Things haven’t been looking particularly good for the Obama 2012 campaign of late. Half
the country disapproves of his performance so far, the economy’s very weak and Mitt Romney’s grip on the Republican nomination is tightening. And the last two sets of November elections have seen
the electorate move towards the Republicans. In 2009, they took over the governorships Virgnia and New Jersey. Last year, they won control of House of Representatives and increased their numbers of
Senators and Governors. But this year, the story’s different: Democrats scored some important wins yesterday, making their prospects for 2012 that bit brighter.
Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear won re-election by a 20-point margin; Iowa Democrats won a special election to retain control of the state Senate and in New Jersey they extended their majority in the state Assembly while also holding onto the Senate. And just as important were two big victories on ballot measures (statewide referenda): one in Ohio on a law limiting collective bargaining (the legislation was rejected 61-39), and the other in Mississippi on whether “personhood” begins at fertilization (“no” won 58-42).
There were some bright spots for Republicans too, though. They easily held onto the governor’s mansion in Mississippi and it looks like they might take control of the Iowa state Senate – depending on the outcome of one race that is still too close to call. And Ohio Republicans had their own referendum victory: a measure opposing Obama’s health care reforms passed 66-34.
But overall, the results were good for the Democrats and will have helped lift their spirits after two years of election nights that deflated them. They appear to have stopped the rot that set in after 2008 – and just in time, as far as Obama is concerned.
P.S. Remember the American Milibands – the two brothers competing to be mayor of Elmore, Ohio? Well, the younger brother, incumbent mayor Lowell Krumnow, has emerged victorious.
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