Political party strength in U.S. states
Encyclopedia
Throughout most of the 20th century, although the Republican and Democratic parties alternated in power at a national level, some states were so overwhelmingly dominated by one party that nomination was usually tantamount to election
. This was especially true in the Solid South
, where the Republican Party was virtually nonexistent for the best part of a century, from the end of Reconstruction in the late 1870s to the 1960s. Conversely, the New England
states of Vermont
, Maine
, and New Hampshire
were Republican bastions, as were some Midwestern states like Iowa
and North Dakota
.
However, in the 1970s and 1980s, the increasingly conservative
Republican Party gradually overtook the Democrats, whose support had been eroded during the vast cultural, political and economic upheaval that surrounded the 1960s. In the 1990s, the Republicans overtook the Democrats in holding majorities in statehouses and governorships in the South. In New England, the opposite trend took place; the former Republican strongholds of Maine and Vermont became solidly Democratic, as did formerly Republican areas of New Jersey, New York, and other states.
Currently, the majority of the overall number of seats held in the state legislatures has been switching between the two parties every few years. As of the U.S. gubernatorial elections of 2010
, the Republican party holds an outright majority of approximately 440 with 3,890 seats (53% of total) compared to the Democratic party's number of 3,450 (47% of total) seats elected on a partisan ballot. Of the 7,382 seats in all of the state legislatures combined, independents and third parties account for only 15 members, not counting the 49 members of the Nebraska Legislature
, which is the only legislature in the nation to hold non-partisan elections to determine its members. Due to the results of the 2010 elections, Republicans took control of an additional 19 state legislative chambers, giving them majority control of both chambers in 25 states versus the Democrats' majority control of both chambers in only 16 states, with 8 states having split or inconclusive control of both chambers (not including Nebraska); previous to the 2010 elections, it was Democrats who controlled both chambers in 27 states versus the Republican party having total control in only 14 states, with eight states divided and Nebraska being nonpartisan.
polling found that 31% of Americans identified as Democrats, 29% as Republicans, and 38% as independents.
The following table shows all the U.S. states and to what party (Democratic or Republican) their state governors belong. Also indicated is the majority party of the state legislatures' upper and lower houses as well as U.S. Senate representation. Nebraska's legislature
is unicameral, i.e., it has only one legislative house and is officially non-partisan, though party affiliation still has an unofficial influence on the legislative process.
The simplest measure of the party strength in a state's voting population is the breakdown-by-party totals from its voter registration figures (figures that can easily be obtained from the websites of the Secretaries of State or the Boards of Elections of the various states). , 28 states and the District of Columbia allow registered voters to indicate a party preference when registering to vote; the following 22 states (mostly in the South and the Midwest) do not provide for party preferences in voter registration: Alabama
, Arkansas
, Georgia, Hawaii
, Idaho
, Illinois
, Indiana
, Michigan
, Minnesota
, Mississippi
, Missouri
, Montana
, North Dakota
, Ohio
, South Carolina
, Tennessee
, Texas
, Utah
, Vermont
, Virginia
, Washington and Wisconsin
. The partisan breakdown "demographics" provided in the following table are obtained from that state's party registration figures (from late 2010 whenever possible) where indicated. Only Wyoming
has a majority of registered voters identifying themselves as Republicans; five states have a majority of registered voters identifying themselves as Democrats: Maryland
, Kentucky
, West Virginia
, Pennsylvania
and Louisiana
.
(a) Non-Democrats caucusing with Democratic Party.
(b) Non-Republicans caucusing with Republican Party.
(c) Vacancy.
(d) Nebraska has no lower house, and its upper house is a non-partisan chamber.
(e) The Alaska State Senate has a coalition majority of all the senate's Democrats and several Republicans, with the remaining Republicans in the minority.
(f) Obama–Biden won an electoral vote in Nebraska by winning a plurality of the votes in Nebraska's 2nd congressional district
.
(g) Indicated partisan breakdown numbers are from the registration-by-party figures from that state's registered voter statistics (late 2010 party registration figures provided whenever possible).
