[Washington Times] According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), which tracks party representation in the country’s 50 state governments, Democrats now control all three bases of power – the governorship and both houses of the state legislature – in 14 states and Republicans in 23, with only 12 states sharing power. (Nebraska’s unicameral legislature is considered nonpartisan.)
Regional power bases are also emerging, with Democrats increasingly dominating state governments across New England.
Conversely, after last week’s vote, the GOP for the first time since 1872 now controls the Arkansas House and Senate. Just 20 years ago, Republicans didn’t have a majority in a single legislative house in the states of the old Confederacy – now they control all 11.
The number of states with divided government is down from 31 just 16 years ago to 12 today, prompting speculation on the countryÂ’s evolving partisan geography. |