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

[rbt48]

Virginia 8th Senate

40/40

Jeff L. McWaters (R): 8,051 votes (78.59%)
William W. "Bill" Fleming (D): 2,184 votes (21.31%)
Write-in: 9 votes (0.08%)


Virginia 37th Senate

40/40

Dave W. Marsden (D): 11,943 votes (50.62%)
Steve M. Hunt (R): 11,626 votes (49.28%)
Write-in: 21 votes (0.08%)

So does this make the Virginia Senate 22D, 18R?

[rbt48]

Tennessee 83rd House

With absentees, early and 20 of the 20 precincts reporting:

Mark White (R): 3236 (67.44%)
Guthrie Castle (D): 1452 (30.26%)
John Andreuccetti (I): 110 (2.29%)

So, I think than the house is 50R-48D-1 expelled Republican who gave the control of the house to the Democrats in exchange of him being elected President of the House.

No, I think the House is now back to 49R, 49D, 1 Carter County Republican (Kent Williams).  If it was 50-48-1, the Republicans would replace Williams with the Speaker they wanted.  It must have been a Republican vacancy that Mark White was elected to fill.

[rbt48]

Wikipedia says a special election in late 2009 resulted in a Republican winning a Democratic-held seat. So it is 50-48-1.
[/quote]

Well, I guess the Speaker rules with an iron fist and can keep a new vote for Speaker off the agenda, so Williams stays in office until he is voted out by a stronger Republican majority in January, 2011.

[rbt48]

Hey, there was one tonight. Continuing Kentucky's trend of bizarre special election results, a Democrat picked up the House seat of a Republican who won a special Senate election a month or two back.

http://www.elect.ky.gov/NR/exeres/CBFBFF75-CCC3-40E5-A221-0884DFEEB300.htm

Terry Mills (D) - 3,001 (54%)
Leo Johnson (R) - 2,518 (46%)

I wonder if Terry Mills is the former Kentucky Wildcat basketball star with the same name?

[rbt48]

Hey, there was one tonight. Continuing Kentucky's trend of bizarre special election results, a Democrat picked up the House seat of a Republican who won a special Senate election a month or two back.

http://www.elect.ky.gov/NR/exeres/CBFBFF75-CCC3-40E5-A221-0884DFEEB300.htm

Terry Mills (D) - 3,001 (54%)
Leo Johnson (R) - 2,518 (46%)

I wonder if Terry Mills is the former Kentucky Wildcat basketball star with the same name?

The two articles about the result that I found describe him as a 59-year-old retired social security administration employee.

That would be the Terry Mills who played for Adolph Rupp.  I graduated in 1970, two years ahead of him, so it all fits together.  Gee, I always thought he was a Republican.  I wonder when he went south?

Well, that would explain his winning the seat.  Any former Wildcat basketball player running for office in the state is bound to have an edge.

[rbt48]

Anybody seen a newer alignment than this?http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=19488