(h) As a result of the 2011 legislative elections in Virginia, the Virginia State Senate is tied between the parties, 20-20. But the Republican Lt. Governor is allowed to cast tie-breaking votes in the Virginia State Senate, giving Republicans operational control of the chamber.
The following figures for party control of state legislative chambers are for the Winter of 2010 (i.e. from the results of the 2010 elections):
The following table shows how many governorships were controlled outright by each party.
Tantamount to election
"Tantamount to election" is a phrase to describe a situation in which one political party so dominates the demographics of a voting district, that the person winning the party nomination for a race will virtually be assured of winning the general election...
. This was especially true in the Solid South
Solid South
Solid South is the electoral support of the Southern United States for the Democratic Party candidates for nearly a century from 1877, the end of Reconstruction, to 1964, during the middle of the Civil Rights era....
, where the Republican Party was virtually nonexistent for the best part of a century, from the end of Reconstruction in the late 1870s to the 1960s. Conversely, the New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
states of Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, and New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
were Republican bastions, as were some Midwestern states like Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
and North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
.
However, in the 1970s and 1980s, the increasingly conservative
American conservatism
Conservatism in the United States has played an important role in American politics since the 1950s. Historian Gregory Schneider identifies several constants in American conservatism: respect for tradition, support of republicanism, preservation of "the rule of law and the Christian religion", and...
Republican Party gradually overtook the Democrats, whose support had been eroded during the vast cultural, political and economic upheaval that surrounded the 1960s. In the 1990s, the Republicans overtook the Democrats in holding majorities in statehouses and governorships in the South. In New England, the opposite trend took place; the former Republican strongholds of Maine and Vermont became solidly Democratic, as did formerly Republican areas of New Jersey, New York, and other states.
Currently, the majority of the overall number of seats held in the state legislatures has been switching between the two parties every few years. As of the U.S. gubernatorial elections of 2010
United States gubernatorial elections, 2010
The United States gubernatorial elections were held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010 in 37 states . As in most midterm elections, the party controlling the White House lost ground...
, the Republican party holds an outright majority of approximately 440 with 3,890 seats (53% of total) compared to the Democratic party's number of 3,450 (47% of total) seats elected on a partisan ballot. Of the 7,382 seats in all of the state legislatures combined, independents and third parties account for only 15 members, not counting the 49 members of the Nebraska Legislature
Nebraska Legislature
The Nebraska Legislature is the supreme legislative body of the State of Nebraska, in the Great Plains region of the United States. The Legislature meets at the Nebraska State Capitol in the City of Lincoln, Lancaster County....
, which is the only legislature in the nation to hold non-partisan elections to determine its members. Due to the results of the 2010 elections, Republicans took control of an additional 19 state legislative chambers, giving them majority control of both chambers in 25 states versus the Democrats' majority control of both chambers in only 16 states, with 8 states having split or inconclusive control of both chambers (not including Nebraska); previous to the 2010 elections, it was Democrats who controlled both chambers in 27 states versus the Republican party having total control in only 14 states, with eight states divided and Nebraska being nonpartisan.
Current party strength
, GallupThe Gallup Organization
The Gallup Organization, is primarily a research-based performance-management consulting company. Some of Gallup's key practice areas are - Employee Engagement, Customer Engagement and Well-Being. Gallup has over 40 offices in 27 countries. World headquarters are in Washington, D.C. Operational...
polling found that 31% of Americans identified as Democrats, 29% as Republicans, and 38% as independents.
The following table shows all the U.S. states and to what party (Democratic or Republican) their state governors belong. Also indicated is the majority party of the state legislatures' upper and lower houses as well as U.S. Senate representation. Nebraska's legislature
Nebraska Legislature
The Nebraska Legislature is the supreme legislative body of the State of Nebraska, in the Great Plains region of the United States. The Legislature meets at the Nebraska State Capitol in the City of Lincoln, Lancaster County....
is unicameral, i.e., it has only one legislative house and is officially non-partisan, though party affiliation still has an unofficial influence on the legislative process.
