Election aftermath: Democrats hold Iowa Senate, Independent wins in Missouri special elections
November 9, 2011
On Tuesday, seven states--Georgia, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin--held special elections to fill 13 state legislative vacancies. While neither Democrats nor Republicans managed to capture additional seats, Independent (and former Democrat) Tracy McCreery defeated both of her major party opponents to capture a formerly Democratic seat. Democrats nearly captured a Republican seat in Missouri, but fell short by 38 votes.
The most heavily watched special election was in Iowa, where Iowa State Senate partisan control was at stake. Liz Mathis (D) defeated Cindy Golding (R) in a special election for District 18. Mathis' victory keeps the seat and the Senate in Democratic hands by averting a tie.
Counting Tuesday's races, 90 special elections have been held in 2011. In total, 11 seats have changed partisan hands. Republicans captured six, Democrats captured four, and an Independent (McCreery) captured one. Political appointments and election to higher office were the primary causes of special elections in 2011, causing 34 and 27 vacancies, respectively. Excluding runoffs, one special election remains to be held in 2011.
The following is a breakdown of the November 8 special elections:
Republicans won seven special election seats, Democrats won five, and an Independent won one on Tuesday.
- Georgia House District 10: Terry Rogers (R) defeated Lori Duke Jones (R) and Bruce Harkness, Sr. (R), winning with 61.4% of the vote and averting a runoff.[1]
- Georgia House District 25: Emory West Dunahoo, Jr. (R) and Bobby Banks (R) were the top two vote-getters on Tuesday, receiving 21.3% and 19.7% of the vote, respectively. They will proceed to a runoff election on December 6. Five other candidates ran for the seat.[2]
- Georgia Senate District 28: Duke Blackburn (R) and Mike Crane (R) were the top two vote-getters on Tuesday, receiving 27.8% and 19.9% of the vote, respectively. They will proceed to a runoff election on December 6. Eight other candidates ran for the seat.[3]
- Georgia Senate District 50: Rick Austin (R) and John Wilkinson (R) were the top two vote-getters on Tuesday, receiving 43.3% and 39.2% of the vote, respectively. They will proceed to a runoff election on December 6. Three other candidates ran for the seat.[4]
- Iowa Senate District 18: Liz Mathis (D) defeated Cindy Golding (R) in the special election for District 18, winning with 56% of the vote. Her victory preserves the Democrats' advantage in the Iowa State Senate.[5]
- Mississippi Senate District 8: Russell Jolly (D) defeated Patsy Gregory (R) in the District 8 special election, winning with 62% of the vote.[6] Jolly also won the general election.
- Missouri House District 15: Chrissy Sommer (R) defeated Paul Woody (D) and Bill Slantz (L) in the special election, saving the District 15 seat for Republicans by only 38 votes.[7]
- Missouri House District 39: Judy Morgan (D) defeated Jamie Barker Landes (R) in the District 39 special election, winning with 77.4% of the vote.[8]
- Missouri House District 41: Brandon Ellington (D) was election without opposition.[9]
- Missouri House District 83: Tracy McCreery (I) defeated Jeff O'Connell (D) and Patrick Brennan (R) in the District 83 special election, winning with 43.9% of the vote. McCreery decided to run as an independent after failing to receive the Democratic nomination.[10][11]
- Tennessee Senate District 6: Becky Duncan Massey (R) defeated Gloria Johnson (D) in the District 6 special election, winning with 63.6% of the vote.[12]
- Texas House District 14: Bob Yancy (R) and John Raney (R) were the top two vote-getters on Tuesday, receiving 36.4% and 22.6% of the vote, respectively. A runoff election will now be scheduled. Three other candidates ran for the seat.[13]
- Wisconsin Assembly District 95: Jill Billings (D) defeated David Drewes (R) in the District 95 special election, winning with 71% of the vote.[14]
Partisan impact
Only one seat changed partisan hands--a Democratic House seat in Missouri was captured by an Independent.
See also
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- State legislative special elections, 2011
- State legislative elections results, 2011
- November 8, 2011 election results
Footnotes
- ↑ Georgia Secretary of State, District 10, Unofficial Results, November 8, 2011
- ↑ Georgia Secretary of State, District 25, Unofficial Results, November 8, 2011
- ↑ Georgia Secretary of State, District 25, Unofficial Results, November 9, 2011
- ↑ Georgia Secretary of State, District 25, Unofficial Results, November 8, 2011
- ↑ DesMoines Register, "Democrat Liz Mathis is winner of special Iowa Senate election," November 8, 2011
- ↑ WAPT, "2011 Election Results," November 09, 2011 (dead link)
- ↑ Missouri Secretary of State, Legislative District 15, Unofficial Results, November 8, 2011
- ↑ Missouri Secretary of State, "Unofficial Election Returns," November 8, 2011
- ↑ Missouri Secretary of State, "Unofficial Election Returns," November 8, 2011
- ↑ Missouri Secretary of State, "Unofficial Election Returns," November 8, 2011
- ↑ WNCT, "Independent Mccreery Wins Mo. House Seat," November 8, 2011
- ↑ Knox County, Unofficial Results, November 8, 2011
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, Special Election State Representative, District 14, November 8, 2011
- ↑ LaCrosse Tribune, "Billings defeats Drewes," November 8, 2011
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