Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper speaks at the Colorado Democrats watch party in Denver on Election Night. Colorado is one of six new Democratic “trifectas.”
Democrats had a huge night in state legislative races — which are little-watched but crucial for redistricting.
Democrats have so far gained six “trifectas,” or states where they control the governor’s office and both chambers of the legislature. The new trifectas are…
- Colorado
- Illinois
- Maine
- Nevada
- New Mexico
- New York
Those are added to the party’s eight existing trifectas (although the Connecticut governor’s race still bears watching).
They also busted four Republican trifectas: Kansas, Michigan, New Hampshire and Wisconsin.
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, the party’s arm that works on state legislative races, said that as of 3 a.m. ET, Democrats had won 333 previously Republican-held seats.
These state legislative battles were among Republicans’ biggest successes during former President Barack Obama’s tenure, a period in which they gained nearly 1,000 seats.
Democrats had been at a major disadvantage in state capitals headed into this year’s midterm elections. But the party has also gained the governor’s offices in Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, New Mexico, Nevada and Wisconsin.
