SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — A group of Republican governors facing re-election next year are emphasizing their work to steer their states through tough economic times — all while trying to avoid the stigma of Washington gridlock.

For Republicans, the 2014 elections could serve as a test case for the public’s appetite for tax cuts and the curbing of benefits for public sector unions.

Many of the biggest fights for the GOP incumbents will come in places like Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — states carried by President Barack Obama last year.

More than two dozen governors are gathering this week in Arizona for the annual meeting of the Republican Governors Association. They say their work offers a stark contrast to Washington dysfunction.

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