Post-Election Recap: 2018 Midterm Elections
Federal
As of Nov. 27, the U.S. House and Senate composition for the 116th Congress will be as follows.
2018 House Results
- 233 Democrats (+38 gain)
- 200 Republicans (-38 loss)
- 2 undecided (NY-22 and CA-21)
2018 Senate Results
- 53 Republicans (+3 gain)
- 47 Democrats (-3 loss)
116th Congressional Outlook for SIA
Most pundits associate divided government with gridlock and an unproductive Congress due to diverging political agendas; however, there are several opportunities for bipartisanship that could benefit SIA members.
Transportation and Infrastructure
During the 115th Congress, Republican legislators had balked at the prospect of pursuing a comprehensive infrastructure bill, which would expand procurement opportunities potentially benefiting members of the security industry; however, in the new Congress a grand infrastructure package is at least a possibility, since both Democrats and the Trump administration have publicly expressed a desire to increase infrastructure spending, which would necessarily include a significant public safety component if applied to schools, mass transit and other critical infrastructure beyond roadways.
Data Privacy
In light of events surrounding data breaches and the recent implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) by the European Union, lawmakers from both parties have expressed interests in reforming data collection and cross-border flow practices through legislative action. Legislation could appear akin to GDPR, although a majority of industry stakeholders are expected to oppose provisions allowing government agencies to take a heavy-handed regulatory approach, imposing fines without due process or legal recourse, for example.
21st-Century Workforce
Traditionally, workforce development issues have enjoyed bipartisan support, which SIA expects to continue into the 116th Congress. The security industry is grappling with how to address emerging workforce challenges, such as a perceived skills gap and human capital shortage. Congress could help tackle this challenge through enactment of policies such as increasing the federal government’s investment and prioritization of STEM curriculum, incentivizing corporations to invest in the future workforce, fostering robust apprenticeship programs or expanding federal grant and student aid opportunities for students pursing degrees through vocational institutions.
State
Flipped Governorships in the 2018 Elections
There were 36 governor races on the ballot in total, with these seven states ousting their incumbents.
| State | Pre-election control | Post-Election control |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | Republican | Democratic |
| Kansas | Republican | Democratic |
| Maine | Republican | Democratic |
| Michigan | Republican | Democratic |
| Nevada | Republican | Democratic |
| New Mexico | Republican | Democratic |
| Wisconsin | Republican | Democratic |
Flipped Legislatures in the 2018 Elections
All 50 states had legislators on the ballot this November. These six states will see changes in the compositions of their legislatures.
| State | Chamber | Pre-election control | Post-Election control |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | House | Democratic | Republicans |
| Colorado | Senate | Republicans | Democratic |
| Maine | Senate | Republicans | Democratic |
| Minnesota | House | Republicans | Democratic |
| New Hampshire | House | Republicans | Democratic |
| New Hampshire | Senate | Republicans | Democratic |
| New York | Senate | Republicans | Democratic |
State Government Trifectas
A state government trifecta is when the same political party controls the executive and legislative branches.
| Trifecta Status | Before | After | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic trifecta | 8 | 14 | +6 |
| Republican trifecta | 26 | 22 | -4 |
| Divided government | 16 | 13 | -3 |
Of the 36 states that currently have state government trifectas, these 11 states flipped from divided governments to trifecta status, or vice versa.
| State | Pre-election status | Post-election status |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Divided Government | Republican trifecta |
| Colorado | Divided Government | Democratic trifecta |
| Illinois | Divided Government | Democratic trifecta |
| Kansas | Republican trifecta | Divided government |
| Maine | Divided government | Democratic trifecta |
| Michigan | Republican trifecta | Divided government |
| Nevada | Divided government | Democratic trifecta |
| New Hampshire | Republican trifecta | Divided government |
| New Mexico | Divided government | Democratic trifecta |
| New York | Divided government | Democratic trifecta |
| Wisconsin | Republican trifecta | Divided government |
Partisan Balance of Power in State Legislative Chambers
| Partisan Control of All 99 State Legislatures | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-election | Post-election | |||
| Legislative Chamber | Democratic | Republican | Democratic | Republican |
| State Senate | 14 | 36 | 18 (+4) | 32 (-4) |
| State House | 18 | 31 | 19 (+1) | 30 (-1) |
Total: | 32 | 67 | 37 (+5) | 62 (-5) |
Biggest Takeaways From the State Legislative Gubernatorial Elections
Colorado's Senate Flips From Republican to Democrat
Democrats took control of the state’s senate and held onto the state’s house of representatives, and with Democrat Jared Polis in office, it will become one of 14 states entirely controlled by the Democratic Party. Republicans have the trifecta of power in 22 states.
Connecticut's Senate Sees Democrats Take Control After Split
Before the election, Connecticut's state senate was evenly split between Republicans and Democrats. Democrats managed to win the majority in the state senate and picked up seats in the house of representatives, where it already had a majority. Connecticut’s governor’s race also went for the Democrats, with Ned Lamont defeating Bob Stefanowski in a very close race.
Minnesota's House Changes to Democrats
Minnesota's state house went to the Democrats on Tuesday, with the party gaining some 18 seats in the chamber. Its senate, however, stayed with Republicans.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Minnesota is the only state in the U.S. where the legislature is divided.
Maine's Senate Flips, and a Democratic Governor Wins to Give the Party Full Control
Democrats managed to take over Maine’s senate on Tuesday. They also kept control of the state’s house, and Democratic attorney general Janet Mills won the governorship. She will take over for Republican Gov. Paul LePage. Mills will most likely enact several new policy changes with Democrats in charge of both legislative chambers.
New Hampshire: Democrats Retake Both Legislative Chambers
The Democrats appear to have retaken both chambers of the state legislature for the first time in almost a decade. But the state won’t be under unified democratic control, as Republican Gov. Chris Sununu won his reelection bid.
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