Democrats running for governor are pitching legal weed in red-leaning states

Pennsylvania isn't the only governor's race where weed is on the table. In three Midwestern states with no legal adult-use market, Democratic nominees are making cannabis part of the pitch.

Kansas: State Sen. Cindy Holscher says Kansas should legalize and stop watching tax dollars cross the border into Missouri. She'd spend the money on special education, free school lunches and infrastructure. She's also hammering her opponent, Senate President Ty Masterson, for the Senate's role in killing a 2021 medical bill that had passed the House. Masterson called medical legalization a "nonstarter" in 2024.

Wisconsin: Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley wants legalization revenue to help pay for free pre-K and expanded BadgerCare. Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany prefers a "go-slow approach" and backs a tightly controlled medical program. Republicans control both chambers of the Legislature, where reform bills keep dying.

Nebraska: Voters approved medical marijuana two years ago, and there's still no working program. Democrat Lynne Walz says she'd sign an executive order on day one to speed up patient access, and she floated replacing members of Gov. Jim Pillen's medical cannabis commission if they keep stalling.

Why it matters: Governors can't legalize on their own, but they control vetoes, appoint regulators and decide how fast a voter-approved program actually opens.