Annette Niemtzow


Democrats had a huge night on Tuesday with regard to state legislative races — which are little-watched but crucial for redistricting. Republican trifectas are where gerrymandering has happened.

Democrats have so far gained six "trifectas," or states where they control the governor's office and both chambers of the legislature.

The new trifectas are:

  • Colorado: Democrats won control of the Colorado Senate..
  • Illinois: Democrats won the governor's office with businessman J.B. Pritzker (D) defeating incumbent Bruce Rauner (R).
  • Maine: Democrats won control of the Maine Senate and took the governor's office with Maine Attorney General Janet Mills (D) defeating businessman Shawn Moody (R) and State Treasurer Teresea Hayes (I). Incumbent Gov. Paul LePage (R) was term-limited, leaving the seat open.
  • New Mexico: Democrats won the governor's office with U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) defeating U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce (R). Incumbent Gov. Susana Martinez (R) was prevented by term limits from seeking a third term, leaving the seat open. The new governor, the first Latina, is the cover photo on this post.
  • New York: Democrats won control of the New York Senate.
  • Nevada: Democrats won the governor's office with Steve Sisolak (D) defeating Adam Laxalt(R).

Those are added to the party's eight existing trifectas -Washington, Oregon, California, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey,Hawaii.

Dems also ended four Republican trifectas: Kansas, Michigan, New Hampshire and Wisconsin.

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, the party's arm that works on state legislative races, said that as of 3 a.m. ET, Democrats had won 333 previously Republican-held seats.

These state legislative battles were among Republicans' biggest successes during former President Barack Obama's tenure, a period in which they gained nearly 1,000 seats.

Democrats had been at a major disadvantage in state capitals heading into the 2018 midterm elections. But the party has also gained the governor's offices in 7 states: Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, New Mexico, Nevada and Wisconsin.

Michigan and Wisconsin are among the so-called battle ground states in Presidential elections.

The new trifecta count stands at 14 Democratic, 22 Democratic, 13 divided, and Georgia left to be decided based on the governor's race where Stacey Abrams may yet be elected the state's first African American female governor.

Challenges to Republican gerrymandering in North Carolina, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Florida and Virginia by Obama Attorney General Eric Holder helped the huge Democratic wins on November 6, 2018.

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November 8, 2018

I mashed this article up, taking phraseology and details primarily from CNN and Ballotpedia

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