Republicans have gained control of both houses of Congress in this nation. In case you just missed Roland Martin’s interview this morning on the Tom Joyner Morning Show, he summed it up nationally this way, “it was a Democratic massacre.”
GOP candidates flipped at least seven seats to take control of the Senate. Republican candidates took down Democratic incumbents in Colorado, North Carolina, and Arkansas, and won the open seat in Iowa. Word comes on the day after the mid-term elections that President Obama is making a peace offering. A White House official says Obama is inviting both Republican and Democratic Congressional leaders to join him at the White House on Friday. More details on the meeting will be forthcoming. When we get them, you certainly will get them too.
Four states are raising the minimum wage after voters approved ballot measures. Voters in Nebraska, South Dakota, our neighbor Illinois, and Arkansas approved minimum wage hikes. The South Dakota measure raises the minimum wage to $8.50 an hour. Illinois’s minimum wage is going to$10 an hour. Notice, all four of the the states are “red” states.
On the local scene, Indiana’s congressional delegation isn’t changing after Tuesday’s election. All seven Republican and two Democratic House members (including Rep. Andre Carson) were re-elected and neither senator was on the ballot. Analysts say the outcome is more from a lack of competitive districts in the state than of voters’ satisfaction level with Washington D.C. Republican analysts say Indiana Senator Dan Coats will likely be appointed chairman of an important committee.
Democrats are showing a rare sweep in Marion County. Sheriff John Layton and Prosecutor Terry Curry kept their jobs while Myla Eldridge is poised to win county clerk picking up the baton from Beth White who lost her bid for Secretary of State to incumbent Republican Connie Lawson. Democrat candidates also won the races for auditor and recorder. Here’s a quick scan of some races and people you’ve kept an eye on:
- In House District 96 the Democratic incumbent, Gregory Porter, easily won his race and in District 98 Democratic incumbent, Robin Shackleford, won her race. Cherrish Pryor, John Bartlett and Vanessa Summers ran unopposed on the Democratic ticket in their various districts. Brian Bosma also ran unopposed on the Republican ticket and returns to Indiana’s House.
In the hotly contested Indianapolis Public Schools School Board races, some observers say big money won. Other observers just call the candidates and the system that backed them “reformers.” The Stand For Children Indiana-funded candidates were victorious at the ballot box. Mary Ann Sullivan won the At-Large seat in a category that included two rather popular ministers, David Hampton and Ramon Batts; Kelly Bentley returns to the IPS board in District 3 winning in a three-man race which included incumbent, Samantha Adair-White; and newcomer Lanier Echols, a charter school administrator, edged out IPS’ longest tenured board member, Michael Brown, by ten percent.
To see the full election results, click HERE.
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