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(CNN) – The political arm for the nation's Democratic governors named Delaware Gov. Jack Markell its new chairman Wednesday, entrusting him with protecting 19 seats in 2010 as he also tries to help elect Democrats win 18 seats currently held by Republicans.

Markell takes the reins of the Democratic Governors Association (DGA) from Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer. Markell, who was elected in 2008, heads into a critical midterm election where control of redistricting is on the line.

"The American people haven't forgotten who drove the country into the ditch," Schweitzer said at a news briefing. "If their story is we're going to go back to the good old days of Bush and Cheney, they're going to lose more elections in this cycle than any in history."

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour is the chairman of the Republican Governors Association.

Washington (CNN) – In the early days of his campaign for governor in Virginia, Republican Bob McDonnell hired veteran GOP pollster Glen Bolger to take the pulse of the state's notoriously independent-minded voters.

Bolger asked voters if they'd rather elect of governor who would work with President Obama to implement his plans for the economy, or a governor who would serve as a check on Democrats in Washington.

Fifty-five percent wanted a governor who planned to stand up the president, Bolger discovered, while just 35 percent desired someone who would help the White House. It wasn't what he'd expected to find.

"I was kind surprised by that result, because I thought people would say that's not really a factor in the governor's race," Bolger said, noting that McDonnell won the race by a similar margin. "But people saw it as almost like Democrats are oversteering too much in one direction, and they wanted correction."

After dismal election cycles in 2006 and 2008, Republicans are hoping that signs of discomfort with President Obama's agenda will translate into big gains in governor's mansions around the country next November. They point to off-year wins this month in Virginia and New Jersey as early proof that a backlash against Democratic overreach in Washington is underway.

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WASHINGTON (CNN) - The Republican Governors Association Tuesday announced it raised more than $12.2 million dollars for the first six months of the year.

The RGA's announcement came just hours after the Democratic Governors Association announced that they raised a record-breaking $11.6 million in the first six months of the year.

The RGA also reported having a record $20.4 million cash on hand.

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Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, the DGA's chairman, upped the ante for the next round of campaigns.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - The Democratic Governors Association raised $5.3 million in the first three months of 2009, the group announced Wednesday - the largest amount of money the committee has ever collected in the first quarter of an off-year cycle.

The DGA raised $23 million in 2008. But Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, the DGA's chairman, upped the ante for the next round of campaigns, calling the upcoming gubernatorial races in 2009 and 2010 "once-in-a-generation elections."

While 36 governorships are up for grabs in the 2010 midterms, two governorships are at stake this November: in Virginia (an open seat) and in New Jersey (where incumbent governor Jon Corzine will have the ability to spend millions from his own pockets to defeat his Republican challenger).

That means the DGA's cash could be especially useful for the eventual Democratic nominee in Virginia, who will emerge on June 9 after what is shaping up to be a long and costly three-way primary battle. The winner will face the Republican candidate, Bob McDonnell, who has no primary challenger and has so far avoided spending a significant chuck of his war chest.

(Updated after the jump with Republican response)

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Schweitzer will chair the DGA.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – The Democratic Governor's Association announced Wednesday that Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer will take over as the group's chairman, replacing West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin.

Schweitzer, a bolo tie-wearing moderate who handily won a second term as governor in November, was elected at the DGA's annual winter meeting, with Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley winning the post of vice-chair.

Both men have taken active roles in the DGA, and each said they look forward to working with President-elect Obama as a partner.

The Montana governor is perhaps best known nationally for delivering an electrifying speech to the Democratic National Convention in August, stealing the show on a night when former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner was supposed to be the headliner, but delivered a relatively lackluster keynote address.

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