From Stateline.org:
Republicans won smashing victories in state legislatures yesterday, capturing an outright majority of the nation’s legislative seats and the largest majority for the party since 1928.
As of noon Eastern Time, Republicans had taken about 18 legislative chambers from Democrats, with more statehouses hanging in the balance. Democrats hadn’t picked up a single chamber from Republicans. So Republicans will have the upper hand when it comes to shaping state policy in the coming years. They’ll also be in charge in most states as policymakers redraw legislative and congressional district lines next year.
In historical terms, the most dramatic wins for the Republicans were in the South. As recently as 20 years ago, long after the region had begun voting Republican in presidential elections, Democrats held every Southern legislative chamber. After last night, Republicans will control a majority of the region’s legislative chambers for the first time since Reconstruction.
The GOP took both the North Carolina Senate and North Carolina House from the Democrats, winning the Senate for the first time since 1870. The party won both houses of the Alabama Legislature from the Democrats, which will also give the Republicans control there for the first time since Reconstruction. In Oklahoma, Republicans retained their control of the Legislature, which, coupled with their win in the governor’s race, will give the GOP complete control of state government for the first time ever. In Tennessee the story was similar: Republicans won the governorship and solidified their control of the Legislature, putting them fully in charge of the state for the first time since Reconstruction.
Midwest reversal
Despite the history in the South, the GOP’s Midwest wins may end up being most consequential. Republicans will control both houses of the legislature in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin and Indiana. In all five states, Democrats entered the election with control of the lower house. In Wisconsin, they’d had the Senate, too. All those states also will have Republican governors come January, giving the party sizable opportunities to implement policy.
Read the whole thing here. The GOP gains in state house races is potentially more important than its historic gains in Congress. Next year, state legislatures will take on redistricting, adjusting congressional districts to meet new census numbers. The GOP has never been so well positioned to influence this process. The GOP’s 1994 victory came after a redistricting. This time, the GOP can solidify its wins.
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