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The nationwide Democratic gains on Election Day filtered down to the state level. The Democratic Party now controls 60 state legislative bodies, gaining three in the election, and holds the majority of both houses in 27 states, gaining a total of four. In addition, 17 states are now led by a combination of Democratic executive and legislative chambers.
This election continues a trend where Democrats have gained state legislative seats nationwide for the past five years. In New York, candidates and the parties spent over $40 million on Senate races this election, which makes it the most expensive ever. Democrats now control the House, Senate and Governor's office for the first time since the early 1930s. A variety of social policies are expected to be discussed in the statehouse next year.
Texas came within 25 votes of losing Republican control of the House, which is being contested in a race for a Dallas-area district. If reversed after the recount, Democrats will have a majority for the first time since 2003. As a result, the Speaker's race has garnered a bevy of candidates to challenge the powerful incumbent.
Republicans also made some gains, in particular the state Senates in Tennessee, Montana and Oklahoma. Democrat majorities shrank in the North Carolina Senate and the New Hampshire House. Even though the Democrats have a slight majority in Pennsylvania, the Republican Speaker of the House is expected to retain that seat.
With these changes in many states, the spring state legislative sessions are expected to bring a wide variety of new ideas and policies. Republicans drew the district lines last time. If the Democrats are as successful in two years in the state elections as they were this year, they will be in a prime position for redistricting in 2011.
Policy is one of the most important issues facing farmers today, but often the most difficult to digest. Jacqui Fatka has a passion to decode the often difficult world of agricultural policy into terms understandable for today's ag players.
Fatka joined the Farm Progress team as E-Content Editor in August 2003 after graduating from Iowa State University. Prior to full-time employment with Farm Progress, she interned at Wallaces Farmer magazine, Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley's press office and the Iowa Pork Producers Association and freelanced for National Hog Farmer. She also worked as a public relations consultant with Iowa Industries for the Future, an effort to bring together major players in the biorenewables industry.
Currently Fatka is a staff editor at a sister publication, Feedstuffs. For Farm Futures she regularly tells the story of ongoing agricultural policy changes. Her byline can also be found on management profiles.
Fatka grew up on a grain and livestock farm near Atlantic, Iowa. She currently lives in central Ohio with her husband Eric.
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