The Patriot Post® · State Elections a Mixed Bag for GOP

Tuesday was election day in several states across the nation. Headlining the list was Virginia, which saw Democrats gain majority control of both the House and Senate — a definite blow to Republicans. The state has become increasingly blue thanks to the growing population in northern Virginia surrounding Washington, DC. Virginia also saw a record amount of outside spending — to the tune of $13 million, largely in favor of Democrats. Notably, billionaire leftists George Soros and Michael Bloomberg each contributed over a million dollars, endorsing Democrats and leftist causes. Planned Parenthood received its largest contribution ever from Soros, while Bloomberg’s anti-gun group Everytown for Gun Safety spent more than $1.5 million. With the commonwealth now fully in Democrat hands, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is free to push through his radical agenda, which includes gun confiscation, an equal-rights amendment that threatens religious liberty, and a minimum-wage hike — all of which Republicans had blocked.

Meanwhile, Kentucky GOP Gov. Matt Bevin looks to have lost his reelection bid in a tight race — made tight only thanks to President Donald Trump’s last-minute campaign efforts that clearly helped shore up support for Bevin, who was trailing badly in the polls. However, Bevin has not yet conceded, claiming voting irregularities. Kentucky also made history by electing its first black attorney general, Daniel Cameron, who is also that commonwealth’s first Republican to hold the office in over 70 years. While much of the mainstream media sees Kentucky as a loss for Trump, the fact of the matter is that five of the six Republicans on the ballot won.

Down in Mississippi’s governor’s race, Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves decisively defeated Democrat Attorney General Jim Hood, 54% to 45%. Other states had initiatives on the ballot including Texas, which passed Proposition 4, a significant amendment to the state constitution prohibiting the state from imposing an income tax. This is clearly a big win for the residents of Texas, keeping government growth in check. Residents in Colorado also voted down Proposition CC, an attempt by Democrats to chip away at the state’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR). The proposition would have allowed the state government to keep any individual state tax returns rather than return them back to taxpayers. It was in essence a backdoor tax increase without actually raising taxes. Even in blue Colorado, a majority of residents still believe that their hard-earned money belongs to them and not the government.