Posted on 11/06/2018 12:42:37 PM PST by yesthatjallen
The ranks of Republican governors are poised to thin after this year’s midterm elections, and some party strategists are bracing for major Democratic gains even in some of the most conservative states in the country.
Voters in 36 states will elect governors on Tuesday, including 26 states where Republicans currently hold the top job. Democrats are defending nine seats, and both sides are fighting over Alaska, where independent Gov. Bill Walker dropped his reelection bid late last month.
Virtually all of the most contested races are being fought on Republican turf.
Democrats are overwhelmingly likely to pick up governorships in Illinois, where Gov. Bruce Rauner (R) is running a long-shot bid for reelection, and New Mexico, where Gov. Susana Martinez (R) faces term limits.
Polls also show Democratic nominees ahead in open seat races in Michigan, Maine and Florida; of the 33 public surveys taken in Florida since the Aug. 28 primary, Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum (D) has led former Rep. Ron DeSantis (R) in 32.
In Nevada, Clark County Commission Chairman Steve Sisolak (D) is running even with or just ahead of Attorney General Adam Laxalt (R).
Two high-profile races in which Republican governors are retiring, in Ohio and Georgia, remain virtual toss-ups. Former Attorney General Richard Cordray (D) is tied with current Attorney General Mike DeWine (R) in Ohio, and former state House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams (D) is locked in an increasingly contentious battle with Secretary of State Brian Kemp (R) in Georgia.
Democrats are even running close to Republicans in Kansas and South Dakota, two deep-red states. The party’s nominees are narrowly trailing or tied with Republican candidates in Oklahoma, New Hampshire and Alaska.
“These are all replays of 2014 races, which were such a low watermark for Democrats,” said Thad Kousser, a political scientist who studies state politics at the University of California-San Diego. “The Democrats probably can’t do any worse than Democrats did in the 2014 election.”
Republicans were virtually certain to give back some states to Democrats, given the zenith they reached after the 2014 elections. Republicans hold 33 of 50 governorships, the most the party has ever held.
“Polling shows that Democrats could have a good night, but there’s no clear evidence of a blue wave,” said Jon Thompson, a spokesman for the Republican Governors Association. “Republicans’ record fundraising and strong candidate recruitment gives the party a high chance of victory in numerous races.”
ETC...
McMaster isn’t spoiling anything. Would y’all rather have a Democrat run SC? Geez people.
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