 Todd DormanTodd Dorman is a columnist for The Gazette. His blog has been bringing smiles to readers' faces since November 2007. |
|
Email the author
More fun with maps — Divided legislatures are now rare
National Conference of State Legislatures
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Iowa is only one of four states with a legislature divided between Democrats and Republicans in the aftermath of the 2012 election. That was surprising to me.
The national picture:
In 20 of the past 28 presidential-cycle elections, the party winning the White House has gained seats in state legislatures. Thanks in large part to a Democratic gain of more than 100 seats in the New Hampshire House, it will be 21 of 29 winning years for the presidential party.
In the first state legislative election since redistricting, voters cast ballots in 44 states for men and women running for 6,034 state legislative seats. Democrats appear to have regained control of seven chambers that they had lost in 2010, but Republicans claimed four chambers previously controlled by the Democrats.
…
The biggest surprise of the election night was the New Hampshire House where Democrats won a majority. The preliminary numbers for the Granite State House are 217-177 (six undecided). Going into the election Republicans had a 288-102 margin, so the Democrats appear to have picked up at least 115 seats.
….
Arkansas was probably the biggest prize for the GOP at the state level. Republicans switched the Senate, and the House has a tentative 51-49 Republican majority, including one seat with a 44-vote margin that is subject to a recount. If the House numbers hold, this will be the first time since Reconstruction that Republicans have controlled the Razorback State.
(h/t Iowa Public Radio)
-u20042.png?1366232523)
2012 population estimates show big growth in Johnson County
Glass leaving Iowa Department of Education post
Lawmakers expected to finish work on landmark session today
Less asphalt expected in Cedar Rapids’ Westdale Mall transformation
Branstad, Iowa legislators reach health-care expansion accord
Update: Authorities find backpacks, purse in Dayton abduction case
Well< I notice that blue state Conneticut (ranked 29th in population)is more that $ 1 billion in debt.
http://www.ctmirror.org/story/18217/ct-projected-deficit
Red state Iowa (ranked 30th in population) is looking a $2/3 Billion surplus
http://qctimes.com/news/state-and-regional/iowa/iowa-s-budget-surplus-hits-record-m-and-growing/article_fa03a8a4-18b3-11e2-8819-001a4bcf887a.html
Both states big in Insurance and farming and about equal in size. Hmmm…..
“..Iowa is only one of four states with a legislature divided between Democrats and Republicans in the aftermath of the 2012 election.”
Mr Dorman, with the sentence above, I don’t think you’re saying what you think you’re saying.
Perhaps better to say that “..Iowa is one of only four states where the upper and the lower houses of the state legislature are controlled by opposing parties.”
Of course, once the sentence is written properly and truly conveys what the facts show us, the fact that Iowa is one of only four states with this situation is not so hard to believe.
If divided state legislatures are rare, then it looks like the assumption that divided government is what the American people want is wrong.
Our divided government at the national level is due to regional differences, not voters playing elected officials off against each other in an effort to achieve balance. Or whatever
“..Iowa is only one of four states with a legislature divided between Democrats and Republicans in the aftermath of the 2012 election”
Legislatures having representatives from both democrats and republicans are always divided. I think what you mean is that Iowa is one of the few states where the Iowa Senate and the Iowa House are controlled by two opposing parties. Perhaps a lower number of states than in most post election years, but still not too unusual to have only four.
Confusing and uninteresting was exactly what I was going for, so mission accomplished, I guess.