Prominent Democratic governors, some of whom are considering a 2028 presidential bid, gathered in Los Angeles on Thursday for a high-dollar fundraiser.
Tickets to attend the event cost up to $100,000, according to the invitation. According to the press, it was expected to raise more than $1.5 million for the Democratic Governors Association, the largest amount ever raised by the group at a fundraiser in Los Angeles.
Governor Gavin Newsom introduced fellow Democratic governors. Andy Beshear of Kentucky, Maura Healey of Massachusetts, Laura Kelly of Kansas, Katie Hobbs of Arizona, Wes Moore of Maryland, Josh Stein of North Carolina, Tim Walz of Minnesota and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan.
Many attendees, including Newson, Beshear and Whitmore, are believed to be eyeing a presidential run in 2028. Walz was then-Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate in her unsuccessful 2024 bid for the presidency.
Beshear moderated the talks between state leaders at the Los Angeles-area home of liquor heiress Ellen Bronfman Hauptman and her husband, former Chicago Fire soccer club owner Andrew Hauptman. Attendees enjoyed cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres
Walked around the pool before heading to the House for a conversation that focused on how governors should focus on results more than ideological disputes, and how this should be a model for federal elected officials.
About 45 donors participated, including “Lost” creator Damon Lindelof and “The Hangover” film series executive producer Scott Budnick. Others who supported the event included director J.J. Abrams and former Walt Disney Studios president Alan Horn.
