archived: 19 - 26 Feb, 2006 Back Next
THE STATES
The Democratic Party effort to recapture majority control of one House of Congress has captured most of the attention of rank and file Democrats. Yet, Gov. Bill Richardson, who heads up the Democratic Party effort to elect governors, is predicting that Democrats will regain a majority of the governorships.
In a year when fewer than one in 10 House seats appear to be in play, thanks to the power of incumbency and gerrymandered congressional districts, about half of the 36 gubernatorial contests appear to be competitive -- many of them clear tossups eight months from Election Day.
Democrats thought they would win a majority of governorships four years ago but fell just short. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D), chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, said this year's contests look like fertile ground for his party.
"Potentially, we could go from 22 Democratic governors to 27 or 28 after the '06 elections," he said. "The real reform and the real action in the Democratic Party is with governorships. It's a good omen for strengthening the Democratic Party for '08."
Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R), chairman of the Republican Governors Association, offered a more cautious, and vaguely worded, assessment. "The math is daunting," he said. "The math would say we will lose quite a few seats. I think we'll do better than that."
This year there are contests in every section of the country, but the most pivotal region is the same one that often decides the outcome of presidential elections. It is the band of states running from Pennsylvania in the East through the old industrial heartland of Ohio, Michigan and Illinois and including Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Democrats control five of the seven.
This Washington Post article is a must read for those with an inquiring mind. The New York Times features an article on the same subject that is well worth the read.
BYZANTINE “D”
One Democrat running for Congress in Florida reduces the attack on Bush’s prescription drug program to its essence:
"These Medicare prescription drug costs, on top of the other issues, are weighing pretty heavily on people with fixed incomes...Let's start thinking about the consumer side, instead of figuring out how to prop up the pharmaceutical and insurance industries."
That is a Democrat TPJ would be honored to support.
The Emerging Democratic Majority has authored an excellent article on public perceptions of Bush’s prescription drug plan. EDM concludes that:
Discontent over prescription drug polices could have a decisive effect in races in which senior voters are critical, such as the U.S. Senate contest in Pennsylvania. In House races, Toner says
"Among the fewer than three dozen House districts considered competitive, the over-60 vote will be critical in states like Florida and New Mexico."
As Ruy Teixeira explained in his December 21 piece "Seniors, the Prescription Drug Benefit and the 2006 Election," voters age 60 and older have become highly critical of the job performance of both the President and congress --- and these voters turn out at even higher rates in midterm elections.
Toner quotes GOP pollster Glen Bolger's observation that confusion over the drug benefit has "taken the key swing vote that's been trending the Republicans' way and put it at risk for the next election."
The prescription drug plan could be a wedge issue for Democrats. Every Democrat needs to be conversant on the issue. The EDM article is a must read for Democrats.
Last Update: 04/02/2006