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Posted on 11/12/2008 4:57:33 PM PST by sionnsar
Republicans in the state House of Representatives expect a net gain of one to two seats once votes from the Nov. 4 election are completely tallied, marking the first GOP gain in that chamber in more than a decade.
Ballots counted late Friday and over the weekend flipped the result in two House races that had been in Democrats’ favor. And one more still might flip into the GOP column.
If those three trends hold up, House Republicans would remain in the minority in January, but Democrats would see their majority reduced by two to 61-37, according to Kevin Carns, director of the House Republican Organizational Committee.
“We’re pretty happy. It’s the first net gain in 14 years for us in the House,” Carns said Monday.
In the Senate, four-term Sen. Marilyn Rasmussen was headed to defeat. The Eatonville Democrat trailed Republican Randi Becker by 1,810 votes as of the latest tally Monday night. That leaves Senate Democrats with one less seat than before but still with a commanding 31-18 majority.
Rep. Sam Hunt, the Democrats’ top organizer in the House, said he would be “disappointed” but not alarmed if Republicans reduce the Democratic majority.
“It’s hard to defend 60-plus seats,” said Hunt, an Olympia Democrat. He added that even if his caucus lost two seats, Democrats “still have a healthy majority” as they try to grapple with a budget shortfall that could be more than $4 billion.
Hunt chairs the House Democratic Caucus Campaign Committee that recruited candidates to defend more than a half-dozen seats formerly held by Democrats who retired or moved to the Senate. Hunt said ads from Republicans and the Building Industry Association of Washington tipped the scales in a couple of races.
Two races could require a recount.
In the 44th District of Snohomish County, Republican challenger Mike Hope overtook first-year Rep. Liz Loomis, D-Snohomish, by 118 votes.
In the 6th District in the Spokane area, Republican Rep. John Ahern trailed Democrat John Driscoll by just 63 votes.
In another race that had been in recount range, first-year Rep. Norma Smith, R-Clinton, opened a 450-vote lead over Democratic challenger Tim Knue in the 10th District that includes Whidbey Island.
A recount by machine would take place if the vote margin is less than 2,000 votes and less than 0.5 percent of ballots cast.
House Democrats appear happy with their leadership, despite the prospect of a lost seat or two. They met Sunday in Olympia and elected Democratic Rep. Frank Chopp of Seattle as their speaker and Rep. Lynn Kessler of Hoquiam as majority leader. They also re-elected four Rep. Bill Grant of Walla Walla as caucus chairman, Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos of Seattle as majority whip, Rep. Jeff Morris of Mount Vernon as speaker pro-tem, and Rep. Jim Moeller of Vancouver as deputy speaker pro tem.
Additional Democratic leaders will be picked during the Dec. 4-5 committee days.
House Republicans plan to elect leaders during a Nov. 20-21 meeting. Senate Democrats have their meeting Saturday, and Senate Republicans follow Nov. 20.
I've had numerous exchanges with Rep. John Ahern (for all that I'm not in his district) over the years and find him a good, honorable legislator.
In “blue State” Oregon, it also showed a shift in the Oregon State House and Senate. Out of a total of 8 seats up for grabs, Republicans took 7 out of 8. The only Democrat victory was a candidate that ran unopposed.
... and Obama, show us your birth certificate:
http://www.rallycongress.com/constitutional-qualification/1244
A minor miracle.
Even a little bit of good news is welcome.
Which is why I posted. All is not lost!!!!
I checked the SOS site. Randi Becker defeated Marilyn Rasmussen by 52% to 48%.
Unfortunately, Republicans narrowly lost the posts of state Land Commissioner (on a recount, I think) and Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Keep gaining even if you have a ways to go. In Texas the GOP took the state House of Representatives in 2002 with a 88-62 advantage. Every election since then, 04-06 and 08 the democrats have been gaining seats. Today they margin is GOP 76-74 with a possible flip in a seat that is being recounted which could make it a 75-75 split. The state senate maintains a strong GOP majority but with Texas requiring a 2/3rds concurrence in the senate to get a bill out the democrats still have vast power.
Good luck in WA.
Now it seems to be going that way on the national level.
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