State Races 2014

   Overview  |  Governors  |  U.S. Senate  |  U.S. House  |  State                                                                                   this page revised Dec. 28, 2014


State Legislatures 
balance before Nov. 4:
Republicans both chambers in 27 states, Democrats in 19 states, split in 3 states and NE.
1,972 Senate seats: 1,034 Republicans, 876 Democrats, 55 others, 7 vacancies.
5,411 House seats: 2,802 Republicans, 2,572 Democrats, 20 others, 17 vacancies.
balance after Nov. 4:
Republicans both chambers in 30 states, Democrats in 11 states, split in 8 states and NE.
1,972 Senate seats: 1,086 Republicans, 829 Democrats, 52 others, 1 u, 4 vacancies.
5,411 House seats: 3,039 Republicans, 2,342 Democrats, 22 others, 6 u, 2 vacancies.
Source: National Conference of State Legislatures (Dec. 2, 2014)
.....
Ballot Measures
146 propositions in 41 states on the Nov. ballot: 35 initiatives, 4 referendums, 104 legislative measures, 2 others.
Source: Initiative & Referendum Institute.

Races for statewide offices other than governor, for state legislature, and for and against a broad range of measures on state ballots do not attract as much attention as top-of-the-ticket races, but can have an equally significant impact on policy. 

Down ticket races also set in place a "farm team" of officials who may eventually seek higher office.  Looking at state legislatures after the midterms, Republicans control both chambers in 30 states, compared to just 11 for the Democrats.  Democrats lost close to 300 legislative seats.  The NCSL reported, "In 2015, there will be 1,325 new state legislators in office."

Much attention has focused on the Secretary of State position in recent debates over voter ID laws and other restrictions on voting.  In Dec. 2013 Democrats formed a PAC, SoS for Democracy, to focus on Secretary of State races.  Steve Rosenthal, Larry Scanlon and Jenna Fullmer headewa the effort.  (This is a successor to the Secretary of State Project, established in 2006).  Republicans had the Republican Secretaries of State Committee (RSSC) as part of the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC).  In January 2014, a SOS for SOS super PAC formed as well, but it seems to have faltered. 

In terms of initiatives and referenda, the Initiative and Referendum Institute noted that the 146 propositions on the Nov. 4 ballot is "the lowest total in an even-numbered year in the 21st century," down from 176 in 2012.  According to the Institute, hot issues included the minimum wage, marijuana, gambling and bond measures.


Republican State Leadership Committee
Republican Attorneys General Association

Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee
Democratic Attorney Generals Association
Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association

SOS for SOS (conservative super PAC)  ||  iVote Fund  |  SoS for Democracy (liberal super PACs)

National Conference of State Legislatures - Elections and Campaigns

Initiative & Referendum Institute
Ballot Initiative Strategy Center (progressive)

ADVERTISEMENT