Special state legislative elections thread (see OP for results/upcoming races)

[frenger]

Tomorrow:

Arkansas Senate 4 (R), Kentucky Senate 14 (R) and Kentucky House 96 (D).

[JohnnyLongtorso]

Republicans picked up KY HD-96. SD-14 is still pending, but the Republican currently has a 2,088-vote lead.

[Mr.Phips]

This special election in Kentucky brings Republicans up to a net gain of 10 seats in special electoins since Obama's election.

I dont think Democrats will be winning much of anything until they can get Obama out of the White House.  This is almost as bad as Nixon to the Republicans in 1974. 

[JohnnyLongtorso]

Republicans hold SD-14.

Edit: That's a ridiculous overreaction.

[Sibboleth]

Republicans hold SD-14.

Edit: That's a ridiculous overreaction.

Especially as they've picked up one (or was it two?) seats in Kentucky in other special elections this year. Where in Kentucky bist this seat? Numbers can confuse me, especially when tired.

[JohnnyLongtorso]

Republicans hold SD-14.

Edit: That's a ridiculous overreaction.

Especially as they've picked up one (or was it two?) seats in Kentucky in other special elections this year. Where in Kentucky bist this seat? Numbers can confuse me, especially when tired.

Central KY, southeast of Louisville.

http://www.lrc.ky.gov/GIS/Senate%20Simple/s014s.pdf

[PASOK Leader Hashemite]

I dont think Democrats will be winning much of anything until they can get Obama out of the White House.  This is almost as bad as Nixon to the Republicans in 1974. 

Let's stop overreacting and deciding the future of politics based on a bunch of stupid by-elections to a state legislature.

[Sibboleth]

Republicans hold SD-14.

Edit: That's a ridiculous overreaction.

Especially as they've picked up one (or was it two?) seats in Kentucky in other special elections this year. Where in Kentucky bist this seat? Numbers can confuse me, especially when tired.

Central KY, southeast of Louisville.

http://www.lrc.ky.gov/GIS/Senate%20Simple/s014s.pdf

Ah, right. Pretty mixed area. Now, I think I do know where the State House seat the Democrats lost is (Lewis county, Carter county... maybe some other areas), and... no, that's not a surprise (or shouldn't be). Perhaps reasons to be concerned at the margin, though, hey turnout at below 20%.

[frenger]

GOP also held the Arkansas seat (district 4).

[Wrecking Ball and Chain]

Republicans hold SD-14.

Edit: That's a ridiculous overreaction.

Especially considering there was a net Democratic gain of one House, and also a notable failure to take Gillibrand's.

[frenger]

Republicans hold SD-14.

Edit: That's a ridiculous overreaction.

Especially considering there was a net Democratic gain of one House, and also a notable failure to take Gillibrand's.

What house did the democrats gain?

[Meeker]

Republicans hold SD-14.

Edit: That's a ridiculous overreaction.

Especially considering there was a net Democratic gain of one House, and also a notable failure to take Gillibrand's.

What house did the democrats gain?

I think he meant House seat, referring to NY-23.

[Lunar]

Republicans hold SD-14.

Edit: That's a ridiculous overreaction.

Especially considering there was a net Democratic gain of one House, and also a notable failure to take Gillibrand's.

What house did the democrats gain?

I think he meant House seat, referring to NY-23.

no I think he was talking about this house:

[Wrecking Ball and Chain]

No I was referring to NY-23. Please note the time of posting, not exactly a time I'm fully awake.

[JohnnyLongtorso]

I'm about to have a heart attack. The inept, moribund Virginia Beach Democratic Party actually put someone up against Jeff McWaters in the 8th Senate district. He won't get anywhere near winning, but at least I have someone to vote for on January 12.

[Vasall des Midas]

Congratulations! You should consider yourself insanely lucky. I think throwing a party is in order.



I'm laughing with you, not at you.

[Wrecking Ball and Chain]

I'm about to have a heart attack. The inept, moribund Virginia Beach Democratic Party actually put someone up against Jeff McWaters in the 8th Senate district. He won't get anywhere near winning, but at least I have someone to vote for on January 12.

If they're that bad how they did take out Thelma Drake?

[JohnnyLongtorso]

I'm about to have a heart attack. The inept, moribund Virginia Beach Democratic Party actually put someone up against Jeff McWaters in the 8th Senate district. He won't get anywhere near winning, but at least I have someone to vote for on January 12.

