The Texas Democrat wants to work with the president to legalize marijuana. His election could also bring a fresh voice and a different generation of thinking to Texas’ approach to cannabis policy in Washington.
Everyone is talking about the change in Congress after Tuesday, but there is another group who will be giving a new directions – Governors. A big change is the average ago of outgoing governess is 70.3, the average age of incoming is 45.7, reflecting the country moving forward. Governors could be the next big force in cannabis reform. Here is a take on the three, pro-plant ones who are coming into office.
Governors cannot legalize marijuana on their own in most states. They need lawmakers to pass legislation, and they still have to work through the usual political fights over taxes, regulation, public health and criminal justice. But they aren’t powerless. They can make legalization a budget priority, push lawmakers to take up bills, appoint regulators, direct agencies, sign or veto legislation and, in some states, use clemency powers to address past convictions.
A handful of states could see those powers put to the test in 2027.
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Wisconsin may offer one of the clearest examples of what can happen when a governor’s position and legislative control line up.
Governor-elect David Crowley has supported full adult-use legalization, arguing Wisconsin is losing tax revenue and business opportunities to neighboring states. During the campaign, he pointed to the money Wisconsin residents spend in Illinois and other states with legal cannabis markets. He also discussed using potential tax revenue to support health care.
Crowley has talked about a regulated system with age restrictions, product testing, clear labeling and safeguards to keep cannabis away from children. This is more than a general expression of support; it gives lawmakers a starting point for movement.
The election also changed the political landscape. Democrats won control of both chambers of the Wisconsin Legislature, giving the party unified control of state government for the first time in 16 years. This means Crowley could work with lawmakers who are more receptive to a legalization bill rather than trying to persuade a Republican-controlled Legislature to take it up.
He will still need to negotiate the details, but Wisconsin enters 2027 with a governor and Legislature who have publicly discussed moving toward full legalization.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro doesn’t need an introduction to the cannabis debate. He has repeatedly asked lawmakers to legalize adult-use marijuana and has included projected cannabis revenue in his state budget proposals.
His 2026-27 budget estimated regulated adult-use sales could generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue, with funding also directed toward restorative justice and opportunities for small and diverse businesses. The proposal did not become law, largely because the Republican-controlled Senate had blocked earlier efforts.
The political obstacle has changed. Democrats won control of the Pennsylvania Senate in November, giving Shapiro a Democratic trifecta with the governor’s office and state House.
The governor can now work with legislative leaders to turn his budget proposal into a bill, negotiate a regulatory framework and put his signature on legislation if it reaches his desk. Lawmakers will still have to agree on the details, including licensing, taxation, expungement and how to structure the market.
Shapiro has been making the case for legalization for years. The new Senate majority gives the effort a different legislative setting.
North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein has taken a somewhat different route. Rather than simply calling for legalization, he established an Advisory Council on Cannabis to examine how the state should handle the existing market and possible regulation.
The council’s work has focused on creating a legal, regulated market for adults, protecting young people, establishing oversight and enforcement, supporting public health and considering how to address past possession convictions.
Stein has described the state’s current unregulated market as a problem needing a clear framework. His administration’s council has given lawmakers a set of recommendations to work from.
The election changed the Legislature, too: Democrats flipped the North Carolina House, although Republicans retain control of the Senate. Stein can use the council’s findings to press for legislation, but he will need support from lawmakers on the other side of the aisle.
This makes North Carolina a case where the governor can help shape the policy and build a public record for reform, even if he cannot guarantee passage.
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Iowa’s incoming governor, Rob Sand, campaigned on legalizing, taxing and regulating adult-use cannabis. His proposal is unusually specific.
Sand has outlined a system which would regulate cannabis much like alcohol, establish a licensing process, set age limits and product standards, restrict advertising and prohibit public consumption. He has also proposed prioritizing small and midsize Iowa farms for cultivation licenses and reversing the state’s restrictions on consumable hemp products.
Sand’s argument is partly economic: Iowans already cross state lines to buy legal cannabis, sending their money to neighboring states. He wants to keep the spending in Iowa while creating opportunities for farmers and small businesses.
As governor, Sand could make legalization a central legislative priority, work with lawmakers on the regulatory structure and use the budget process to explain how the state might benefit. But Iowa’s Republican-controlled Legislature remains a significant part of the equation. A governor’s plan does not become law simply because it is detailed.
The coming session will show whether Sand can find enough support across the aisle to move it forward.
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Hawaii Gov. Josh Green has indicated support for a carefully regulated adult-use cannabis system, with an emphasis on public health protections.
In a 2026 candidate survey, Green supported placing regulatory and licensing authority under the state Department of Health if recreational cannabis is legalized. He has said cannabis policy should be guided by harm reduction, prevention, treatment access and safeguards for young people.
That position matters because the agency responsible for cannabis regulation can influence everything from product testing and labeling to public education and enforcement. Green can also use his office to negotiate with lawmakers over the structure of a legalization bill.
Hawaii has considered adult-use legislation before, but getting a proposal through the Legislature remains the central challenge. Green’s support could help keep the issue on the agenda, particularly if lawmakers can agree on a public-health-centered model.
The next year could bring very different cannabis debates in these states. Wisconsin and Pennsylvania have new legislative majorities aligned with governors who support adult-use legalization. Iowa has an incoming governor with a detailed proposal, but a Legislature controlled by the other party. Texas has new leadership and a divided political structure. North Carolina has a regulatory blueprint but still needs bipartisan legislative support. Hawaii continues to weigh how a legal market might be structured.
Governors can set priorities, put money behind proposals, appoint people who shape regulation and use the visibility of their office to keep an issue in front of lawmakers. They can also use clemency powers where state law allows, although that authority does not replace the broader work of changing cannabis statutes.
The difference between a campaign promise and a functioning legal market is legislation. But governors help decide whether that legislation gets serious attention, how it is written and whether it ultimately reaches a desk for a signature.
For cannabis reform, the governors’ offices may be where some of the most consequential state-level decisions begin.
