Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and Missouri Governor Mike Parson have announced their participation in a new initiative by the National Governor’s Association.

The two governors sat down at the Q39 Midtown restaurant for Kansas City barbecue and the taping of a public service message about an initiative called “Disagree Better.”

In a press release, Democratic Governor Kelly said, “Getting things done doesn’t just require working across state lines — it also requires working across party lines. That’s how Governor Parson and I have together grown the economy of the entire Kansas City region.  We’ve joined the Disagree Better initiative because we both agree — now is the time to turn down the volume on our national political conversation. Finding productive ways to overcome differences is the only way we can make progress as two states and as a country.” 

Republican Governor Parson stated, “It’s important to us to work together with our peers in Kansas to support the growth of the entire Kansas City Region.  In 2019, we came together to end the Kansas City Border War and to support the relocation of two key USDA agencies to Kansas City. In 2021, we collaborated on the National Security Crossroads initiative. While there are plenty of things we do agree on, we understand that there are plenty that we don’t too. As the 2024 election cycle heats up, we want to show the people of Missouri and Kansas that even when we disagree, we can disagree better.“ 

The initiative was launched in July and it’s aimed at changing the political behavior of both voters and elected officials, showing that the right kind of conflict often leads to better policy, can be more successful politically than negative campaigning, and is the pathway to restoring trust in our political institutions.