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As America approaches its 250th anniversary, the bipartisan National Governors Association (NGA) is focused on reigniting the American Dream, NGA Chair Gov. Kevin Stitt, R-Okla., told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview.
“I’ve lived the American Dream,” the Oklahoma governor said, explaining that Democratic and Republican governors “can all agree that we want to teach the next generation that America is exceptional, and that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.”
During the NGA’s summer meeting in Colorado Springs, Stitt announced his marquee initiative as the incoming chair, focusing on the economy, education and investing in artificial intelligence.
“There’s no such thing as equal outcomes, but we want equal opportunities to go chase your dreams through hard work, through entrepreneurship and free markets,” Stitt explained.
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The NGA hosted Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. earlier this summer in Colorado Springs.
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Stitt said he hopes to feature more speakers at NGA events who embody the American Dream, mentioning Vice President JD Vance, former President Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey and former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger as potential guests.
NGA Vice Chair Gov. Wes Moore, D-Md., shared his own American Dream story during the NGA’s summer meeting, telling the crowd that the “American Dream is never a singular dream.”
“It’s a continuation,” Moore said. “It’s a dream that was born generations ago. It’s a dream that was borne by people who, even if they did not know us, they fought for the hope of us. The United States is the most unique experiment in the history of the world. Period. Full stop.”
Stitt said his own story reflects the American Dream, telling Fox News Digital that he grew his nationwide company from just “$1,000 and a computer” before being elected governor in 2018.
The Oklahoma governor is term-limited this year. When asked about his legacy, Stitt said he is proud to have accomplished “education freedom” and becoming a top-10 state where people are moving.
“We were having teacher walkouts, we were having billion-dollar budget deficits, we had no money in savings, and we had this kind of second-class feel as a state,” Stitt said of his home state before he took office. “I’m a fourth-generation Oklahoman, and we weren’t doing as well as we could have, and I wanted to bring this bravado.”
Looking ahead to next year, Stitt said he is monitoring the gubernatorial race closely as several candidates have already declared their candidacies.
“Behind the scenes, I’m certainly going to let Oklahomans know who I think is the best one to replace me, but if we can get a couple of good businessman governors and people that are focused on the next generation, not the next election, we can absolutely keep this momentum in Oklahoma going, and we can continue to be a top-10 state,” Stitt said.
As for his own political future, Stitt said he plans to return to his company as “our Founding Fathers envisioned,” adding that “politics shouldn’t necessarily be a profession where to climb the ladder.”
“When I told Oklahomans, I came from the business world and I said, I’m always going to focus on the next generation, not the next election,” Stitt concluded. “That’s why Oklahomans are starting to thrive, because we’re not making political decisions, we’re making the right decisions for the citizens of Oklahoma.”
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