Legislatures at a glance

11/10/2006

Published by: Star Tribune

Sources: Associated Press, New York Times, Washington Post, National Conference of State Legislatures, National Governors Association

Last update: November 09, 2006 – 8:33 PM

Voters on Tuesday turned the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate over to the Democrats. Approximately 275 Democrats picked up seats in state legislatures, giving them majorities in nine new chambers. Now the Democrats control both houses in 23 states. They also won 20 of the 36 gubernatorial races for a net gain of six in Arkansas, Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York and Ohio.

NORTHEAST

In the U.S. House and Senate, most seats continue to be held by Democrats. But Vermont maintained its independent streak, sending Bernie Sanders to the Senate to succeed the retiring fellow independent James Jeffords. Sanders will caucus with the Democrats.

Democrats took both houses in New Hampshire. Massachusetts became the second state to elect a black governor. New Yorkers switched to a Democratic governor.

But Vermont, Rhode Island and Connecticut will continue to have Republican governors.

Rhode Island voted to restore voting rights to felons once they are released from prison.

MID-ATLANTIC

Democrats picked up a U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania, and a majority of seats in neighboring states stayed blue. The Senate race in Virginia was very close but went into the Democrats’ column late Wednesday. Sen. George Allen’s concession on Thursday, gave certainty to the 51-49 majority for the Democratic caucus in the Senate.

There were a number of contested House races in Pennsylvania, where three Democrats toppled Republican incumbents. They gained a seat in North Carolina, sending former football pro Heath Shuler to Washington.

Maryland switched back to a Democratic governor.

In a closely watched ballot measure, Virginians banned gay marriage.

MIDWEST

This was a pick-up region for Democrats.

In Indiana, three Republican incumbents in the House lost their seats to Democrats. Democrats gained House seats in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois.

In legislatures, Democrats gained control of the House in Minnesota and Michigan, the Senate in Wisconsin and the House and Senate in Iowa. Senate seats did not change party hands here. Minnesota made history by electing its first female senator and sending the first Muslim to Congress.

Democrats picked up the governor’s office in Ohio.

South Dakotans rejected a law that would have banned abortions, even in cases of rape and incest; Wisconsin voters approved a measure to ban gay marriage, and voters in Michigan banned affirmative action.

SOUTH

Aside from three Democratic gains in the U.S. House and the governor’s office in Arkansas, the South is still painted mostly in red.

The Democrats picked up two House seats in Florida, including one that was recently vacated by Mark Foley. The region could have made history by electing its first black senator by popular vote, but Tennessee kept the seat in Republican hands. The seat was vacated by retiring Majority Leader Bill Frist.

A measure to ban same-sex marriage was approved in South Carolina.

PLAINS

This conservative region changed only a little.

In Missouri, voters elected Democrat Claire McCaskill to the Senate and replaced a Republican incumbent in the U.S. House.

It appeared that a measure to approve stem cell research also passed in Missouri.

ROCKIES

Colorado was the newsmaker here. Democrats picked up the governor’s seat and a U.S. House seat in the state. Colorado also passed a measure to restrict immigration and approved a same-sex marriage ban and a minimum wage increase.

Democrats made a high-profile Senate gain in Montana, where Jon Tester beat Republican Sen. Conrad Burns by a narrow margin.

SOUTHWEST

Republican Sen. Jon Kyl was reelected in a key race. Except for two seats in Arizona and one in Texas that went to Democrats, there were no party switches in the U.S. House in this region. One House race in New Mexico was still too close to call.

In an area in which immigration is a top issue, a measure to restrict immigration was approved by voters in Arizona. But voters didn’t think they should be worthy of a monetary reward for turning out to the polls and rejected a measure for a $1 million voter lottery.

PACIFIC COAST

This was another stronghold for Democrats.

Women continued to hold the top posts in Washington, which reelected Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell. Except for one House race in California, there were no party changes. Breaking the marble ceiling, California’s Rep. Nancy Pelosi will be the first female speaker of the House.

Democrats took the state House in Oregon; Republicans held the powerful California governor’s office, reelecting actor-turned-politician Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Abortion restrictions failed in Oregon and California