She added, "And while we can't impact — except for next November – the makeup of Congress, we can impact and bring relief for the people of Minnesota."

Troy Smith, a professor of constitutional federalism and director of the Constitutional Federalism Initiative at Utah Valley University, said Democrats have leaned on federalism principles as a means of checking federal power in Trump's second term. Smith said state governments, namely governors, have grown increasingly partisan since the 1990s. "I think we're in an inflection point now that looks like it has the potential to go in that direction as the states start recognizing they have many things in common that transcends party and cooperation could be to their benefit," Smith said. "I think that's pretty unique and telling in this moment that Republican and Democratic leaders came together and unanimously approved that resolution."

Tennessee Democratic state Rep. Karen Camper is skeptical that the states will mark meaningful progress during Trump's term. "Bipartisan has become a nasty word for this president," Camper said. "So it's going to have to be after he's gone, because he will kill it. That's what I've seen from this president."

Camper said she worries that too much focus on state autonomy could jeopardize important freedoms that were won at the federal level, including civil rights and voting rights. "So we're going to be fighting, refighting some of the same stuff, some of the same things that we fought for," Camper said. "We should be protected by these rights, regardless of where we go in this country, but in states' rights, there's a chance that you won't."

Why It Matters

The push by some Democrats for greater state autonomy represents a shift in how federalism is viewed across political lines. This development, marked by the bipartisan declaration from the Assembly of State Legislative Leaders, indicates an attempt by state-level officials to rebalance power between state and federal governments, potentially reducing the impact of national political polarization. Federalism is the system created by the framers of the Constitution to share power between Washington, D.C., and the states. This emphasis aligns with the United States celebrating its 250th anniversary in 2026.

Historically, arguments for states' rights have been used to defend controversial policies, including racial segregation during the Jim Crow era. Concerns persist among some, like Representative Karen Camper, that a renewed focus on state autonomy could risk undermining federally protected rights.