Like most lame-duck Evangelical Republican governors elected in deeply red, low-turnout states simply because they outspent the competition, it appears Kevin Stitt is already plotting, positioning, and openly marketing his next political move on the national stage.
We know this thanks to editorials like the one Stitt recently submitted to The Hill.
Stitt—or his State Chamber handlers—likely crafted the piece to further position himself as a thought and policy leader, aiming to either: A) secure a spot in Trump’s cabinet should the former President win or attempt a coup following a defeat, and/or B) establish Stitt’s credentials as a legitimate presidential contender for 2028.
The editorial starts with Stitt making the standard conservative case for smaller government by complaining about pesky regulations and bureaucracies that protect us from the damage caused by greedy corporations.
Here's a snippet:
“There seems to be a notion that more rules equal more progress. But in reality, each brick we throw on the pile just buries the American Dream.
The federal permitting process plainly illustrates this counterproductive cycle. What started as a commitment to protecting our natural resources and people working in often dangerous environments turned into a weapon for activists. Now the U.S. is one of the slowest nations in the developed world at greenlighting new energy projects.
Endless litigious delays and overreaching environmental rules choke businesses. As a result, it can take years to get approval just to break ground. By the time you navigate all the hoops, the opportunity has passed. So instead of investing in America, businesses are forced to invest overseas, where they don’t face the same level of government delay and interference. That is not progress — it is a recipe for stagnation.”