The Iowa Republican spoke during the summer meeting of the National Governors Association in Des Moines.
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Presidential politics also will be in the air, as Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton get closer to choosing running mates.
“He’s smart, and he’s principled”, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said.
A new governor, like Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts, said he’s at the summit to learn from others like Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, the longest-serving governor in US history. He says governors can help create a pipeline to fill them. The sessions continue Saturday, ending with a fun event at the State Fairgrounds with the band 3 Dog Night. The Iowa theme will extend to speakers that include Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert speaks during a news conference at the National Governors Association meeting, Friday, July 15, 2016, in Des Moines, Iowa.
Throughout the week, governors are expected to privately discuss the relationship between minorities and police following the fatal shootings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota and of five officers in Dallas by a sniper. He says states are facing constant hacking attempts.
The nonpartisan group advocates on behalf of the governors.
Baker was among at least 45 governors to sign a compact to fight opioid addiction committing to fighting the epidemic, fueled by the overprescribing of prescription pain relievers.
McAuliffe is the current vice-chairman of the group, and said he will spend his coming year as chairman promoting the need for states to address cybersecurity concerns.
McAuliffe says governors have a responsibility to protect the confidential information states keep on their citizens, including tax and health records. Almost all of the governors signed a compact this week in which they committed to taking action to reduce the overprescribing of prescription drugs, raising awareness about the problem and promoting treatment for those already addicted.
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The Democrat says Virginia’s computer systems have faced 53 million cyberattacks this year – one about every four seconds.
