Democrats won the "hidden election" of 2004

[WI_DEM]

From USA today:

Democrats had great success in state legislative races this year, even as they performed poorly in the pesidential race (48.4% is performing poorly?) and campaigns for congress. Many Democratic gains came in the heart of Republican territory.

Overall Democrats took power in seven state legislatures and earned a tie in the Iowa Senate. Republicans won control in four chambers and added legislators in southern states that have been shifting to the party for 20 years.

Nationwide Democrats added more than 60 legislative seats, reversing teh 2002 results that gave Republicans more state legislators than Democrats for the first time in a half century.

"It was like a hidden election," says Tim Storey, political analyst at teh National Conference of State Legislatures. "The result was remarkable and not easy to explain."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/state/2004-12-14-dems-hidden-election_x.htm

[Sanity Claws]

1. Not easy to explain?

How about the Repugs only rigged the presidential and certain U.S. Senate elections and didn't bother with the local races?

[ProudToBeLiberal]

2. how about Democrats just worked hard...

[GRLMGC]

3. Locally

This is really true. I worked on local campaigns and we worked our asses off. I hardly saw the Repubs doing much locally. I guess they were more concerned w/ the natl election.

[coloradodem2005]

4. Appearently, they could not have rigged the Colorado one enough.

Our boy Salazar is too popular. I am quite proud of that race.

[annabanana]

9. nail-head hitting, here...........

I wish folks would stop moaning about having "lost"...
We really didn't, and that's the truth.

[iwantmycountryback]

5. The stuff about Montana is very interesting

The fact that there is now a Dem governor of that state and both houses of congress are Democratic is very interesting to me. Having success at the bottom should eventually lead to success on the top. In all those Northeastern blue states that have Repub governors, that must change in '06.

[Cuban_Liberal]

6. True change starts at the state level.

I think this is MOST encouraging.
:)

[Silverhair]

7. That can be understood using the Mommy/Daddy party meme.

Local politics is often about the services that gov't provides. Roads, parks, police, fire dept., zoning, etc. Provision of services (Mommy issue) is something that Democrats (The Mommy Party) are better at.

National politics this year had National Security as the main issue. The Republicans, since 1968, have enjoyed a strong edge on this issue. It is a Daddy issue, and they are the Daddy Party.

[PurityOfEssence]

8. Take away gerrymandered Texas, and we won seats in the House, too

That needs to be pointed out.