The simplest measure of the party strength in a state's voting population is the breakdown-by-party totals from its voter registration figures (figures that can easily be obtained from the websites of the Secretaries of State or the Boards of Elections of the various states). , 28 states and the District of Columbia allow registered voters to indicate a party preference when registering to vote; the following 22 states (mostly in the South and the Midwest) do not provide for party preferences in voter registration: Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, Georgia, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, Washington and Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. The partisan breakdown "demographics" provided in the following table are obtained from that state's party registration figures (from late 2010 whenever possible) where indicated. Only Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
has a majority of registered voters identifying themselves as Republicans; five states have a majority of registered voters identifying themselves as Democrats: Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
.
| State | 2008 Presidential Election | Governor | Upper House Majority | Lower House Majority | Senior U.S. Senator | Junior U.S. Senator | U.S. House Delegation | Demographics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama Alabama Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland... |
Republican | Republican | Republican 22-12-1 | Republican 65-40 | Republican | Republican | Republican 6-1 | Republican 48-34 |
| Alaska Alaska Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait... |
Republican | Republican | Coalition(e) 16-4 | Republican 24-16 | Republican | Democratic | Republican 1-0 | Republican 26-15(g) |
| Arizona Arizona Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix... |
Republican | Republican | Republican 21-9 | Republican 40-20 | Republican | Republican | Republican 5-3 | Republican 36-32(g) |
| Arkansas Arkansas Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River... |
Republican | Democratic | Democratic 20-15 | Democratic 54-46 | Democratic | Republican | Republican 3-1 | Democratic 41-31 |
| California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... |
Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 25-15 | Democratic 52-28 | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 34-19 | Democratic 44-31(g) |
| Colorado Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains... |
Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 20-15 | Republican 33-32 | Democratic | Democratic | Republican 4-3 | Republican 35-33(g) |
| Connecticut Connecticut Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately... |
Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 22-14 | Democratic 99-52 | Independent(a) | Democratic | Democratic 5-0 | Democratic 37-20(g) |
| Delaware Delaware Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania... |
Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 14-7 | Democratic 26-15 | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 1-0 | Democratic 47-29(g) |
| Florida Florida Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it... |
Democratic | Republican | Republican 28-12 | Republican 81-39 | Democratic | Republican | Republican 19-6 | Democratic 41-36(g) |
| Georgia Georgia (U.S. state) Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788... |
Republican | Republican | Republican 36-20 | Republican 116-63-1 | Republican | Republican | Republican 8-5 | Republican 44-32 |
| Hawaii Hawaii Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of... |
Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 24-1 | Democratic 43-8 | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 2-0 | Democratic 40-23 |
| Idaho Idaho Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state.... |
Republican | Republican | Republican 28-7 | Republican 57-13 | Republican | Republican | Republican 2-0 | Republican 50-22 |
| Illinois Illinois Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,... |
Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 35-24 | Democratic 64-54 | Democratic | Republican | Republican 11-8 | Democratic 46-31 |
| Indiana Indiana Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is... |
Democratic | Republican | Republican 37-13 | Republican 60-40 | Republican | Republican | Republican 6-3 | Republican 46-32 |
| Iowa Iowa Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New... |
Democratic | Republican | Democratic 26-24 | Republican 60-40 | Republican | Democratic | Democratic 3-2 | Democratic 34-31(g) |
| Kansas Kansas Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south... |
Republican | Republican | Republican 32-8 | Republican 92-33 | Republican | Republican | Republican 4-0 | Republican 44-27(g) |
| Kentucky Kentucky The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth... |
Republican | Democratic | Republican 22-15-1 | Democratic 59-41 | Republican | Republican | Republican 4-2 | Democratic 56-37(g) |
| Louisiana Louisiana Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties... |
Republican | Republican | Republican 24-15 | Republican 58-45-2 | Democratic | Republican | Republican 6-1 | Democratic 51-26(g) |
| Maine Maine Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost... |
