First Things First: Important Races in 2005, 2006 and 2007
Battle for the 110th Congress and the State Houses
...This page is being filled in as primaries are held and races become clearer.
2006
Governors
Republicans head into 2006 with a 28R to 22D majority.  They face a challenging cycle; 22 of the 28 governorships they hold are up in 2006 and at least 8 of those governors are term limited or retiring.
(36 states--14 held by Democrats, 22 held by Republicans) also DC and USVI
Democratic Governors' Association Republican Governors Association Libertarian Party
Green Party
Constitution Party
DEMOCRATIC INCUMBENTS REPUBLICAN CHALLENGERS MORE
Arizona:  Janet Napolitano
Illinois:  Rod Blagojevich Judy Barr Topinka Rich Whitney (G)
Randy Stufflebeam (C)
Iowa:  Tom Vilsack (retiring) * Chet Culver Jim Nussle
Kansas: Kathleen Sebelius
Maine:  John Baldacci Pat LaMarche (G)
Michigan:  Jennifer Granholm Dick DeVos
New Hampshire:  John Lynch
New Mexico:  Bill Richardson J.R. Damron
Oklahoma:  Brad Henry
Oregon:  Ted Kulongoski Ron Saxton Joe Keating (PG)
needs 18,364 signatures:
Ben Westlund (I)
Pennsylvania:  Ed Rendell Lynn Swann need 67,070 signatures:
Russ Diamond (I)
Hagan Smith (C)
Marakay Rogers (G)
Tom Martin (L)
Tennessee:  Phil Bredesen
Wisconsin:  James E. Doyle Mark Green
Wyoming:  Dave Freudenthal
D.C.: Tony Williams (Mayor) (retiring) *
U.S.V.I.:  Charles Turnbull

 
DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGERS REPUBLICAN INCUMBENTS MORE
Alabama: Lucy Baxley Bob Riley Loretta Nall (L)
Alaska: Frank Murkowski
Arkansas:  Mike Beebe Mike Huckabee (term limited) * Asa Hutchinson Jim Lendall (G)
California: Phil Angelides Arnold Schwarzenegger Art Olivier (L)
Peter Miguel Camejo (G)
Edward C. Noonan (AIP)
Colorado:  Bill Ritter Bill Owens (term limited) *
Connecticut: M. Jodi Rell
Florida:  Jeb Bush (term limited) *
Georgia:  Sonny Perdue
Hawaii:  Linda Lingle Ozell Daniel (L)
Idaho:  Jerry Brady Dirk Kempthorne (term limited) * C.L. "Butch" Otter Marvin Richardson (C)
Maryland: Bob Ehrlich
Massachusetts:  Mitt Romney (retiring) * Christy Mihos (I)
Minnesota:  Tim Pawlenty
Nebraska:  David Hahn Dave Heineman
Nevada:  Kenny Guinn (term limited) * Craig Bergland (G)
New York:  George E. Pataki (retiring) * John Faso (R/C)
Ohio:  Ted Strickland Bob Taft (term limited) * Ken Blackwell Bill Pierce (L)
Bob Fitrakis (G)
Rhode Island:  Donald L. Carcieri
South Carolina:  Mark Sanford
South Dakota:  Jack Billion Mike Rounds
Texas:  Chris Bell Rick Perry need more than 45,000 valid signatures
Kinky Friedman (I)
Carole Keeton Strayhorn (I)
Vermont:  Scudder Parker Jim Douglas

U.S. Congress
Mid-term elections often result in losses for the party holding the White House, but the power of incumbency and non-competitive districts weigh against major changes.  More >>

U.S. Senate
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee National Republican Senatorial Committee
2006 (33 seats--17 held by Democrats, 15 held by Republicans, 1 held by Independent)
DEMOCRATIC INCUMBENTS REPUBLICAN CHALLENGERS MORE
California:  Dianne Feinstein Dick Mountjoy Don J. Grundmann (AIP)
Connecticut: Joseph Lieberman
Delaware:  Thomas Carper
Florida:  Bill Nelson
Hawaii:  Daniel Akaka
Maryland:  Paul Sarbanes (retiring) * Michael Steele
Massachusetts:  Ted Kennedy
Michigan: Debbie Stabenow
Minnesota:  Mark Dayton (retiring) *
Nebraska:  Ben Nelson Pete Ricketts
New Jersey:  Robert Menendez (appted) Tom Kean
New Mexico:  Jeff Bingaman Allen McCulloch
New York:  Hillary Rodham Clinton Jeff Russell (L)
North Dakota: Kent Conrad Dwight Grotberg
Washington:  Maria Cantwell Mike McGavick Aaron Dixon (G)
West Virginia:  Robert Byrd John Raese
Wisconsin:  Herb Kohl Rae Vogeler (G)
Vermont:  Jim Jeffords (retiring) * Bernie Sanders (Ind.)

