New Mexico Gov. Lujan Grisham and Utah Gov. Cox discuss how to ‘disagree better’ across party lines

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham levied criticism Monday against the National Governors Association, which she characterized as “feckless.” 

Lujan Grisham said she has called its chair and vice chair and told them they are running an organization that has “zero courage.” Her comments, she said, stem from her frustration with the NGA’s lack of action on immigration reform “since its inception.”

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, called Lujan Grisham’s comments “fair,” but said he still thinks the NGA, for which he formerly served as chair, is an important organization. And Lujan Grisham said she’s stayed on the NGA, despite being “mad” at it, because of her respect for Cox.

The discussion about the NGA unfolded on stage at the University of Michigan in a conversation titled “Disagree Better,” moderated by Lynette Clemetson, director of the university’s Wallace House Center for Journalists. The pair had a similar public conversation last year at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana following the assassination of rightwing commentator Charlie Kirk. The most recent discussion follows publication this month of Cox’ book, “Off Ramp: How to Be a Peacemaker in an Age of Contempt.”

Lujan Grisham and Cox also worked together as chair and vice chair, respectively, of the Western Governors’ Association, which bills itself as a regional organization that advocates for bipartisan solutions, and which Lujan Grisham highlighted on Monday as a group that has helped create national policies.

The NGA, on the other hand, emerged as a topic when moderator Clemetson asked for examples of how Lujan Grisham and Cox had navigated disagreements.

“If we’re going to continue to let the federal government indiscriminately separate children and attack families, then I’m not in,” Lujan Grisham said about the NGA inaction on federal policy, adding that she thinks the organization is unable to take the initiative on the issue due to governors’ fear of federal backlash.

The Democratic governors of Kansas, Minnesota and Michigan all cut ties with the National Governors’ Association in 2025 over similar concerns.

Cox called Lujan Grisham’s comments a “fair argument,” but noted that he remained with the NGA to improve the organization in ways that “she would agree are better for our country.” Lujan Grisham said she did not pull her membership like other governors due to her trust in Cox.

When the governors were asked about a time when the other helped change their mind on an issue, Cox cited New Mexico’s universal childcare policy, saying that he is “challenging his priors” and “open” to the idea of pursuing the policy in Utah.

In response to the same question, Lujan Grisham said that she “looks to Utah and gets advice” from Cox and Utah First Lady Abby Cox on possible solutions to New Mexico’s challenges with public safety and child well-being. The state moved from last to 49th in the nation in child welfare earlier this year. 

“I need to keep doing things differently until we resolve those risks for every single child and every single family,” Lujan Grisham added.

The good natured conversation between Lujan Grisham and Cox, despite disagreements, highlighted the namesake of the event.

“We have had this toxic divide in our country where we don’t just disagree with someone—we detest them,” Cox said, adding that democracy thrives with willingness to have conversations across the aisle.

Of her colleague, Lujan Grisham said, “We need more people like Spencer Cox out in the world — folks interested enough to open the door to conversations about areas or subjects that we may not inherently agree with.”