How New England Fared in the 2010 Midterm Elections
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
How New England Fared in the 2010 SPECIAL Midterm Elections POLICY BRIEF POLICY AND RESEARCH 11/15/10 45 Temple Place Boston, MA 02111 Results are in and the people have spoken It’s over. Gone are the acrimonious debates, boisterous Coalition or Blue Dog Democrats—fiscal conservatives with Written by: crowds, vicious campaign attack ads, incessant robo calls centrist positions—lost its clout in the 2010 midterm elections. and campaign paraphernalia cluttering street corners, high- Less than half were re-elected. New England’s lone Blue Dog, Carolyn ways, lawns and sidewalks. The voters have spoken in New Congressman, U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud of Maine, was re- Morwick England and across the nation. elected surviving a challenge by Republican Jason Levesque. Carolyn Morwick is a consultant Nationally, Republicans swept races for governor, the state With current voting trends expected to continue into the next at NEBHE and former director of legislatures and the U.S. Congress. According to the National election cycle, the role of state legislatures in 2012, will be the Caucus of New England State Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), Republicans now especially significant as states begin the process of redistrict- Legislatures control the U.S. House of Representatives 240 to 186, where ing. The drawing of state legislative districts and congressio- they added more than 60 seats, with nine races still to be nal districts must include the latest census figures. The party Edited by: resolved. In the U.S. Senate, Democrats managed to hang on in power has everything to say about how these districts will by a margin of 53 to 46. The results of Alaska’s Senate race be drawn. John O. Harney are still to be determined. Executive Editor In the upcoming redistricting, Massachusetts is expected to New England Journal of NCSL also reported that Republicans added seats in state lose one congressional seat, reducing the number of seats Higher Education legislatures across the U.S., with the largest gains in the East, to nine. No other New England state is expected to lose any especially in New England. congressional seats. Matthew A. Crellin Nationwide, Republicans picked up five additional gover- The loss of an additional congressional seat contributes to an Director of Policy and Research norships. NCSL reports that 32 states will be under new already gloomy outlook for the region, which had claimed key governors, including Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island leadership positions when Democrats were the party in power and Vermont. Four of the six New England governors are in Washington. Democrats. An Independent and a Republican round out the POLICY AND RESEARCH field. Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont will have new leg- For the past two budget cycles, governors and legislators NEBHE’s Department of Policy and Research serves islative leaders. have had to continue to make deep budget cuts but federal as a resource to education, stimulus funds provided some help in preserving jobs and government, and business Nationwide, voting trends played a huge role in the outcome. services. For FY 2012, with stimulus funds just about dried leaders throughout New Less than 21% of 18- to 29-year-olds showed up at the polls, up, state budget cuts promise to be severe. Medicaid will England. It seeks to provide compared with 51% in 2008, when President Barack Obama continue to be a budget-buster in all states. Reducing health timely information and policy was elected. care costs will be a priority, as the Health Care Act or Obama research to inform decision- Care requires that states develop systems where consumers makers and the public about Also, Independent voters switched their leanings in the 2010 can purchase health care by 2014. Governors are expressing issues relating to higher elections, according to William A. Galston, senior fellow in concern that the technology required to design such systems education and workforce Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution. In 2006, will be extremely costly and there will be no funds for such development throughout 57% of Independents voted for Democrats, while 39% voted expenses. New England. for Republicans. In the 2010 election, 55% of Independents chose Republicans, while 39% voted for Democrats. The Pew NCSL executive director William Pound expects higher educa- Research Center reports that “conservatives” as a share of tion to be on the chopping block, as well, despite rhetoric form total Independents rose from 29% in 2006 to 36% in 2010.” Democrats and Republicans that educational attainment is a key factor in restoring the American economy and making the Michael K. Thomas Gallup reported similar results, adding that moderates U.S. competitive in the global marketplace. President and CEO declined from 46% to 41% from 2006 to 2010. The Blue Dog About NEBHE: The New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) promotes greater educational opportunities and services