 
DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGERS REPUBLICAN INCUMBENTS MORE
Arizona: Jim Pederson Jon Kyl
Indiana:  Richard Lugar
Maine: Olympia Snowe
Mississippi:  Trent Lott
Missouri: Claire McCaskill Jim Talent Frank Gilmour (L)
Montana:  Jon Tester Conrad Burns
Nevada:  John Ensign
Ohio: Sherrod Brown Mike DeWine
Pennsylvania: Bob Casey Rick Santorum
Rhode Island: Lincoln Chaffee
Tennessee:  Harold Ford, Jr. Bill Frist (retiring) * Chris Lugo (G)
Texas:  Barbara Ann Radnofsky Kay Bailey Hutchison
Utah:  Orrin Hatch
Virginia:  George Allen
Wyoming:  Dale Groutage Craig Thomas

U.S. House
Current balance is: Republicans 231 seats, Democrats 201 seats, Independent 1 (generally votes Dem.), and 2 vacancies (CA-50 and NJ-13)   [04/15/2006]
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee National Republican Congressional Committee
Retirements

  • At least twenty-eight House members (as of April 4, 2006) have announced plans to retire; the majority are seeking other offices.  Generally speaking open seats offer a somewhat greater opportunity for pickups by the opposing party.

    • Running for Senate (7):
    Democrats (4): Sherrod Brown (OH-13; Akron area, Northeastern Ohio); Ed Case (HI-2; part of Oahu and the other Islands); Benjamin Cardin (MD-3; Baltimore area); Harold Ford Jr. (TN-9; Memphis).
    Independent (1): Bernie Sanders (Ind.-VT).
    Republicans (2): Katherine Harris (FL-13; Sarasota); Mark Kennedy (MN-6; six counties East/Central Minnesota).

    Running for Governor (9):
    Democrats (2): Jim Davis (FL-11; Tampa); Ted Strickland (OH-6; eleven counties along Eastern border).
    Republicans (7): Bob Beauprez (CO-7; Denver area; portions of Jefferson, Adams and Arapahoe Counties); Jim Gibbons (NV-2; Reno); Mark Green (WI-8; Northeast Wisconsin); Ernest Istook (OK-5; includes Oklahoma City); Jim Nussle (IA-1; twelve counties in Eastern Iowa inc. Scott, Black Hawk, and Dubuque); Tom Osborne (NE-3; all of Western Nebraska); Butch Otter (ID-1).

    Retiring (12):
    Democrat (3): Lane Evans (IL-17; Rock Island); Major Owens (NY-11; Brooklyn); Martin Sabo (MN-5, Minneapolis).
    Republicans (9): Michael Bilirakis (FL-9; Tarpon Springs); Sherwood Boehlert (NY-24; Upstate); Tom DeLay (TX-22; parts of Fort Bend, Brazoria, Galveston, and Harris Counties); Bill Jenkins (TN-1; Eastern Tennessee); Joel Hefley (CO-5; Colorado Springs); Henry Hyde (IL-6; part of Cook and Dupage Counties); Jim Kolbe (AZ-8; Southeast corner); Mike Oxley (OH-4; central including Mansfield, Lima, Findlay); Bill Thomas (CA-22; Bakersfield).  [ed. possibly missing one; seeking info.  Also note: In March 2006 Elton Gallegly (CA-24; Simi Valley) announced his retirement then reversed himself].
     

  • Also note the U.S. Supreme Court is considering four appeals of the controversial Texas redistricting which resulted in Republicans picking up new U.S. House seats in 2004.  The Court agreed to take up the matter on Dec. 12, 2005; the four cases were consolidated into one, and the Court is proceeding on an expedited basis.  Two hours of oral argument took place March 1, 2006 and a ruling is expected by mid-year.  Thus there is a slight chance that the Texas lines could be re-drawn again.

