- While the networks focused (rightfully so) on federal races, Republicans' biggest wins of the day came at the state level. Republicans picked up an outright majority of the nation's legislative seats, amassing the party's largest plurality since 1928.
Twenty years ago Democrats controlled every state legislature in the South. Last night, Republicans won back a majority of the region's chambers for the first time since the '60s... the 1860s.
Nationally, the Republican party now controls both chambers of the state legislature in 25 states. In Texas, the legislative gains were so big that Republicans no longer need a single Democratic vote to pass state constitutional amendments. - With five governors' races still too close to call, Democrats have taken governorships from Republicans in two states (CA & HI). Republicans have taken control from Democrat administrations in eleven, including Pennsylvania and Ohio, two states that have proven crucial in recent Presidential elections. Additionally, Republicans have kept control of the Governor's mansion in the integral swing state of Florida.
By themselves, these are impressive numbers, but consider this: Republicans now control the governor's mansion and state legislatures in (among others) Alabama, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Iowa, Tennessee, Maine (yes, that Maine), Texas and Pennsylvania. - The Republican party gained more seats in the House of Representatives at any one time since 1948. So far, they've picked up 61 seats. Let's put that in perspective: in the 2006 Democratic "landslide," the left picked up 30 seats. In the 2008 Democratic "landslide," they tacked on an additional 24. Republicans completely erased those gains (and then some) in one day.
That's just the overview of yesterday's historic election. Next time, we'll take a closer look at some of the remarkable individual candidates who won elections yesterday...
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