for the residents of New England. In pursuit of this mission, we work across the six New New England Highlights England states to: * Democrat Dan Malloy wins governor’s race in Connecticut defeating Republican Tom Foley * Engage and assist leaders * Democrat Richard Blumenthal will replace outgoing U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd, also a Democrat. in the assessment, develop- * Connecticut Democratic U.S. House members prevail in hard-fought contests. ment, and implementation of * Maine elects Republican Paul LePage as governor sound education practices and * Republicans take control of Maine state Legislature policies of regional significance. * Massachusetts re-elects Gov. Deval Patrick and all members of the Bay State’s congressional delegation * Promote policies, programs, * Republicans pick up 15 seats in Massachusetts state Legislature and best practices to assist the * Ballot question to cut sales tax is rejected by Massachusetts voters states in implementing impor- * New Hampshire Republicans take back control of state Legislature tant regional higher education * Republican Kelly Ayotte wins U.S. Senate race, while fellow Republicans Charlie Bass and Frank Guinta, former policies. * Promote regional coopera- mayor of Manchester, prevail in congressional races tion and programs that encour- * New Hampshire’s Democratic Gov. John Lynch is re-elected to unprecedented fourth term age the efficient use and shar- * Rhode Island elects Lincoln Chafee, its first Independent governor in 156 years ing of educational resources. * Vermonters elect Democrat Peter Shumlin as governor * Provide leadership to * U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat, wins easily strengthen the relationship * Vermont voters give 17-year-olds the right to vote. between higher education and the economic well-being of New State by State England. CONNECTICUT ELECTION VERMONT Policy & Research Staff: Connecticut elects Democratic governor, Matthew Crellin – Director of Policy RESULTS IN CT Democrat Peter Shumlin was elected governor in a close race keeps Democrats in DC, statehouse with Lt. Governor Brian Dubie. Only 4,000 votes separated the and Research Governor two candidates. Vermont law states that if both candidates get In a striking similarity to Florida’s 2000 less than 50% of the vote, the legislature decides who will be presidential election results, Connecticut’s Dannell Malloy (D) 4 John O. Harney – Executive Editor, elected. Dubie has indicated he has no intention of pursuing a Secretary of State Susan Byciewicz found Thomas Foley (R) challenge. New England Journal of Higher herself in the hot seat, as Bridgeport’s Tom Marsh (I) Education votes became the focus of determining the Warren Mossler (I) At the congressional level, both U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy and outcome of the governor’s race. After the U.S. Rep. Peter Welch won re-election. final tallies of Bridgeport’s votes were made U.S. Senate Charles Desmond – Senior Fellow available on Friday, Nov. 5, Byciewicz’s Completing a decidedly Democratic victory at all level of gov- office declared Malloy the winner in the Richard Blumenthal (D) 4 ernment, the Vermont General Assembly remains in the hands governor’s race. Linda McMahon (R) Carolyn Morwick – Policy of Democrats. The House gives Democrats a clear majority, 93 Democrats, 49 Republicans, five Progressives and three Consultant Attorney General Blumenthal will fill the U.S.U. S. House of Representa- Independents. Republicans picked up a seat in the Senate, but Senate seat vacated by Dodd. Blumenthal tives Democrats control the chamber 22 to 8. defeated Linda McMahon of World Wres- Darrell Aaron – Policy Research tling Entertainment who poured $50 million District 1 Vermont voters approved a ballot measure to give 17-year- Graduate Assistant of her own money into the race. In Con- John Larson (D) 4 olds the right to vote if they turn 18 by the time of the General necticut’s congressional races, John Larson Ann Brickley (R) Election. handily won his bid for re-election in the 1st Shoshana Akins – Communications district. Joe Courtney prevailed in the 2nd District 2 Assistant district, while Rosa DeLauro won in the 3rd Joe Courtney (D) 4 district. Connecticut’s 4th and 5th districts Janet Peckinpaugh (R) saw the closest races where first term Con- Christine Cassis – Communications gressman Jim Himes won a very close race District 3 Assistant against challenger state Sen. Dan Debicella Rosa DeLauro (D) 4 in the 4th district. Chris Murphy beat back Jerry Labriola (R) ELECTION a strong challenge from state Sen. Sam Ian Davis – Administrative Caligiuri in Connecticut’s 5th district. District 4 RESULTS IN VT Coordinator James Himes (D) 4 Governor Connecticut’s General Assembly remains Dan Debicella (R) U.S. House of under control of Democrats, though Repub- Representatives David Mabe – Policy Research Peter Shumlin (D) 4 licans made inroads. The House is poised District 5 Brian Dubie (R) Graduate Assistant to re-elect Chris Donovan as speaker, while Christopher Murphy (D)4 Peter Welch (D) 4 Don Williams has the support of his Demo- Sam Caligiuri (R) U.S.