Republican wins kill Democratic state house hopes

JACKSON, Miss. — Democrats, who just a year ago were talking about winning a majority of governorships for the first time in a decade, are much farther from that goal after Tuesday’s elections.

The victories of Republicans Ernie Fletcher in Kentucky and Haley Barbour in Mississippi cost Democrats two governorships, just a month after Arnold Schwarzenegger captured California’s top post for Republicans.

But Democrats say the Republican victories are only a trend of voters bucking the status quo and they hope it will continue through next year’s presidential election.

If Republicans hold onto the Statehouse in Louisiana, where Republican Bobby Jindal faces Democrat Lt. Gov. Kathleen Blanco in a Nov. 15 runoff to succeed term-limited Mike Foster, the party will control 29 states next year.

“We are emerging, obviously, as the dominant party, not just in the South, but a party with the presidency, with the Senate, with the U.S. House, with a majority of governorships,” said Gov. Bill Owens of Colorado, chairman of the Republican Governors Association. “I think it reflects well on our party and our ability to reach out to the electorate.”

Republicans netted 11 governorships in 1994 then gained two more in 1996 to hold 32. But Democrats then began to chip away, picking up slots every year since 1998 and reaching 24 after 2002.

Democrats on Tuesday regained control of the New Jersey Senate, ending what had been a tie between Republicans and Democrats, and now control the state’s executive and legislative branches.

The Democrats also retained several high-profile mayorships, including Philadelphia’s. And though they lost a seat in the Virginia Senate, they won several seats in the House of Delegates, the first time they have seen a net gain there in a quarter-century.

Gary Locke, governor of Washington state and chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, said Tuesday’s gubernatorial races show there is a nationwide anti-incumbent sentiment.

“States are in the midst of the worst financial crisis since World War II. Unemployment remains unacceptably high in almost every state,” Mr. Locke said. “National Republicans should take no joy in what was really a vote to change the status quo. This is an unsettled electorate looking for change, and that mood is likely to linger through next year’s presidential election.”

Mr. Locke also downplayed the significance of the two races, saying they needed to be put in context.

“Mississippi and Kentucky are two of the most Republican states in the country,” he said.

But Mr. Barbour, at his postelection news conference yesterday, said keeping Democrats from claiming momentum is a win.

“Churchill said there’s nothing so exhilarating as to be shot at without results,” Mr. Barbour said, adding he didn’t see other national implications to the race.

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