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Election could tip historic number of legislatures into Republican hands
The Washington Post ^ | october 29, 2014 | Reid Wilson

Posted on 10/29/2014 4:00:30 PM PDT by Clintonfatigued

Republicans have the opportunity to take control of a record number of state legislative chambers across the country this year, as Democrats play defense in unfavorable terrain.

The Republican landslide in 2010 and the subsequent redistricting process in 2012 gave the GOP control of a nearly unprecedented number of legislative chambers. Today, the party controls 59 of the 98 partisan chambers in 49 states, while Democrats control only 39 chambers (One legislature, Nebraska’s is officially nonpartisan).

Once election results are tabulated in the 6,049 legislative races on the ballot in 46 states this year, Republicans could find themselves running even more.

If Iowa Democrats can’t hang on to control of the state Senate, Gov. Terry Branstad (R) will be freer to pursue an ambitious agenda. If Arkansas Republicans keep control of the state House and win the governor’s mansion, the future of that state’s unique approach to Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act is at risk. In Kentucky, Sen. Rand Paul (R) could take advantage of a Republican state legislature to change a law that prevents him from running for president and re-election to the U.S. Senate at the same time.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2014; elections; legislators; state
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1 posted on 10/29/2014 4:00:30 PM PDT by Clintonfatigued
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To: fieldmarshaldj; AuH2ORepublican; Impy; GOPsterinMA; randita; Sun; LdSentinal; ExTexasRedhead; ...

The good news is coming in so fast, it leaves me reeling. I’m having trouble taking it all in. I just hope the conservative grass roots doesn’t become overconfident, as we need them now more than ever.


2 posted on 10/29/2014 4:01:51 PM PDT by Clintonfatigued (The War on Drugs is Big Government statism)
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To: Clintonfatigued

Good. DIMocRATs are degenerates and chronic liars. They should never be given any position of authority or responsibility.


3 posted on 10/29/2014 4:01:58 PM PDT by hal ogen (First Amendment or Reeducation Camp?)
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To: Clintonfatigued

Now, if only “Republican” meant what is used to mean.


4 posted on 10/29/2014 4:02:17 PM PDT by gorush (History repeats itself because human nature is static)
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To: Clintonfatigued

These are more important especially for convention of states.


5 posted on 10/29/2014 4:03:12 PM PDT by scbison
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To: Jacquerie

Read Post #5.


6 posted on 10/29/2014 4:03:52 PM PDT by Publius ("Who is John Galt?" by Billthedrill and Publius now available at Amazon.)
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To: Clintonfatigued

I already have my champagne in the refrigerator. I’ll pick up the smoked salmon and crusty French bread on Tuesday morning.


7 posted on 10/29/2014 4:04:50 PM PDT by Publius ("Who is John Galt?" by Billthedrill and Publius now available at Amazon.)
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To: scbison

Please wait til the fat lady sings. Don’t count your chickens...


8 posted on 10/29/2014 4:05:16 PM PDT by IM2MAD (IM2MAD=Individual Motivated 2 Make A Difference)
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To: IM2MAD

I predict record voter fraud.
Our guy is winning... oops, their guy won.


9 posted on 10/29/2014 4:10:24 PM PDT by SpaceBar
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To: Clintonfatigued

Overconfident? No.

Non-plussed? Yes.

“Meet the new boss, same as the old boss” I gots da GOPe blues


10 posted on 10/29/2014 4:14:55 PM PDT by Uncle Miltie (I'M WITH CRUZ!)
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To: SpaceBar

http://www.inquisitr.com/1567557/vote-flipping-shows-up-in-early-voting-in-illinois-and-maryland-2014-voter-fraud-looms/


11 posted on 10/29/2014 4:16:34 PM PDT by Salamander (People will stare. Make it worth their while.)
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12 posted on 10/29/2014 4:49:26 PM PDT by RedMDer (May we always be happy and may our enemies always know it. - Sarah Palin, 10-18-2010)
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To: Clintonfatigued
Unless, of course, there is voter fraud. Then not only do we not get the Senate, we lose House seats.

You have to ask why Obama is holding so many issues until after the election, instead of trying to ram them home while he still has a last chance. It's because, like his off-the-microphone comment to Putin...."I'll be in a better position after the election".

I feel uneasy, like I did during the heady days of Romney's favorable polls.

