Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: GOP gains legislature seats, but Democrats keep control Date: Fri, 6 Nov 92 11:28:29 EST Message-ID: \SE A;NATION;ELECTIONS '92 \SS (WS) \HD GOP gains legislature seats, but Democrats keep control \BY ASSOCIATED PRESS Republicans gained but Democrats will maintain supremacy in the nation's legislatures, where at least one of every four faces will be new come January. Incumbents who made it to Tuesday's ballot didn't fare as badly as some had feared, however; at least nine of every 10 were winning. As in congressional races, the "throw the bums out" wave crested earlier, washing out most of its victims before the general election. Women and minorities were poised to fill a growing number of the nation's nearly 7,500 legislative seats. As returns from about 6,300 races continued being tallied yesterday, the GOP leaned toward a net gain of at least six of the nation's 99 legislative chambers. Democrats appeared headed toward a net loss of four in the number of states where they control both houses. Democrats went into the elections with majorities in 70 chambers. Democrats controlled both houses in 29 states, the GOP in six and 14 states were split. Nebraska's legislature is unicameral and nominally nonpartisan. The GOP, helped by redistricting, won control of the Illinois Senate for the first time in 18 years. But in Florida, where Republicans had hoped to win their first legislative chamber in the South since Reconstruction, they appeared to gain only one Senate seat, which would leave a 20-20 split. Nationwide, one in five incumbents retired, lost primaries or were squeezed out by redistricting. Of the nearly 6,000 who made it to Tuesday's ballot, it appeared that more than 90 percent would be re-elected. Democratic incumbents were faring marginally better than Republicans. The overall turnover rate for state lawmakers stood at 25 percent and was certain to grow; more than 1,500 races remained undecided. Historically, turnover is higher in redistricting years. It was 32 percent in 1982, the last redistricting year. In 1990, turnover was 19 percent. South Dakota voters appeared to turn a larger percentage of incumbents out of office Tuesday than any other state - 16 of 77. But in Connecticut, where passage last year of a state income tax helped tumble about a third of both houses before the general election, voters were rejecting only 11 of 131 incumbents on Tuesday. Incumbents face a longer-range threat, though: Voters in 12 states from Florida to Washington approved limiting state lawmakers' terms, joining at least three states including California that already have such limits. As in congressional races, record numbers of women and minorities ran for legislative offices Tuesday; it couldn't immediately be summarized yesterday how they fared. But redistricting in compliance with the strengthened Voting Rights Act all but ensured that more minorities would win. Currently, 18 percent of state lawmakers are women, 6 percent are black and 2 percent Hispanic. In the bid for party supremacy, Republicans won legislative control in Kansas and were leading to gain it in Arizona and Idaho; all three states currently have split control. In Alaska, Democrats maintained control of the House but the Senate remained split 10-10. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM