Before we let go of the election and turn toward other parlor games, here are some other points and observations to add to last week’s bullets. There are storylines yet to unfold because of the anticipated realignment of power.
- Republicans would not control the House without women and minority incumbents. If you doubt this, take a look. This is hardly the ratio that women, Hispanics or African-Americans hold in the typical workplace or the general public, but it is a sign of party diversity that wasn’t there a decade ago. Some of these members are holdovers from previous cycles. The Black Caucus said it would welcome the two black Republican freshmen.
- The only states without a new House member, senator, or governor since the 2008 election are Nebraska and Montana. That’s a lot of rearranged relationships in the political community as well as delegations that must incorporate new personalities as well as styles in approaching issues.
- The states with a new governor and two new senators since the 2008 election are Colorado, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. New Hampshire has two new senators but reelected its governor. This is an important storyline about turnover in states from the industrial heartland as well as states with significant new populations (Colorado and Virginia).
- States with only white males serving in Congress or in governor’s office are Arkansas, Delaware, Iowa, Kentucky, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Utah, and Vermont. In other words, most Americans live in states with diversity, and most white male voters have an opportunity to vote for someone who doesn’t look exactly like them.
- Governors just elected with less than 50% of the vote are Rick Scott (R-FL), Pat Quinn (D-IL), Deval Patrick (D-MA), Mark Dayton (D-MN), John Kasich (R-OH), John Kitzhaber (D-OR), Lincoln Chafee (I-RI), and Peter Shumlin (D-VT). That means 8 of the 37 on the ballot had a significant presence from third-party contenders.
- Senators elected with less than 50% of the vote are Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Mark Kirk (R-IL).
- The first newly elected member to call to thank us for our support was Bobby Schilling (R-IL 17) who also thanked me for eating at his pizza restaurant while in Moline for a visit with Deere. I’m predicting he isn’t a one-term wonder and that his pro-life connections run deep in this district, and that his kids know what they are doing in running the restaurant in his absence and keeping a campaign organization alive. Everyone said Chris Smith would never win a second term in New Jersey — he just was elected to his 16th from NJ-4.
- Speaking of Illinois, the role of Aaron Schock (R-IL 18) is now being played by Adam Kinzinger (R-IL 11). You can also look that one up.
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