Democratic | Republican | Republican 20-14-1 | Republican 78-72-1 | Republican | Republican | Democratic 2-0 | Democratic 33-28(g) |
| Maryland Maryland Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east... |
Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 35-12 | Democratic 98-43 | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 6-2 | Democratic 56-27(g) |
| Massachusetts Massachusetts The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010... |
Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 36-4 | Democratic 127-33 | Democratic | Republican | Democratic 10-0 | Democratic 37-11(g) |
| Michigan Michigan Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake".... |
Democratic | Republican | Republican 26-12 | Republican 63-47 | Democratic | Democratic | Republican 9-6 | Democratic 40-33 |
| Minnesota Minnesota Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state... |
Democratic | Democratic | Republican 37-30 | Republican 72-62 | Democratic | Democratic | Split 4-4 | Democratic 46-30 |
| Mississippi Mississippi Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi... |
Republican | Republican | Republican 30-22 | Republican 64-58 | Republican | Republican | Republican 3-1 | Republican 47-38 |
| Missouri Missouri Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It... |
Republican | Democratic | Republican 26-8 | Republican 106-57 | Democratic | Republican | Republican 6-3 | Republican 39-37 |
| Montana Montana Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,... |
Republican | Democratic | Republican 28-22 | Republican 68-32 | Democratic | Democratic | Republican 1-0 | Republican 39-32 |
| Nebraska Nebraska Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River.... |
Republican 4 | Republican | Unicameral legislature Nebraska Legislature The Nebraska Legislature is the supreme legislative body of the State of Nebraska, in the Great Plains region of the United States. The Legislature meets at the Nebraska State Capitol in the City of Lincoln, Lancaster County.... (d): Non-partisan Non-partisan democracy Nonpartisan democracy is a system of representative government or organization such that universal and periodic elections take place without reference to political parties.-Overview:... (official) Republican 32-17 (unofficial) |
Democratic | Republican | Republican 3-0 | Republican 48-34(g) |
|
| Democratic 1(f) | ||||||||
| Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its... |
Democratic | Republican | Democratic 11-10 | Democratic 26-16 | Democratic | Republican | Republican 2-1 | Democratic 42-37(g) |
| New Hampshire New Hampshire New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian... |
Democratic | Democratic | Republican 19-5 | Republican 295-105 | Democratic | Republican | Republican 2-0 |
Tied 29-29(g) |
| New Jersey New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware... |
Democratic | Republican | Democratic 24-16 | Democratic 48-32 | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 7-6 | Democratic 33-20(g) |
| New Mexico New Mexico New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S... |
Democratic | Republican | Democratic 27-15 | Democratic 37-33 | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 2-1 | Democratic 50-32(g) |
| New York New York New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east... |
Democratic | Democratic | Republican 32-30 | Democratic 99-51 | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 20-8 | Democratic 49-25(g) |
| North Carolina North Carolina North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte... |
Democratic | Democratic | Republican 31-19 | Republican 68-52 | Republican | Democratic | Democratic 7-6 | Democratic 45-32(g) |
| North Dakota North Dakota North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S.... |
Republican | Republican | Republican 35-12 | Republican 69-25 | Democratic | Republican | Republican 1-0 | Republican 38-29 |
| Ohio Ohio Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus... |
Democratic | Republican | Republican 23-10 | Republican 59-40 | Democratic | Republican | Republican 13-5 | Republican 37-36 |
| Oklahoma Oklahoma Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state... |
Republican | Republican | Republican 32-16 | Republican 70-31 | Republican | Republican | Republican 4-1 | Democratic 49-40(g) |
| Oregon Oregon Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern... |
Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 16-14 | Split 30-30 | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 4-1 | Democratic 42-32(g) |
| Pennsylvania Pennsylvania The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to... |
Democratic | Republican | Republican 30-20 | Republican 112-91 | Democratic | Republican | Republican 12-7 | Democratic 51-37(g) |
| Rhode Island Rhode Island The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area... |
Democratic | Independent | Democratic 29-8-1 | Democratic 65-10 | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 2-0 | Democratic 38-11(g) |
| South Carolina South Carolina South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence... |
Republican | Republican | Republican 27-19 | Republican 76-48 | Republican | Republican | Republican 5-1 | Republican 44-33 |
