Posted on 10/29/2014 10:32:50 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Oh, OK. You’re not too concerned about the upcoming midterm elections on Nov. 4. You don’t mind sitting this cycle out because you’ve convinced yourself that presidential elections are what matters the most.
Think again.
In addition to a slate of U.S. Senate races that could determine which party controls Congress for the next two years, there are dozens of statewide positions that voters will be able to cast a ballot for on Tuesday, and the individuals who are elected to those posts have the power to affect your life, at times more directly than the president or Congress. Here are a few examples of how state politics have brought about significant changes in people’s lives. It’s why everyone ought to take an interest in the candidates who may be filling these very important positions.
1. Secretaries of state—lest we forget Florida’s recount in 2000.
When the entire nation was utterly confused about who won the most electoral votes in Florida during the 2000 presidential election—Al Gore or George W. Bush—it was Katherine Harris, Florida’s secretary of state, who presided over the state’s recount. Scorned Democratic operatives will tell you that Harris purposely stopped the recount when Bush was ahead, knowing that the courts wouldn’t give the impacted districts the green light to keep counting ballots—a scenario that might have put Gore back on top. Political observers credit Harris for Bush’s last-minute victory in the Sunshine State and his emergence as the 43rd president of the United States. What if all of the votes were counted and Gore had become president?
2. Governors—because Missouri’s Gov. Jay Nixon thought to appoint a leader that could empathize with the protesters in Ferguson....
(Excerpt) Read more at theroot.com ...
Diana??
The most important down-ballot name to me is Geo. P Bush for TX Land Commissioner. This is a case of the Bush machine trying to buy Gee O Pee a ‘starter office’ for which he has no qualifications. I will be voting for the opposition. No American Royalty! No More Bushes!
The author is correct. Down ticket offices are important. Barbara Mikulski got its start on the Baltimore City Council.
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