President, Senate, House of Representatives, Governor, State Senate, State House, Propositions, Referend- what? It’s no secret that election jargon can be impossibly confusing, if not completely disillusioning. With 469 national races and hundreds of other state races, candidates’ names, parties, and platforms inevitably blend together into one uninviting, muddled political mix. With so much media attention, money, and advertisements dedicated solely to the presidential race, it became easy to forget that November 6th involved anyone other than Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. In actuality, Election Day delivered numerous other groundbreaking outcomes that may have received less coverage but which certainly deserve just as much, if not more, attention and reflection.
Here’s a look at some of 2012’s most notable results and reforms:
1. The Senate:
Let’s start with the basics: Of the 100 total senate seats, 33 were up for election this year. Prior to Election Day, the Senate was composed of 51 Democrats, 47 Republicans, and two independents – both of whom caucused (aligned) themselves with the Democrats. Ultimately, Republicans ended up losing two seats, while Democrats gained those two, tipping the balance further in the Democratic Party’s favor, with a 53-45 majority. Additionally, Bernie Sanders (I-VT) won re-election, and Angus King (I-ME) won election. Both have announced their intention to caucus with the Democrats, essentially giving the party a 55-45 advantage.
Fun Fact: With an all time high of 20 female senators, women make up 1/5 (or 20%) of the 113th Senate.
Bottom Line: The Democrats had a good showing in the Senate, winning races in states like Indiana, where few would have predicted their success only a few months ago. Still, although they gained a larger majority, it is unlikely that their new numbers will make them more effective in the next few years. Simply put, without 60 seats, Democrats will remain unable to overcome Republican filibusters, which effectively stall debate. While Majority Leader Harry Reid has promised to make headway on filibuster reform in the new Senate (we’ve heard that before), so only time will tell what will really happen.
2. The House of Representatives:
Again, the basics: The 2010 House of Representatives resulted 242 Republican seats and 193 Democratic seats. With all of these seats up for re-election this year, Republicans maintained their majority, losing 8 seats to Democrats, bringing the new totals to 234 Republicans – 201 Democrats. For the last two years, congress has maintained the lowest approval ratings on record. Still, a large number of incumbents were re-elected, reaffirming the theory that voters largely like their own members of congress, while disliking the body as a whole.
Bottom Line: The Republicans will still have considerable leverage in the House. Not only with they elect the speaker of the house once again, but they will also once again chair all of the body’s committees. The Republican House’s continued interaction with the Democratic Senate and Democratic Executive Branch will definitely be an interesting dynamic to watch for the next two years.
Did You Know?: The House race in Louisiana’s 3rd District is still undecided. There will be a runoff race on December 8th – Look out for the results!
3. Same-Sex Marriage Passed in All 3 States in which it was on the Ballot:
Voters in Maryland, Washington, and Maine all passed gay marriage in their respective states.
In Maryland, same-sex marriage was up for debate in the state legislature as recently as 2011, but did not pass. In Maine, gay marriage was voted on as a proposition just three years ago in 2009 but failed. In contrast, Washington was actually set to pass the measure in 2012 (prior to the election), but residents managed to get it on the ballot as a referendum, where it officially passed.
Bottom Line: Public opinion on same-sex marriage is continuously evolving. Where passed attempts at its legalization failed in these states only a few years ago, they passed – in some cases overwhelming – this year. Look out for similar proposals in other states over the next few years.
All in all, the 2012 elections were filled with both surprising and predictable results. November has been an exciting month for politics, and the election outcomes are likely to shape the political, social, and economic climate for years to come.
As expected, the November 6th elections brought a number of groundbreaking outcomes and reforms that will undoubtedly shape our country’s economic, political, and social climate for years to come.