More Democratic governors, too

Maybe Iraq and GOP corruption explain the power shift at the U.S. Capitol. But what to make of the Democratic gains of governorships? They took 20 of 36 races Tuesday night, including in swing states Ohio, Pennsylvania and Colorado, and broke long-held GOP grips on the jobs in Massachusetts, New York and Arkansas. That means 28 of the nation’s governors will be Democrats come January, the same number as have been Republicans. The winning Dems, of course, include Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, the first woman governor to win re-election in Kansas and the first Democrat to get two terms since John Carlin in 1982.
New Mexico’s Democratic Gov. Bill Richardson, who was re-elected Tuesday, credited the party’s changed profile: “Now we’re a more centrist, national party who can show victories across the country.”
Posted by Rhonda Holman

14 Comments

  1. gastr1
    Posted November 10, 2006 at 6:43 am | Permalink

    You had your chance, Republicans, and you TOTALLY f’d things up!You got what you deserved. Now get out of the way while the Democrats fix this mess of a country you’ve left us.

  2. TRACY
    Posted November 10, 2006 at 6:53 am | Permalink

    CAN WE BE A BLUE STATE NOW?PRETTY PLEASE?

  3. Erik
    Posted November 10, 2006 at 7:41 am | Permalink

    I think we an unofficially call ourselves a blue state. We got rid of Ryun and Kline, thats a big start.

    *munches on lox*

  4. Erik
    Posted November 10, 2006 at 7:42 am | Permalink

    Fridays.. That should be “I think we CAN call ourselves, unofficially, a blue state”

    Must wake up!

  5. Erik
    Posted November 10, 2006 at 7:49 am | Permalink

    Fridays.. That should be “I think we CAN call ourselves, unofficially, a blue state”

    Must wake up!

  6. ksfarmgrrl
    Posted November 10, 2006 at 9:03 am | Permalink

    Yep it’s Friday.

    RAMEN!!!!!!!

  7. Vaughn Tolle
    Posted November 10, 2006 at 9:10 am | Permalink

    One thing the election of more Dem govs brings to the table is as follows: many of them are either first termers or in states without term limits. Thus, by projection, given the difficulty in defeating an incumbent governor, when the results of the 2010 census are in, requiring the redrawing of districts to reflect population change, there is a real chance of redistricting being done to protect Dem incumbents, etc. As I understand it, not only are there more Dem govs, but there was an overall increase in the number of Dems in state legislatures, which, given “normal” history, strengthens the redistricting potential. Kinda like Tom DeLay from the other side.

  8. ksfarmgrrl
    Posted November 10, 2006 at 9:18 am | Permalink

    “there is a real chance of redistricting being done to protect Dem incumbents, etc.”

    Ya know, another way to look at it is that “there is a real chance of redistricting being done to UNDO the partisan damage done by the republicans”.

  9. TRACY
    Posted November 10, 2006 at 9:22 am | Permalink

    Redistricting is probably the main reason that my local newspapers did not endorse Ryun.

  10. hmmm ...
    Posted November 10, 2006 at 9:23 am | Permalink

    Lets hope you are correct VT. I’d love to see the Dems “DeLay” the Republicans right back!

  11. CF
    Posted November 10, 2006 at 9:31 am | Permalink

    Dear Republicans,

    We kicked your asses!We kicked your asses!Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah!Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah!

    So much for Karl Rove’s ‘ten thousand year reich’–er, I mean, ‘permanent Republican majority.’

  12. WichiWomn
    Posted November 10, 2006 at 11:53 am | Permalink

    Tracy,May I ask in what area you live?

  13. Joe Williams
    Posted November 10, 2006 at 12:20 pm | Permalink

    I guess the Crips and Bloods are still alive and well.

  14. Joe Williams
    Posted November 10, 2006 at 12:21 pm | Permalink

    I guess the Crips and Bloods are still alive and well.