TOPEKA— Today, Governor Laura Kelly joined Missouri Governor Mike Parson to announce their participation in the National Governors Association’s (NGA) Disagree Better initiative. Both Governors recently sat down at Q39 Midtown for some Kansas City BBQ to discuss areas of common ground as well as how to disagree better. 

“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,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “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.” 

“It’s important to us to work together with our peers in Kansas to support the growth of the entire Kansas City Region,” said Governor Mike Parson. “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.“ 

Watch this short video to view the conversation:  

To view or download the video with closed captions, click here. 

*For TV stations needing a clean version of the PSA, click here.  

Governors Kelly and Parson encourage Americans to find common ground where possible and agree to disagree better. They are also encouraged to follow the #DisagreeBetter hashtag on social media to learn more about the initiative.

Disagree Better Initiative 

Launched in July, Disagree Better is a yearlong initiative to help Americans learn the skills of healthy conflict. The effort aims to change 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. Learn more about the initiative here.  

National Governors Association 

Founded in 1908, the National Governors Association (NGA) is the voice of the nation’s governors and one of the most respected public policy organizations in the country. The association’s members are the governors of the 55 states, territories and commonwealths. Members come to the association from across the political spectrum, but NGA itself is bipartisan. Learn more about the NGA here.