Republicans Expand Domination of State Legislatures

Ryan, who’s said he wants to be speaker in the new Congress, is not immune to ire from the Freedom Caucus and other Republicans upset over his refusal to campaign for Trump. (That includes Nebraska, which has a technically nonpartisan, single-chamber legislature.) The Democrats will be in full command in 13 states.

Tuesday was a huge day for Republicans and the impact felt in NY promises to be profound.

The last time the same political party controlled the White House and both houses of Congress was during Obama’s first two years in office, when the Democrats enacted the Affordable Care Act (a.k.a. Obamacare) with no input from the Republican minority.

The GOP also increased its majority of governorships from 33 to 31. Democrats would normally back the idea, but will be reluctant to lend any support to a Trump government.

But Republican governors won in Missouri and Vermont in races that had been considered toss-ups. As a result of yesterday’s vote, Republicans will soon control the presidency, the Senate, and the House. He said a year ago Assembly Democrats wanted to increase income taxes on some taxpayers, but ultimately were persuaded by the Senate Republicans and Gov. Andrew Cuomo to cut taxes instead.

The election wasn’t a total loss for Democrats.

Combined, the results in the states did not dramatically alter the GOP wave of success that followed Republicans’ redrawing legislative districts in 2010.

“The risk of centrifugal forces dividing the party further is significant”, says Democratic pollster Mark Mellman, an adviser to Democratic congressional leaders. Our Constitution will continue to be the blueprint that other nations envy and the cornerstone that makes America the greatest country in the free world, with no apologies.

For Republicans, questions remain as well.

In one of the more high-profile races, Democrat Tim Hodge defeated former House Appropriations Chairman Marc Rhoades, a Republican from Newton who has been in the House since 2007. Despite dire predictions Trump’s candidacy could spur a wave that would undermine Republicans down the ballot, his stronger-than-expected draw at the top of the ticket in such states as Missouri and in helped the GOP maintain control of the Senate and minimize losses in the House.

Republicans see more areas for policy gains after Tuesday’s elections. He offended and attacked some of them in the campaign, including House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan. Pat McCrory, who couldn’t shake criticism of the state law limiting protections for gay people.

In another work-related issue, Upmeyer said she expects the Legislature to revisit the minimum wage issue with an eye on pre-empting local standards – like those passed in Linn and Johnson counties – different from the statewide wage that some say is creating problems for employers.

Williams also counts Iowa as a state ripe for policy action.

Danny Homan, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 61, told reporters after his union’s opening meeting with state officials on a new two-year labor agreement that the “outlier” from Tuesday election was what the governor and majority GOP legislators might do regarding Iowa’s collective bargaining law.

Richard Hunt, head of the Consumer Bankers Association, which lobbies for some of the biggest USA banks, said Republicans must act swiftly to show that as change agents they can actually govern. “And the importance of bringing this country together”.

His efforts likely had impact, as Democrats notched some victories of their own. They picked up both chambers in Nevada and the House in New Mexico.

Mr Trump spent his campaign deriding numerous cornerstone principles of his party: free trade, changes in social security and the U.S. posture towards Russian Federation.

The state’s western border tends to lean Democratic during presidential years.

Senate Democrats are the strongest, most resilient bulwark against the GOP steamroller. President-elect Donald J. Trump and millions of “deplorables” just started unscrewing the bolts to that sign. All of them criticized Trump at times for straying from orthodox Republican positions on such issues as trade, his temperament or his lack of governing experience.