IUPAT Mid-Term Election Update
New Democratic Majorities: 8 | Seats Flipped: 372 | Trifectas: +7
Nationwide, candidates had already flipped 44 seats headed into Election Day, and created a trifecta in Washington state by flipping the Senate from red to blue. This is incredibly helpful to our Union and hundreds of others under the AFL-CIO as we garner support for legislation that increases collective bargaining power and increases market share nationwide.
Issues like wage theft, immigration and infrastructure are extremely vital in enforcing the laws that govern contractors, protect our members and increase opportunity for all who join the IUPAT. A living wage that allows us to contribute back into our local economies resulting in an increase in local economic development, should not be a “Battle on the Hill”. But as long as it is, as long as workers fight for a seat at the table, We Will Be There!
Keep up the momentum, Brothers and Sisters!
As results come in, here’s what you need to know:
NEW DEMOCRATIC MAJORITIES
COLORADO
Senate Post-Election: 19D – 16R
Senate Pre-Election: 16D – 18R – 1I
House Post-Election: 41D – 24R
House Pre-Election: 36D – 29R
Colorado Senate Democrats have flipped the chamber from red to blue. All five targeted women candidates known as the “Fab Five” won – Jessie Danielson in SD-20, Kerry Donovan in SD-5, Brittany Pettersen in SD-22, Tammy Story in SD-16, and Faith Winter in SD-24. Colorado Senate Democrats have elected Senator Leroy Garcia as Senate President, making him the first Latino President of the Colorado Senate. House Democrats picked up five seats, growing their majority in the chamber. With a new trifecta in the state, Unions will be poised to mobilize and help enact progressive legislation that benefits workers.
MAINE
Senate Post-Election: 21D – 14R
Senate Pre-Election: 17D – 18R
House Post-Election: 89D – 57R – 5I
House Pre-Election: 73D – 70R – 7I – 1V
Maine Senate Democrats have flipped the chamber from red to blue and Maine House Democrats expanded their majority, picking up 10 additional seats in the chamber. Democrat Linda Sanborn beat Republican Senate Leader Amy Volk in SD-30. With Governor-elect Janet Mills’ victory, Maine now has a Democratic trifecta.
Troy Jackson (ME-SD1) proud member of District Council 35, Local 1887. He joins IUPAT member candidates in victory across the country, District Council 7 member, Mark Pocan (WI-CD2) and District Council 78 member, Vic Torres (FL-SD15) and Mike Sundin for MN House of Representatives District 11A.
MINNESOTA
House Post-Election: 75D – 59R
House Pre-Election: 55D – 76R – 3V
Minnesota House Democrats have flipped an impressive 18 seats from red to blue to regain control of the House. Efforts in this program to recruit and support strong candidates, run strategic paid communications, by partnering with in-state allies to execute a record-breaking field program that knocked on over 1.7 million doors. In 2020, all Minnesota Senate seats will be on the ballot, with Democrats only one seat away from regaining the majority in the chamber. #PartnershipWorks
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Senate Post-Election: 14D – 10R
Senate Pre-Election: 10D – 14R
House Post-Election: 233D – 167R
House Pre-Election: 176D – 217R – 3I – 4V
New Hampshire House and Senate Democrats have flipped both the chambers, breaking the Republican trifecta. Democrats have flipped at least 59 seats in the House and five seats in the Senate.
NEW YORK
Senate Post-Election: 40D – 23R
Senate Pre-Election: 32D – 31R*
New York Senate Democrats have flipped eight state Senate seats from red to blue, giving true chamber control to the Democrats and putting Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins in a position to become the first African American woman to lead the New York Senate.
CONNECTICUT
Senate Post-Election: 24D – 12R
Senate Pre-Election: 18D – 18R
House Post-Election: 93D – 58R
House Pre-Election: 80D – 71R
With all results in, Connecticut Democrats have picked up six seats in the state Senate, gaining a supermajority in the chamber, and 13 seats in the state House, expanding their leadership in the chamber.
