Archives

Maryland: ‘True Blue’ Victors May Need Low Profile

by Kevin McCormick, Whiteford, Taylor & Preston, L.L.P. Against the national trend to oust the incumbents, Maryland remained a “true blue” state. We returned most of our Democratic incumbents, including Governor Martin O’Malley, Senator Barbara Mikulski, Attorney General Doug Gansler, Comptroller Peter Franchot, and a host of other Democratic congressional members. The only “upset” was […]

Maine: Red Tide Causes ‘Sea Change’

by Daniel C. Stockford, Brann & Isaacson While voters handily reelected both of Maine’s Democratic representatives to the U.S. House of Representatives, a sea change occurred at the state level as the Maine governorship and the Maine Legislature apparently have switched from Democratic to Republican control. In a surprisingly close governor’s race, Republican Paul LePage […]

Louisiana: RIP EFCA, Paycheck Fairness Act

by Mark Adams, Jones Walker At first glance, nothing significant came out of Louisiana. No Tea Party candidates to create excitement. Republicans and Democrats each lost a U.S. House seat and won a seat they hadn’t controlled, so no contribution to the change of control in the House. However, the Republican takeover of the House […]

Kentucky: Foe’s ‘Aqua Buddha’ Ad Didn’t Hurt Paul

by Richard S. Cleary, Greenebaum Doll & McDonald PLLC Republican Rand Paul came from a dead heat in the polls three weeks ago to handily beat the Democratic state Attorney General Jack Conway in Tuesday’s election. Conway carried Louisville, Lexington, and a few pockets in eastern Kentucky, but he managed to carry little else in […]

Kansas: No Democrats in Sight

by Carolyn Matthews, Foulston Siefkin LLP How many Democrats does it take to screw in a lightbulb in Kansas? That’s a trick question — there aren’t any Democrats in Kansas. Republican Sam Brownback was elected governor. Republicans also took the secretary of state, attorney general, and state treasurer positions from the Democratic incumbents. Republican Jerry […]

Iowa: It’s Back to the Past with New Governor

by Greg Naylor, Whitfield & Eddy P.L.C. Twenty-five years ago, Michael J. Fox took us all Back to the Future. On Election Day, however, Iowa went back to the past, returning former Republican Governor Terry Branstad to a gubernatorial seat that hadn’t seen a Republican occupant in three consecutive terms. Republicans also will take control […]

Illinois: More Employee-Friendly State Laws Likely

by Brian J. Kurtz, Ford & Harrison LLP The headline grabber in Illinois was Republican Mark Kirk’s defeat over Alexi Giannoulias, the Democratic contender for the U.S. Senate seat once held by President Barack Obama. Giannoulias, a close friend of President Obama, would have offered firm support for the President’s agenda in the Senate. In […]

Idaho: Last Democrat Standing Is Defeated

by J. Kevin West, Hall, Farley, Oberrecht & Blanton, P.A. Before the election, Idaho’s four-member congressional delegation had two Republican senators and a representative from each party. The lone Democrat, Blue Dog Walt Minnick, lost to Raul Labrador, a Tea Party-endorsed underdog (and attorney), who pulled off the unexpected win against the incumbent. So now […]

Hawaii: House of Blues After Democrat Sweep

by David Banks, Cades Schutte LLP In Hawaii, Democrats swept their three congressional races while also returning a Democrat to the gubernatorial seat. Neil Abercrombie, the 10-term U.S. representative for the state’s First Congressional District, replaced two-term Republican Governor Linda Lingle. Not only did Abercrombie beat out Lieutenant Governor James “Duke” Aiona for the state’s […]

Georgia: Noncompetes Become More Salvageable

by David C. Hagaman, Ford & Harrison LLP Republicans won every Georgia statewide office and picked up one congressional seat from the Democrats. The most significant vote was the passage of a constitutional measure that gives Georgia courts the right to rewrite restrictive covenants in employment agreements without striking down the entire pact. The new […]