| South Dakota South Dakota South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over... |
Republican | Republican | Republican 30-5 | Republican 50-19-1 | Democratic | Republican | Republican 1-0 | Republican 46-38(g) |
| Tennessee Tennessee Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area... |
Republican | Republican | Republican 20-13 | Republican 64-34-1 | Republican | Republican | Republican 7-2 | Republican 38-34 |
| Texas Texas Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in... |
Republican | Republican | Republican 19-12 | Republican 101-49 | Republican | Republican | Republican 23-9 | Republican 45-21 |
| Utah Utah Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the... |
Republican | Republican | Republican 22-7 | Republican 58-17 | Republican | Republican | Republican 2-1 | Republican 56-20 |
| Vermont Vermont Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England... |
Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 22-8 | Democratic 96-46-8(a) | Democratic | Independent(a) | Democratic 1-0 | Democratic 29-27 |
| Virginia Virginia The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there... |
Democratic | Republican | Republican 20-20(h) | Republican 67-32-1(b) | Democratic | Democratic | Republican 8-3 | Republican 39-36 |
| Washington | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 27-22 | Democratic 55-42 | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 5-4 | Democratic 39-29 |
| West Virginia West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east... |
Republican | Democratic | Democratic 28-6 | Democratic 65-35 | Democratic | Democratic | Republican 2-1 | Democratic 54-29(g) |
| Wisconsin Wisconsin Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is... |
Democratic | Republican | Republican 17-16 | Republican 59-39-1(b) | Democratic | Republican | Republican 5-3 | Democratic 38-34 |
| Wyoming Wyoming Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High... |
Republican | Republican | Republican 26-4 | Republican 50-10 | Republican | Republican | Republican 1-0 | Republican 63-24(g) |
| Totals | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| President | Governor | State Upper House Majority | State Lower House Majority | U.S. Senate | U.S. House of Representatives |
| Democratic 365-173 | Republican 29-20-1 | Republican 29-18-2(e,h)-1(d) | Republican 31-17-1(d) | Democratic 51-47-2(a) | Republican 242-193 |
(a) Non-Democrats caucusing with Democratic Party.
(b) Non-Republicans caucusing with Republican Party.
(c) Vacancy.
(d) Nebraska has no lower house, and its upper house is a non-partisan chamber.
(e) The Alaska State Senate has a coalition majority of all the senate's Democrats and several Republicans, with the remaining Republicans in the minority.
(f) Obama–Biden won an electoral vote in Nebraska by winning a plurality of the votes in Nebraska's 2nd congressional district
Nebraska's 2nd congressional district
Nebraska's 2nd congressional district encompasses the core of the Omaha metropolitan area. It includes all of Douglas County, which includes Omaha, and the urbanized areas of Sarpy County...
.
(g) Indicated partisan breakdown numbers are from the registration-by-party figures from that state's registered voter statistics (late 2010 party registration figures provided whenever possible).
(h) As a result of the 2011 legislative elections in Virginia, the Virginia State Senate is tied between the parties, 20-20. But the Republican Lt. Governor is allowed to cast tie-breaking votes in the Virginia State Senate, giving Republicans operational control of the chamber.
State government
The following figure is for Governors as of the Spring of 2011:| Governor |
|---|
 |
The following figures for party control of state legislative chambers are for the Winter of 2010 (i.e. from the results of the 2010 elections):
| Upper | Lower |
|---|---|
 |
 |
Presidential election results and congressional delegations
The following are based on the results of the 2008 elections:| Presidential Election |
|---|
 |
| Senate | House of Representatives |
|---|---|
 |
 |
Historical party strength
The following table shows how many state legislatures were controlled outright by each party.| Year | Democrats | Republicans | Split |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | 21 | 19 | 6 |
| 1940 | 21 | 17 | 8 |
| 1942 | 19 | 24 | 3 |
| 1944 | 19 | 24 | 3 |
| 1946 | 17 | 25 | 4 |
| 1948 | 19 | 16 | 11 |
| 1950 | 19 | 21 | 6 |
| 1952 | 16 | 26 | 4 |
| 1954 | 19 | 20 | 7 |
| 1956 | 22 | 19 | 5 |
| 1958 | 30 | 7 | 11 |
| 1960 | 27 | 15 | 6 |
| 1962 | 25 | 17 | 6 |
| 1964 | 32 | 6 | 10 |
| 1966 | 23 | 16 | 9 |
| 1968 | 20 | 20 | 8 |
| 1970 | 23 | 16 | 9 |
| 1972 | 26 | 16 | 7 |
| 1974 | 37 | 4 | 8 |
| 1976 | 35 | 4 | 10 |
| 1978 | 31 | 11 | 7 |
| 1980 | 29 | 15 | 5 |
| 1982 | 34 | 11 | 4 |
| 1984 | 26 | 11 | 12 |
| 1986 | 28 | 9 | 12 |
| 1988 | 29 | 8 | 12 |
| 1990 | 30 | 6 | 13 |
| 1992 | 25 | 8 | 16 |
| 1994 | 18 | 19 | 12 |
| 1996 | 20 | 18 | 11 |
| 1998 | 20 | 17 | 12 |
| 2000 | 16 | 18 | 15 |
| 2002 | 18 | 17 | 14 |
| 2003 | 16 | 21 | 12 |
| 2004 | 17 | 21 | 11 |
| 2005 | 20 | 20 | 9 |
| 2007 | 24 | 16 | 9 |
| 2008 | 23 | 15 | 12 |
| 2009 | 27 | 14 | 8 |
| 2011 | 15 | 26 | 8 |
The following table shows how many governorships were controlled outright by each party.
