DGA Chair Gov. Joe Manchin (W.Va.) and Executive Director Nathan Daschle today congratulated Gov. Janet Napolitano (Ariz.) on being nominated to serve as the next Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Media Matters today reports that Newt Gingrich falsely claimed that the Republican Governors of Indiana and Utah have earned the “lowest unemployment rates in their respective regions.” But, according to the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics records, neither Utah nor Indiana has the lowest unemployment rate in its region, and several states with lower unemployment rates Democratic Governors.

Govs.-elect Bev Perdue in North Carolina and Jack Markell in Delaware don’t take office until January, but they’re not slowing down as they prepare to tackle the challenges they face and take their states to the next level.

This week, Democrats expanded our majority of governorships to 29, and the Republicans reduced their ranks to 21. Download this week’s Roundup from the Ground Up—Victory Edition.

After last night’s resounding victories have brought the number of Democratic Governors to the highest level since 1994, the Democratic Governors Association (DGA) stands ready to work with President-elect Barack Obama. DGA Chair Gov. Joe Manchin said that Election Day capped off a tremendously successful year for the DGA.