In The News

Grand Ole Party time

Seats in 88 of the nation’s 99 state legislative chambers were on fall ballots with Republicans coming away the big victors. In the final election before congressional and legislative districts are redrawn for the next decade based on U.S. census counts from 2010, the GOP now claims 53 percent of the total state legislative seats – its largest number of seats since the 1920s.

There was significant changeover throughout the nation with partisan control shifting from Democrats to Republicans in 11 statehouses. The GOP now has the majority of both chambers in 25 states – up from 14. Democrats have the majority in 16 states – down from 27. Statehouses split between the parties dipped to four from eight, with Colorado, New York, Oregon and Washington too close to call.

Nebraska has a single-chamber legislature that is nonpartisan.

Republicans won new majorities in at least 18 chambers, including both chambers in Alabama, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Wisconsin. Maine and Wisconsin switched from complete Democratic control, including the statehouse and the governorship, before the election to complete Republican control.

Democrats failed to gain control of any chambers.

Republicans won the majority in the North Carolina House and Senate to give them control of both chambers for the first time since 1870. In Alabama, Republicans claimed control of the House and Senate for the first time since the Reconstruction era.

Also of note, Oklahoma Republicans retained control of the statehouse and with their win in the governor’s race, will give them complete control of state government for the first time in history. The same outcomes occurred in Tennessee, which gives the GOP full control of the state for the first time since Reconstruction.

Some analysts predict that the unified control in many statehouses will improve the likelihood that states are able to implement aggressive new policies.

For more November 2010 elections coverage from Land Line , click here .

Editor’s Note: Please share your thoughts with us about the topic included in this story. Comments may be sent to [email protected] .

www.LandLineMag.com