Daily Brew: October 19, 2018

October 19, 2018

Plus, Florida Supreme Court rules next governor will appoint three supreme court justices   Welcome to the Friday, October 19 Brew. Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: Oregon state spotlight Washington state spotlight Florida Supreme Court rules next governor will appoint three supreme court justices Oregon: We Love Dreamers Oregon is holding elections for five U.S. House seats, governor, labor commissioner, one seat on the state Supreme Court, three appellate court seats, 17 out of 30 state Senate seats, and all 60 state House seats. Ballotpedia is also covering five statewide ballot measures and local elections in Multnomah County and in the city of Portland. What is the partisan balance in the state? Congress: Democrats hold both U.S. Senate seats and four U.S. House seats. Republicans hold one U.S. House seat. Governor: Democrat. Lt. Governor: Oregon does not have a lieutenant governor. Attorney General: Democrat. State Senate: 17-13 Democratic majority. State House: 35-25 Democratic majority. Race to watch Oregon Governor: Incumbent Gov. Kate Brown (D) faces challenges from state Rep. Knute Buehler (R) and four others in her re-election bid. Brown was first appointed in 2015 and elected in 2016. Oregon has not had a Republican governor since 1987. The Republican Governors Association has contributed more than $750,000 toward Buehler's campaign, and the Democratic Governors Association contributed more than $400,000 to Brown. Six weeks ahead of the November election, the candidates set a record for money raised in a gubernatorial election in the state. If Buehler wins, he would break the state's Democratic trifecta status, which has been in place since 2013. What you need to know if you’re an Oregon voter Early voting dates: Not applicable (vote-by-mail). Polls open/close: No polling hours (vote-by-mail). Voter ID: Oregon is a vote-by-mail state. When registering to vote, a voter must provide his or her driver’s license or state ID card. Bookmark your sample ballot. Learn more         Washington: The Evergreen State Washington is holding elections for one U.S. Senate seat, 10 U.S. House seats, 25 out of 49 state senate seats, and all 98 state house seats. The seats of three state Supreme Court justices and eight appellate court seats. Five statewide ballot measures are on the ballot. Ballotpedia is also covering local races in King County and Seattle. What is the partisan balance in the state? Congress: Democrats hold both U.S. Senate seats and six U.S. House seats. Republicans hold the remaining four U.S. House seats. Governor: Democrat. Lt. Governor: Democrat. Attorney General: Democrat. State Senate: 26-23 Democratic majority. State House: 50-48 Democratic majority. Races to Watch Washington’s 3rd Congressional District: Incumbent Jaime Herrera Beutler (R) faces a challenge from public policy professor Carolyn Long (D). Beutler was first elected in 2010 and was last re-elected in 2016 by a margin of 24 percentage points. That year, Donald Trump (R) carried the district by a margin of 7 percentage points. This district was listed as one of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's initial targets in 2018. Washington’s 5th Congressional District: Former state Sen. Lisa Brown (D) is challenging incumbent Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R). Rodgers was first elected in 2004 and last won election in 2016 by a margin of 19 percentage points. That year, Donald Trump (R) carried the district by a margin of 13 percentage points. No Democratic candidate has won election to represent the 5th District since 1992. Washington’s 8th Congressional District: Pediatrician Kim Schrier (D) and former state Sen. Dino Rossi (R) are running for the seat left open by outgoing Rep. David Reichert (R). Reichert was last elected in 2016 by a margin of 20 percentage points. That year, Hillary Clinton (D) carried the district by a margin of 3 percentage points. The district is one of the 26 Republican-held congressional seats that voted for Hillary Clinton (D) in 2016. Election forecasters call this race a toss-up. Washington’s 9th Congressional District: Incumbent Adam Smith (D) faces activist Sarah Smith (D). Adam Smith was first elected in 1996 and last won re-election in 2016 by a margin of 46 percentage points. Washington's 9th Congressional District is one of 39 U.S. House districts where a Republican is not running in 2018. Washington State Senate: Twenty-five of the 49 seats in the state legislature’s upper chamber are up for election this year. In the 2016 elections, Democrats gained a 25-24 majority but did not gain control of the chamber since one Democratic senator caucused with Republicans. The party gained full control of the chamber in a November 2017 special election. Trifecta control of the state is at stake; if Republicans gain control of the chamber, they will break the state’s Democratic trifecta. Washington House of Representatives: All 98 seats in the state legislature’s lower chamber are up for election this year. Democrats hold a 50-48 majority. Ballotpedia has identified 13 battleground districts, including nine Republican-held districts and four Democratic-held districts. Of those, the incumbent is running for re-election in all four Democratic-held districts and eight Republican-held districts. Trifecta control of the state is at stake; if Republicans gain control of the chamber, they will break the state’s Democratic trifecta. What you need to know if you’re a Washington voter Early voting dates: Not applicable (vote-by-mail). Polls open/close: No polling hours (vote-by-mail). Voter ID: Washington is a vote-by-mail state. When registering to vote, a voter must provide his or her driver’s license or state ID card. Bookmark your sample ballot. Learn more→ Florida Supreme Court rules next governor will appoint three supreme court justices The Florida Supreme Court ruled only the next governor, not incumbent Rick Scott (R), could appoint replacements for state Supreme Court Justices Barbara J. Pariente, R. Fred Lewis, and Peggy Quince, all of whom are retiring at the end of their terms January 7, 2019. Pariente and Lewis were appointed by Gov. Lawton Chiles (D) in 1997 and 1998, respectively. Quince's appointment was a joint decision between Chiles and incoming Gov. Jeb Bush (R) in December 1998. The seven-member Florida Supreme Court is currently comprised of the three Chiles appointees, three appointees from Gov. Charlie Crist (who was elected as a Republican but later switched to the Democratic Party), and one appointee from Gov. Scott. In Florida, a judicial nominating commission screens potential judicial candidates, submitting a list of three to six nominees to the governor. The governor must appoint a judge from this list. Florida is one of 24 states that uses this system of assisted appointment. Newly appointed judges serve for at least one year, after which they appear in a yes-no retention election held during the next general election. If retained, judges serve six-year terms. Earlier this year, Scott asked the Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC) to submit nominations by November 10 to fill the vacancies. The court order said Scott exceeded his authority. The order granted a writ of quo warranto requested by the League of Women Voters of Florida and Common Cause Florida in September. The groups argued Scott's term would expire before the terms of the justices and therefore the next governor should appoint replacements. Scott's attorneys argued his actions followed precedent set by previous governors. Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum (D), former U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis (R), and five others are running in the general election on November 6, 2018, for Florida's governorship. Elections forecasters call this race a toss-up. Gillum released the following statement after the decision, "I am pleased the Florida Supreme Court has brought closure to this important issue finding, as we have consistently stated, that the next Governor of Florida will appoint the next three Supreme Court justices. It is a duty I take extremely seriously and, as Governor, one of my top priorities will be to restore integrity to the judicial nominating process." A spokesman for DeSantis said, "If Andrew Gillum is elected, out-of-state, radical groups would pressure him to appoint activist judges who would legislate from the bench to fit their own ideology. The consequences of this would be felt for generations, and it would be dangerous for every person in our state." Learn more→ I'll be staying up late on November 6. Anyone else? 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