2010 Partisan Composition of State Legislatures                                       
                                       
State   Total   Dem   Rep   Indep   Vacant   Un-      Total   Dem   Rep   Indep   Vacant   Un-
   Seats         Other      Decided      Seats         Other      decided
Alabama   35   21   14   0   0   0      105   60   44   0   1   0
Alaska   20   10   10   0   0   0      40   18   22   0   0   0
Arizona   30   12   18   0   0   0      60   25   35   0   0   0
Arkansas   35   27   8   0   0   0      100   71   28   1   0   0
California   40   25   14   0   1   0      80   49   29   1   1   0
Colorado   35   21   14   0   0   0      65   37   27   1   0   0
Connecticut   36   24   12   0   0   0      151   114   36   0   1   0
Delaware   21   15   6   0   0   0      41   24   17   0   0   0
Florida   40   14   26   0   0   0      120   43   76   0   1   0
Georgia   56   21   34   0   1   0      180   74   105   0   1   0
Hawaii   25   23   2   0   0   0      51   45   6   0   0   0
Idaho   35    7   28   0   0   0      70   18   52   0   0   0
Illinois   59   37   22   0   0   0      118   70   48   0   0   0
Indiana   50   17   33   0   0   0      100   52   48   0   0   0
Iowa   50   32   18   0   0   0      100   56   44   0   0   0
Kansas   40   9   31   0   0   0      125   49   76   0   0   0
Kentucky   38   17   20   1   0   0      100   64   35   0   1   0
Louisiana   39   23   16   0   0   0      105   52   50   3   0   0
Maine   35   20   15   0   0   0      151   95   55   1   0   0
Maryland   47   33   14   0   0   0      141   104   36   0   1   0
Massachusetts   40   34   5   0   1   0      160   144   16   0   0   0
Michigan   38   16   22   0   0   0      110   66   43   0   1   0
Minnesota   67   46   20   0   1   0      134   87   47   0   0   0
Mississippi   52   26   25   0   1   0      122   74   48   0   0   0
Missouri   34   11   23   0   0   0      163   73   89   0   1   0
Montana   50   23   27   0   0   0      100   50   50   0   0   0
Nebraska   49   *   *   49   *   *      *   *   *   *   *   *
Nevada   21   12   8   0   1   0      42   28   14   0   0   0
New Hampshire   24   14   9   0   1   0      400   222   175   0   3   0
New Jersey   40   23   17   0   0   0      80   47   33   0   0   0
New Mexico   42   27   15   0   0   0      70   45   25   0   0   0
New York   62   31   30   0   1   0      150   107   43   0   0   0
North Carolina   50   30   20   0   0   0      120   68   52   0   0   0
North Dakota   47   21   26   0   0   0      94   36   58   0   0   0
Ohio   33   12   21   0   0   0      99   53   46   0   0   0
Oklahoma   48   22   26   0   0   0      101   40   61   0   0   0
Oregon   30   18   12   0   0   0      60   36   24   0   0   0
Pennsylvania   50   20   30   0   0   0      203   103   97   0   3   0
Rhode Island   38   33   4   1   0   0      75   69   6   0   0   0
South Carolina   46   19   27   0   0   0      124   51   73   0   0   0
South Dakota   35   14   21   0   0   0      70   24   46   0   0   0
Tennessee   33   14   19   0   0   0      99   47   50   1   1   0
Texas   31   12   19   0   0   0      150   73   77   0   0   0
Utah   29   8   21   0   0   0      75   22   53   0   0   0
Vermont   30   22   7   1   0   0      150   95   48   7   0   0
Virginia   40   22   18   0   0   0      100   39   59   2   0   0
Washington   49   31   18   0   0   0      98   62   36   0   0   0
West Virginia   34   26   8   0   0   0      100   71   29   0   0   0
Wisconsin   33   18   15   0   0   0      99   52   46   1   0   0
Wyoming   30   7   23   0   0   0      60   19   41   0   0   0
TOTALS:   1971   1020   891   52   8   0      5411   3023   2354   19   15   0
Source: National Conference of State Legislatures                                       

[rbt48]

So if the Republican scored an upset in MS SD-36 today, it would tie that chamber?  I understand it is most unlikely to happen.

[rbt48]

When is the runoff to occur?

[rbt48]

Democratic favorite is John Laird, former Assemblyman and Mayor of Santa Cruz. He's gay.

That would be pretty awesome to have two openly gay Lt. Governors elected this year--him and Richard Tisei in Mass.

Is it John Laird who is gay, or Lt Gov Maldanado, or both?

[rbt48]

Probably when Tom Osborne ran for Congress from Nebraska CD-3 in 2004.  His 2002 and 2000 races were the only two other instances that I can think of.

The thing is, he is pretty much to a living "saint" in Nebraska, added to the reality that CD-3 is probably 70% Republican, so it is a unique set of circumstances.

[rbt48]

December 14 for HD-44 (East of San Antonio) to replace Edmund Kuempel who died just after the election.

John Kuempel, the late Edmund Kuempel's son, was elected with 65.6% of the vote.  A Democrat managed a surprising 4th in the race.

John Kuempel REP              7,245 65.69%
Gary W. Inmon REP             1,123 10.18%
Myrna McLeroy REP             1,022  9.26%
Cheryl Dees Patterson DEM       689  6.24%
Robin R. Walker REP             544  4.93%
Daniel Rodriguez Andrade DEM    119  1.07%
Ron Avery    REP                 79  0.71%
Chris Burchell REP               73  0.66%
Jim Fish REP                     73  0.66%
Tony Gergely LIB                 62  0.56%

What a nice tribute to his Dad.  

This win gives the Republicans a 101 to 49 edge in the Texas State House.

[rbt48]

There were two elections yesterday, one in Iowa and one in California, both Republican holds.

Were The CA and IA elections State Senate or lower house?