13 posted on 10/29/2014 5:00:06 PM PDT by Scooter100
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To: Clintonfatigued

Where we really need to be focused is upon county registrars. Election fraud must end forever. That means going back to paper ballots with machines too dumb to tweak the counting.


14 posted on 10/29/2014 5:33:40 PM PDT by Carry_Okie (The tree of liberty needs a rope.)
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To: Clintonfatigued; campaignPete R-CT; BillyBoy; AuH2ORepublican; randita; SoFloFreeper; Sun; ...

Rarely gets talked about but this is very very very very very very very (I could go on) important. To take over chambers especially but also to gain seats in chambers we have no chance to win (like in IL and Cali), and pad our majorities in chambers we already have, every seat makes a difference.

Any news on the NY Senate, Sun?


15 posted on 10/29/2014 6:13:21 PM PDT by Impy (Voting democrat out of spite? Then you are America's enemy, like every other rat voter.)
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To: Impy

I agree. A misunderstood and forgotten gain of the 2010 elections was the gains at state levels.


16 posted on 10/29/2014 6:15:30 PM PDT by SoFloFreeper
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To: Clintonfatigued; All

Good. GOPers at the state level *tend* to be better than their national counterparts, and the states are where the bulk of power really should lay anywise, and hence are important for the Right to control.


17 posted on 10/29/2014 6:16:49 PM PDT by Yashcheritsiy (It's time to Repeal and Replace the Republican Party)
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To: SoFloFreeper

Which paid dividends in redistricting which made it easier to keep the House.


18 posted on 10/29/2014 6:18:16 PM PDT by Impy (Voting democrat out of spite? Then you are America's enemy, like every other rat voter.)
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To: Clintonfatigued

“Republicans could find themselves running even more.”

Which seems to scare a LOT of them to pieces.

Lead, Follow...OR GET OUT OF THE WAY!


19 posted on 10/29/2014 6:56:34 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set...)
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To: Uncle Miltie

Mitch McConnell is the reason why Republicans are underperforming this year. He, more than anyone else, is the reason why a massive GOP wave hasn’t materialized.

First, McConnell refused to outline a conservative agenda for Republicans. If you ask Americans what Republicans will do if they win a majority, most don’t know.

And if you ask Senator McConnell, he won’t tell you. In fact, last week he was asked what Republicans would do to fix Social Security and he refused to say.

Republicans will probably still win a Senate majority this year, but only because the President is so unpopular. A GOP majority will not be because Republicans gave voters a compelling alternative.

We’re going to win by beating something bad with nothing. Imagine how good the Republican prospects would be if we were beating something bad – the President’s agenda – with something good – a conservative, limited government agenda that expands freedom and opportunity for everyone.

Second, McConnell selfishly sucked over $50 million into his own campaign – money that could have been used to help elect other Republicans if he had retired and allowed a more electable Republican to run instead.

Remember, McConnell pushed former Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY) to retire in 2010 for the good of the party, but failed to take his own advice this year.

Third, McConnell violently attacked conservatives in his own party, vowing to “punch” them “in the nose” and to “crush” them “everywhere.” His attacks on conservatives have demoralized the party’s most loyal supporters.

He even personally donated $65,000 and helped raise over $800,000 for Senator Thad Cochran’s race-baiting campaign in Mississippi that used Democrats to hijack a Republican primary.

There is no better example of an underperforming Republican candidate this year than Mitch McConnell.

McConnell is running in a state that President Obama lost by 23 points, he has a mountain of money, and he’s poised to become the Majority Leader if he wins.

He should be way ahead of his Democratic challenger right now. Instead, he’s locked in an extremely tight race – so tight that he was forced to loan his campaign $1.8 million last week. It’s embarrassing.

The only good news is that Republicans will most likely win enough seats to gain a majority even if Mitch McConnell loses next week.

And if Republicans don’t win a majority, it will be the biggest GOP establishment failure in our lifetime – even bigger than Mitt Romney’s loss in 2012.

Charles Krauthammer said, “If the GOP can’t win back the Senate in the climate like this, maybe the party ought to look for another country.”

Actually, they should look for another leader.

http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=75124207697efe9a19ed9a724&id=6beee12bb5&e=91b7257d42


20 posted on 10/29/2014 6:58:46 PM PDT by TurboZamboni (Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.-JFK)
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