If they're that bad how they did take out Thelma Drake?

Two reasons: one, Drake was a terrible empty suit of a candidate. Two, Obama coattails. Nye won by a larger margin than Obama did in the 2nd district, but the raw vote totals for Obama and Nye are almost exactly the same in each locality, except in Norfolk, where Obama got about 500 more votes. Nye's probably not going to survive unless the Republican primary gets extremely nasty.

The VBDP can't even come up with candidates most of the time, which is why I'm so surprised. Both the Democrats that won election to the House of Delegates in 2007 lost, and out of the four Republican incumbents, only one has had an opponent in the last two elections. Hell, the 8th hasn't had a Democratic candidate run since the incumbent Democrat lost in 1991.

[Wrecking Ball and Chain]

Upcoming special election in Minnesota SD26. Sen. Dick Day is resigning January 8 to lead a PAC lobbying to expand gambling allowed at the state's two horse racing tracks (I actually agree with him on this, but talk about a minor issue to resign over.) Primary will be January 12 if needed and election January 26. GOP hold is most likely but I won't rule out a pickup. Call it Lean GOP.

[Badger]

In a recent confirmed election result I'm sure you're all waiting for, city council elections in my little burg were finalized last week. An acquaintance of mine ran as a nonpartisan (though he was a Republican recently, he was active in the local Obama campaign )among 6 candidates including 3 incumbents for 3 seats. After preliminary vote totals of almost 900 votes he was ahead by 1 vote! After provisional ballots were counted, out of over 900 votes he won by 2. I guess his sign in my front yard actually made a difference.

A woman who watches my son afternoons was elected to a nearby village school board. How conservative is my area? She is the first woman ever elected to the board. In 2009!

[Badger]

Upcoming special election in Minnesota SD26. Sen. Dick Day is resigning January 8 to lead a PAC lobbying to expand gambling allowed at the state's two horse racing tracks (I actually agree with him on this, but talk about a minor issue to resign over.) Primary will be January 12 if needed and election January 26. GOP hold is most likely but I won't rule out a pickup. Call it Lean GOP.

Issues have little to do with it, I suspect. I'm sure he's being more than handsomely paid for his job switch.

[Wrecking Ball and Chain]

Eh, probably. It's worth noting Day appears to have little interest in the state legislature anymore, he was former Minority Leader but stepped down after the crushing of the GOP caucus in 2006. He toyed with running against Walz in 2008, but almost admitted his campaign wasn't very serious and lost the convention and didn't run in the primary. Seems rather bored with elected office now, wanting to leave is hardly surprising.

[JohnnyLongtorso]

Upcoming special election in Minnesota SD26. Sen. Dick Day is resigning January 8 to lead a PAC lobbying to expand gambling allowed at the state's two horse racing tracks (I actually agree with him on this, but talk about a minor issue to resign over.) Primary will be January 12 if needed and election January 26. GOP hold is most likely but I won't rule out a pickup. Call it Lean GOP.

A local mayor (Roy Srp of Waseca, not a typo apparently) is running on the Independence Party line. Any chance of an IP pickup?

[Wrecking Ball and Chain]

Upcoming special election in Minnesota SD26. Sen. Dick Day is resigning January 8 to lead a PAC lobbying to expand gambling allowed at the state's two horse racing tracks (I actually agree with him on this, but talk about a minor issue to resign over.) Primary will be January 12 if needed and election January 26. GOP hold is most likely but I won't rule out a pickup. Call it Lean GOP.

A local mayor (Roy Srp of Waseca, not a typo apparently) is running on the Independence Party line. Any chance of an IP pickup?

Waseca is one of the three larger towns in the district (the other two being Owatonna and Faribault), so that could be a solid plus though I don't see him having much appeal in the other two locales. Then again simply not being a Republican or Democrat would benefit someone now. I'd give him a shot if the DFL and GOP candidates suck badly. Worth noting Barkley got over 20% in the district.

The DFL does control both House seats in it, so we have no good excuse for not getting a good candidate though, I'm still hoping the GOP nominates a teabagger nutjob.

[Rowan]

There's a special election for Rhode Island House District 62 today. Obama got about 70% there so it's probably not worth noting.