Democrats Seen to Gain in Races for Statehouses

[DoYouEverWonder]

October 31, 2006

More than 6,000 state legislative seats in 46 states are on the ballot next Tuesday, and like the seismic state elections in 1994 and 1974, the cumulative impact of the outcomes could be immense, with Democrats possibly poised to take control of a majority of state capitols for the first time in a decade.

While the nation’s attention has been fixed on the question of which party will control Congress, another campaign season has been unfolding in the shadows — upstaged and overlooked, but more likely to affect the day-to-day life of voters than the big-money Congressional races.

Most significantly, the groundwork for redrawing Congressional districts after the 2010 census will be done under the 50 capitol domes, and the party in power will set the table for those discussions in ways favorable to its interests. Gains made this year, political analysts say, will help give incumbents a significant leg up in the final elections leading up to the redistricting.

If the Democrats take control of a majority of the legislatures, which polls indicate could happen, women could also attain leadership positions in greater numbers, since Democratic women in state capitals outnumber Republican women by nearly two to one. The next generation of national political leaders, by tradition, is nurtured in the state legislatures.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/31/us/politics/31legis.html?hp&ex=1162270800&en=496f35dcc3974d17&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[maseman]

1. Dr. Dean and the 50 state strategy

Payin' off baby! THis is the key to winning future elections. If elections are regulated by state government, then we need to own state government to ensure straight clean elections.

[Kingofalldems]

2. One word:

Redistricting

[bemildred]

3. Yes, indeed. nt

[Omaha Steve]

4. Democrats Are Seen to Gain in Statehouse Races

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/31/us/politics/31legis.html?ex=1162962000&en=a12831dee7899592&ei=5043&partner=EXCITE

By KIRK JOHNSON
Published: October 31, 2006

DES MOINES, Oct. 27 — More than 6,000 state legislative seats in 46 states are on the Nov. 7 ballot, and like the seismic state elections in 1994 and 1974 the cumulative impact of the outcomes could be immense, with Democrats possibly gaining control of a majority of state capitols for the first time in a decade.

While the nation’s attention has been fixed on the question of which party will control Congress, another campaign season has been unfolding in the shadows — upstaged and overlooked but more likely to affect the day-to-day life of voters than the big-money Congressional races.

Most significantly, the groundwork for redrawing Congressional districts after the 2010 census will be done under the 50 capitol domes, and the party in power will set the table for those discussions in ways favorable to its interests. Gains made this year, analysts say, will help give incumbents a leg up in the final elections leading up to the redistricting.


Brian Ray for The New York Times

Candidates for the Iowa Legislature answered questions at a forum in Waterloo last week. Analysts say local campaigns are getting rougher as control slips toward centralized parties or interest groups.


If the Democrats take control of a majority of the legislatures, which polls indicate could happen, women could also attain leadership positions in greater numbers, since Democratic women in state capitals outnumber Republican women by nearly two to one. The next generation of national political leaders, by tradition, is nurtured in the state legislatures.

FULL story at link above.

[JNelson6563]

5. Thanks for posting this important story

They doesn't carry the glitz and glam of the national races but they are truly CRUCIAL to our effort. I hope many DUers will do what they can to help out the many good Dems who are running for State Leg.

Keep an eye to the redistricting that will go on after 2010. R's gerrymandered the crap out our states after the 2000 census. When the time comes we must be in a position to remedy that.

Julie

[NMDemDist2]

6. i was telling DH about this last night, I did n't have any numbers but

was saying we need to win lots of statehouses if we want to clean up the jerrymandering and make the national races competitive again'

thanks for the info!

[Kolesar]

7. In Ohio, the Secretary of State,Auditor, & Gov determine redistricting

Each party gets to put one legislator on the five person redistricting board.
And I wouldn't say the Ohio statehouse has a "dome", either, I would describe it as more of a "hat box".

[rpannier]

8. Winning state elections are as, if not more, important than the national ones

[sutz12]

9. These races are critical...

They were a key ingrediant in the Republican takeover. We need to emulate this.

With more state offices in Dem hands, maybe we can squelch all of this creationism bullshit and start getting our schools back to teaching real science.

All politics is local.

[Demeter]

10. Statehouses and Governorships Make a Big Difference

in presidential elections, Constitutional Amendments, and Judicial appointments!

[IronLionZion]

11. All races are critical

in fact, local elections probably have a bigger impact on your life than the national ones. It's good that the Republican voters are so digusted with their own party that many will sit out the election. It's even better that Dean's 50-state strategy has placed good people in almost every election across America and we're ready for it.

Dr. Dean is sowing the seeds for tomorrow, a fiscally and socially responsible tomorrow. I can sense the pendulum swinging towards the left again.

When a rare bit of luck like this flies by we must jump up and catch it. How do we know when the luck is here? We don't. We just have to keep jumping.

Whether you are a lion or a gazelle, when the sun comes up you better be running.