| Year | Democrats | Republicans | Independent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1922 | 26 | 22 | |
| 1923 | 27 | 21 | |
| 1924 | 23 | 25 | |
| 1926 | 20 | 28 | |
| 1927 | 19 | 29 | |
| 1928 | 16 | 32 | |
| 1930 | 24 | 22 | 2 |
| 1931 | 26 | 20 | 2 |
| 1932 | 36 | 10 | 2 |
| 1934 | 37 | 9 | 2 |
| 1936 | 38 | 7 | 3 |
| 1937 | 39 | 6 | 3 |
| 1938 | 29 | 19 | |
| 1940 | 28 | 20 | |
| 1942 | 24 | 24 | |
| 1943 | 22 | 26 | |
| 1944 | 25 | 23 | |
| 1946 | 23 | 25 | |
| 1947 | 24 | 24 | |
| 1948 | 28 | 20 | |
| 1950 | 22 | 26 | |
| 1952 | 18 | 30 | |
| 1953 | 19 | 29 | |
| 1954 | 27 | 21 | |
| 1956 | 28 | 20 | |
| 1958 | 35 | 15 | |
| 1960 | 34 | 16 | |
| 1962 | 34 | 16 | |
| 1964 | 33 | 17 | |
| 1966 | 25 | 25 | |
| 1967 | 24 | 26 | |
| 1968 | 19 | 31 | |
| 1969 | 18 | 32 | |
| 1970 | 29 | 21 | |
| 1971 | 30 | 20 | |
| 1972 | 31 | 19 | |
| 1973 | 32 | 18 | |
| 1974 | 36 | 13 | 1 |
| 1976 | 37 | 12 | 1 |
| 1978 | 32 | 18 | |
| 1979 | 31 | 19 | |
| 1980 | 27 | 23 | |
| 1982 | 34 | 16 | |
| 1983 | 35 | 15 | |
| 1984 | 34 | 16 | |
| 1986 | 26 | 24 | |
| 1988 | 28 | 22 | |
| 1989 | 29 | 21 | |
| 1990 | 28 | 20 | 2 |
| 1992 | 30 | 18 | 2 |
| 1993 | 29 | 19 | 2 |
| 1994 | 19 | 30 | 1 |
| 1995 | 18 | 31 | 1 |
| 1996 | 17 | 32 | 1 |
| 1998 | 17 | 31 | 2 |
| 1999 | 18 | 30 | 2 |
| 2000 | 19 | 29 | 2 |
| 2001 | 21 | 27 | 2 |
| 2002 | 24 | 26 | |
| 2004 | 22 | 28 | |
| 2006 | 28 | 22 | |
| 2008 | 29 | 21 | |
| 2009 | 26 | 24 | |
| 2010 | 26 | 23 | 1 |
| 2011 | 20 | 29 | 1 |
See also
- Comparison of U.S. state governments
- United States state legislatures' partisan trendUnited States state legislatures' partisan trendThis chart shows the trends in the partisan composition of the various state legislatures in the United States. In most cases the data point for each year is July 1st, a time when few elections are scheduled. Most states hold legislative elections in the even numbered years, so the data points...