    • Texas Legislative Council: Texas Redistricting
    Lone Star Fund (PAC): Lone Star Project
     

    2005-06 Special Elections
    New Jersey-13th CD: Primary June 6, 2006; General Nov. 7, 2006 to replace Rep. Robert Menendez (D) who was appointed U.S. Senator after Sen. Jon Corzine was sworn in as Governor on January 17, 2005. (seat to remain vacant through November)
     

    California-50th CD: Primary April 11, 2006; General June 6, 2006 to replace Rep. Randy Cunningham (R) who resigned effective December 1, 2005 due to bribery scandal.
    Francine Busby (D) Brian P. Bilbray (R)

    California-48th CD: Primary Oct. 4, 2005; General Dec. 6, 2005 to replace Rep. Chris Cox (R) who resigned effective August 2, 2005 to become chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
    Steve Young (D)   25,926 (28.0%)
    Béa Tiritilli (G)   1,242 (1.3%)    		 John Campbell (R)   41,450 (44.7%)
    Jim Gilchrist (AIP)   23,237 (25.1%)
    Bruce Cohen (L)   880 (0.9%)      ...total ballots cast 93,138

    Ohio-2nd CD: Primary June 14, 2005; General Aug. 2, 2005 to replace Rep. Rob Portman (R) who resigned effective April 29, 2005 to become U.S. Trade Representative.
    Paul Hackett (D)  55,886 (48.35%) Jean Schmidt (R)   59,671 (51.63%)
    ...total 115,576

    California-5th CD: Primary March 8, 2005 to succeed Rep. Bob Matsui (D) who died Jan. 1, 2005. Doris Matsui (D) won 69% of the vote.
     

    State Legislatures
    At the end of 2005, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Republicans control 20 state legislatures, Democrats 19, 10 are split and Nebraska is unicameral.   Democrats controlled 2,708 State House seats to 2,687 for the Republicans and 16 seats held by others, and Democrats controlled 953 State Senate seats to 964 for the Republicans and five others.  1,223 of 1,971 State Senate seats and 4,958 of 5,411 State House seats are at stake in 2006.  [National Conference of State Legislatures]
    Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee Republican Legislative Campaign Committee

    2007

    Governors
    2007 (3 states--1 held by Democrat, 2 held by Republicans)
    Louisiana: Kathleen Babineaux Blanco
    Kentucky: Ernie Fletcher
    Mississippi: Haley Barbour

    Nov. 8, 2005

    Governors
    (2 states--both held by Democrats)
    New Jersey: Gov. Richard J. Codey (not seeking election)  ...
    DEMOCRAT
    Sen. Jon Corzine of Hoboken  1,224,493 (53.47%)
     
     
     
    PoliticsNJ.com
    REPUBLICAN 
    Businessman Doug Forrester of West Windsor   985,235 (43.02%)

    EDUCATION NOT CORRUPTION Hector L. Castillo of Paterson  29,453
    LIBERTARIAN  Jeff Pawlowski of Parlin   15,416
    GREEN  Matthew J. Thieke of Maple Shade  12,313
    LEGALIZE MARIJUANA  Ed Forchion   9,138
    ONE NEW JERSEY  Michael Latigona    5,169
    VARIOUS  Wes Bell  4,177
    SOCIALIST WORKERS PARTY  Angela L. Lariscy   2,532
    SOCIALIST PARTY USA  Costantino Rozzo  2,079 
    total for the 8 indep.: 80,277 (3.51%)

    Total: 2,290,005
    .
    Virginia: Gov. Mark Warner (term-limited)  ...
    DEMOCRAT
    Lt. Gov. Tim Kaine of Richmond  1,025,942 (51.72%)
    REPUBLICAN
    Former Attorney General Jerry Kilgore of Gate City  912,327 (45.99%)

    INDEPENDENT REPUBLICAN 
    State Senator/businessman Russ Potts of Winchester  43,953 (2.22%)

    Write Ins 1,556 (0.08%) 

    Total: 1,983,778  (Total Voting: 2,000,052 or 44.96% of 4,448,852 registered) 
    www.corzineforgovernor.com www.doug.com www.pawlowkiforgovernor.com
    www.kaine2005.org jerrykilgore.com www.russpotts.com

     

    Copyright © 2005, 2006  Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action