Election results reflect heartbeat of America [Updated]

Check here for an article on the Nov. 2 elections, coverage of Californian races, final decisions on propositions and the breakdown for the national races.

Election+results+reflect+heartbeat+of+America+%5BUpdated%5D

Kathryn Watson, Writer



Election results display Americans’ opinions

Americans have made their voices “heard at the ballot box,” as John Boehner, the new Republican speaker of the House said as the nation lit up more red than blue election night.

In an expected win, the Republicans easily took control of the House and narrowly missed taking control of the Senate, too. In terms of Republican races, the vast majority of the 37 gubernatorial races went Republican, too. And in Illinois, Republican Mark Kirk claimed the seat once held by President Obama in what has been dubbed a very symbolic statement to Washington.

After being birthed just 22 months ago, the Tea party movement proved its resonance with the American public Tuesday, when four out of 10 in exit polls said they favored the movement. As election results rolled in Tuesday night, the Tea party website congratulated the night’s winners and urged those in the movement to look forward at the work ahead.

But Republicans didn’t get all the seats they had hoped for, either. California has proved to be one of the remaining blue states, with Democrat Jerry Brown decidedly leading Republican Meg Whitman in the gubernatorial race, despite Whitman’s nearly $140 million in her personal contributions to her own campaign.

Brown, who served as governor from 1975-1983, gained a lead over Whitman after a political scuffle over the illegal residency of Whitman’s former housekeeper took center stage nationally in October.

In California, Prop 19, which would have legalized the recreational use of marijuana for people 21 and over, failed by a significant margin at the polls.

“The outcome of the election does not diminish the work we have done for the American people,” said current House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California at 1:45 a.m. Wednesday morning after losing her seat to Boehner Tuesday night. “We must all strive to find common ground to support the middle class, create jobs, reduce the deficit and move our nation forward.”

But politicians and pundits are already looking ahead to what will happen in Washington after the election buzz dies down.

President Obama is scheduled to give the first official word from the White House Wednesday afternoon.

California Elected Officials:

Position Candidate Party
Governor:

Jerry Brown

Democrat
Senator:

Barbara Boxer

Democrat
Lieutenant Governor:

Gavin Newsom

Democrat
Secretary of State:

Debra Bowen

Democrat
Treasurer:

Bill Lockyer

Democrat

California Proposition Results:

Proposition About Status
Prop. 19 Legalizes the sell and use of marijuana. Fail
Prop. 20 Redistricts congressional districts. Pass
Prop. 21 Creates $18 yearly license surcharge to fund
state parks and wildlife programs
Fail
Prop. 22 Prohibits state from taking locally-issued taxes
for the use of the state budget
Pass
Prop. 23 Suspends air pollution control laws until
state unemployment rate drops to 5.5%.
Fail
Prop. 24 Repeals annual tax breaks for corporations. Fail
Prop. 25 Changes legislative member requirement to
pass state budget from 2/3 to simple majority.
Pass
Prop. 26 Requires a supermajority (2/3 vote) in order
to pass certain state and local fees.
Fail
Prop. 27 Eliminates the state’s control on redistricting. Fail

National Results:

National Election Results:

House:

Republicans:

239

Democrats:

186 Senate:

Democrats:

52

Republicans:

46 Gubernatorial:

Republicans:

23

Democrats:

9

National Ballot Initiatives:

Oklahoma passed an initiative that legislates English as the Official State Language.

Colorado, Oklahoma and Arizona had ballot initiatives that would allow people to withdraw from the federal healthcare program. Colorado residents failed. The other states passed it.

Washington passed an initiative that requires a 2/3 majority for all tax increases.

Rhode Island killed a proposition that would change the state’s name from “State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations” to just “Rhode Island.”


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