[rbt48]

I think this gives Republicans a 27 to 25 edge in the MS State Senate.

[rbt48]

We nominated the liberal, who is also kind of cute over the pro-life Moderate Hero in 5B. Good.

She's also only 25. The vacating incumbent held the seat for a decade and yet he's only 35 now. Weird district to be electing youngs. It's not a youthful place at all.

She is kind of cute indeed, if the picture is an accurate reflection of reality.  When does this special election take place?

[rbt48]

We nominated the liberal, who is also kind of cute over the pro-life Moderate Hero in 5B. Good.

She's also only 25. The vacating incumbent held the seat for a decade and yet he's only 35 now. Weird district to be electing youngs. It's not a youthful place at all.

She is kind of cute indeed, if the picture is an accurate reflection of reality.  When does this special election take place?

Special election in Minnesota House, 5B. Mark Dayton has appointed incumbent Tony Sertich, former Majority Leader and who was in line to become Speaker to chair the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (Yes the acronym for that is IRRRB, awesome.) Sertich was mentioned as a possible challenger to Cravaack so this probably takes him out of the running. Primary is Feb 1st, general is Feb 15th.

Dayton won the seat 63-29, so obviously this one probably isn't going to be competitive, but the DFL primary should be interesting. Filing deadline has just passed, there are four Democrats running, one IP and one Republican (the same guy who lost to Sertich in November and got 33%.)

Carly Melin doesn't look quite as cute in this article:

http://www.fox21online.com/news/minnesota-republicans-question-melins-residency.

[rbt48]

So, what's the House composition now? 127D: 32R: 1 Vacant?

No, from the cited article, it's pretty clear that the Democrat gets to keep the seat until this is finally resolved:  "Mr. Alicea will continue to represent the district as a holdover."  So, 128D, 32R, for now.

Who knows, maybe the committee will decide he just keeps the seat as in a boxing championship where in a draw, the incumbent retains the title.

[rbt48]

Here is a handy list of upcoming (and recent) state special elections:
http://www.statenet.com/resources/election_calendar.php

[rbt48]

initial results from Louisiana State Senate district 26 special election have Granger leading by 9%.
Nathan Granger (D) 54.45% 1076
Jonathan Perry (R) 45.55% 900

http://staticresults.sos.louisiana.gov/02192011/02192011_Legislative.html

[rbt48]

As of 8:59 PM:
61 of 106 precincts reporting

Nathan Granger (D) 48.08% 5970
Jonathan Perry (R) 51.92% 6447

Yes, this is for control of the State Senate.

[rbt48]

Looks like the Republicans have taken over the LA State Senate, 20 to 19.

State Senator -- 26th Senatorial District
All 106 precincts reporting
Nathan Granger (D) 48.25%  9,491
Jonathan Perry (R) 51.75%  10,179

[rbt48]

This leaves the Democrats holding both houses in Arkansas, the State Senate in Virginia, the State House in Kentucky and Mississippi.  All else is Republican in Dixie.

Also, here is the nation-wide breakout:
26 Republican-controlled Legislatures
15 Democratic-controlled Legislatures
8 Split Legislatures
1 Officially non-partisan (Nebraska)
50 Total

[rbt48]

Wikipedia has a listing for special state legislative elections.  Someone seems to keep it fairly up to date, though the individual links to the actual races do not necessarily cover that special election.

http://www.ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/State_legislative_special_elections,_2011 

It looks like Tuesday is a busy day for filling vacancies in Connecticut.  I gather the vacancies were mostly a result of the new governor appointing members of the legislature to positions in his administration.  His timing of announcing proposed tax increases might be interesting to see for an impact on the results. 

[rbt48]

Anyone know of good websites to follow the results in Connecticut and the Missouri State Senate race tonight?

[rbt48]

Democrats retained Missouri State Senate District 9:

State Senator - District 9    Precincts Reporting 64 of 64
   Curls, Shalonn (Kiki)  DEM 11,594  83.5% 
   Wood, Nola  REP 2,298  16.5% 
Total Votes   13,892 

This makes the Missouri State Senate 26 R, 8 D.

In Connecticut, I believe the line-up is as follows:
State Senate:  22 D, 14R
House:  99R, 52D.

[rbt48]

Another party switcher in the South:

As of Feb 17th, Republicans control the Mississippi State Senate 27R - 24D - 1Vacancy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezell_Lee

Also of possible interest, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mississippi_State_Senate