copyright 2009, The Washington Post AUSTIN -- From the smiling faces roaming the resort hotel to the upbeat pronouncements coming from the politicians, the opening of the Republican Governors Association meeting here is speaking to the new sense of optimism within the GOP as party leaders look toward the 2010 midterm elections. What buoyed their spirits was the addition of two new governors to their ranks: Robert McDonnell of Virginia and Chris Christie of New Jersey, both elected earlier this month. Other governors hailed those victories as the beginning of a turnaround for a party that had suffered drubbings in 2006 and 2008. Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, RGA chairman, noted that, with the addition of McDonnell and Christie, Republicans now hold 24 of the governorships. With 37 gubernatorial contests in 2010, he said, 'Our goal for next year is to get appreciably above a majority.' The governors devoted their opening plenary session Wednesday less to politics than to policy, an effort to assert for the governors a leading role in establishing a policy vision for the party and to dispel the charge from Democrats that, in Washington at least, the GOP has become 'the party of no' for its opposition to President Obama's agenda. 'Republican governors are making a difference and we are leading the comeback,' Barbour proclaimed. The governors continued that tack Thursday, stepping forward to sharply criticize Democratic health-care proposals as shifting significant costs to already fiscally strapped states and doing nothing to contain rising medical costs. Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty said the bills before Congress are an example of 'the federal government overreaching and trampling the prerogative of the states.' Texas Gov. Rick Perry added that the failure to include any concrete action to reduce medical malpractice costs represents a major deficiency. The governors said they are particularly concerned because the health care bills significantly expand access to Medicaid, which will require states to pick up a share of the costs. They also argued that it is not too late to enact legislation with bipartisan support, but only if the Democrats back away from the scope of what they are proposing. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal outlined 10 areas of potential common ground, from portability of insurance to greater assurance of coverage for those with preexisting conditions. Democrats, Jindal said, have talked about bending the cost curve on health care. 'They do bend the curve,' he said. 'Unfortunately they bend them up, not down.' Wednesday's opening session showcased a group of current or prospective governors, who made the case that the conservative ideals of low taxes, restrained spending and faith in free markets would do a far better job of solving the problems of health care, dependence on foreign oil and rising unemployment than would the prescriptions of Obama and the Democrats. 'When our citizens are experiencing flat or declining wages or layoffs or furloughs, and they're being asked as individuals or families or small businesses to live on the same amount of money or less than they did last year, they think it's reasonable that government should tighten its belt as well,' said Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Former Ohio Rep. John Kasich, now running for governor, said the Democrats' answer to the current economic recession is 'more spending and higher taxes,' adding, 'That's tragic for the United States.' Kasich pointed to the experience of the 1990s, when there was a balanced budget and a projected 10-year surplus of more than $5 trillion. What he didn't say was that those conditions were produced by cooperation between Republicans in Congress and President Bill Clinton around cutting spending, as well as a tax increase enacted by Clinton and congressional Democrats over the united opposition of the GOP. Perry offered an argument for governors to resist what he called one-size-fits-all solutions from Washington. 'I happen to think it's time for a substantial number of governors to have the courage and stand up and push back on Washington, D.C.,' he said. 