To balance what appear to be the incoming, presumably conservative policies set to launch with President-elect Donald Trump, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Colorado Governor Jared Polis announced they will co-chair a new coalition called “Governors Safeguarding Democracy.” This coalition, predominantly comprised of states led by Democrats, is a powerful symbol of unity and a strong front against the policies Trump said he would enact, spanning from immigration controls to environmental protections.

Democratic States Unite Against Trump’s Agenda

The Governors Safeguarding Democracy coalition was founded as bipartisan but now consists mainly of virtually all Democratic governors. The alliance represents growing concern among Democratic leaders over what they believe the new administration will do. On announcing the group, Colorado Governor Jared Polis stated, “We founded the group because we know that simple hope alone won’t save our democracy. We must work together to protect and strengthen it, especially at the state level.”

The declaration comes after Trump’s decisive victory over the Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in last week’s election. During his campaign, Trump spelled out his intent to vigorously pursue conservative policies such as deporting millions of undocumented immigrants, investigating and prosecuting the political opposition using the law-enforcement arm of the federal government, and abolishing diversity programs at higher educational institutions.

Plans to Resist: Details Remain Vague

The formation of this coalition suggests a willingness to push back, but Pritzker and Polis have yet to provide clear answers as to what the governor will do. Governors Safeguarding Democracy is positioning itself above politics, with Pritzker said to be engaged in ongoing “good conversations” with Republican governors but refusing to say who might join the effort. The coalition will coordinate with other Democratic leaders who have publicly pledged their opposition to the changes being pushed under the new administration.

State-Level Resistance on the Rise

This is just one of several moves by Democratic officials to prepare for resistance to Trump policy initiatives. California Governor Gavin Newsom has just requested a special session of the legislature to deal with issues he believes betray the core of California values, such as civil rights, immigration, and climate protection. Trump shot back at Newsom on social media, accusing him of attempting to sabotage California.

Meanwhile, Governor-elect Bob Ferguson of Washington—who is currently the state’s attorney general—has prepared his legal team to fight expected Trump policies. New York Governor Kathy Hochul has allied herself with her state’s attorney general to protect “fundamental freedoms” for New Yorkers. Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell said that she and other Democratic attorneys are “on the front lines to protect our fundamental rights and freedoms” against what many expect will be a conservative agenda under Donald Trump.

Legal Battles Expected as States Gear Up for a Showdown

Democratic-controlled states have often used lawsuits, public statements, and state-level policies to challenge federal actions from previous Republican administrations. Yet in Trump’s first term, the Democratic states faced a fervor of challenges on conservative agendas in using lawsuits, public statements, and further state-level policies. Nevertheless, Trump has attained severe strides in the country through energy and immigration policies. The Governors’ coalition Safeguard Democracy is expected to be more aggressive in this election cycle, perhaps from past attempts and aspects towards building a more comprehensive resistance network.

 Republican Response Still Ambiguous

The Trump transition team declined to comment on the coalition, and it is impossible to know if it will effectively force a retraction. Republican states have long served as testing grounds for Democrat administrations- nothing if not an example of which is Texas, where Attorney General Ken Paxton marked his 100th lawsuit against outgoing President Joe Biden’s administration this week, well over a century-long tradition of resistance to Federal policy at the state level.

For now, the Governors Safeguarding Democracy coalition represents a preemptive effort to check the incoming administration’s power, underscoring the growing tensions between state and federal governments as a new chapter in US politics begins.