BROKEN REPUBLICAN SUPERMAJORITIES
MICHIGAN
Senate Post-Election: 16D – 22R
Senate Pre-Election: 10D – 27R – 1V
House Post-Election: 52D – 58R
House Pre-Election: 46D – 63R – 1V
Michigan Senate Democrats flipped five seats and have broken Republicans’ supermajority in the state Senate, putting them only four seats away from flipping the chamber in 2022. With House Democrats picking up five seats, Democrats are well positioned to compete for the majority ahead of 2020 redistricting. Governor-elect Gretchen Whitmer’s victory broke Republicans’ trifecta of power in the state defeating anti-labor, Right to Work sycophant, Rick Snyder.
NORTH CAROLINA
Senate Post-Election: 21D – 29R
Senate Pre-Election: 15D – 35R
House Post-Election: 54D – 64R – 2 Outstanding
House Pre-Election: 45D – 75R
North Carolina Democrats picked up nine seats in the House and six seats in the Senate and have broken state Republicans’ supermajorities in both chambers. Gains on election night put both chambers in a strong position to flip in 2020 ahead of redistricting. This victory came through the efforts of supporters knocking on more than half a million doors to drive voter turnout. #GroundGame really is everything!
PENNSYLVANIA
Senate Post-Election: 21D – 28R – 1 Outstanding
Senate Pre-Election: 16D – 33R – 1V
House Post-Election: 93D – 110R
House Pre-Election: 80D – 120R – 3V
Pennsylvania state Democrats picked up 11 seats in the House, putting Democrats in a strong position to take the majority in 2020. In the state Senate, Democrats picked up at least five seats (with one seat headed to a recount) breaking Republicans’ supermajority in the chamber.
SIGNIFICANT GAINS
ARIZONA
Senate Post-Election: 13D – 16R – 1 Outstanding
Senate Pre-Election: 13D – 17R
House Post-Election: 27D – 31R – 2 Outstanding
House Pre-Election: 25D – 35R
With over 500,000 ballots still not counted in Maricopa County, Democrats have picked up at least two seats in the House. Any gains in the Senate will be determined by still-to-be-counted ballots.
FLORIDA
Senate Post-Election: 17D – 23R
Senate Pre-Election: 16D – 22R – 2V
House Post-Election: 47D – 71R – 2 Outstanding
House Pre-Election: 41D – 75R – 4V
Florida Democrats flipped seven seats from red to blue in the state House and Senator-elect Janet Cruz flipped SD-18 from red to blue.
GEORGIA
Senate Post-Election: 21D – 35R
Senate Pre-Election: 19D – 37R
House Post-Election: 73D – 105R – 2 Outstanding
House Pre-Election: 64D – 115R – 1V
Georgia House Democrats picked up 10 seats in the chamber. In the state Senate, Democrats picked up two seats in the chamber. Last December, Senate Democrats broke Republicans’ supermajority in the chamber with Senator Jen Jordan’s special election victory.
IOWA
House Post-Election: 46D – 52R – 2 Outstanding
House Pre-Election: 41D – 58R – 1V
With a strategic investment to support campaign staff, candidate trainings, and communications, Iowa Democrats have flipped at least seven seats in the state House, bringing them within striking distance ahead of 2020. In the Iowa House, 548 votes made the difference between Democrats having 46 seats vs 50 seats, which would have resulted in Republicans losing their majority. A great benefit to our members, especially those recently hit by anti-union, recertification laws in IUPAT PPME Local 2003.
NEVADA
Senate Post-Election: 13D – 8R
Senate Pre-Election: 11D – 10R
Assembly Post-Election: 29D – 13R
Assembly Pre-Election: 27D – 14R – 1V
Nevada Senate Democrats added two seats to their majority, and there is a potential recount in a third district where Democrat Julie Pazina is currently down by only 27 votes. Assembly Democrats picked up two seats to gain a supermajority in the chamber, defeating Republicans in districts that Donald Trump won in 2016.
NEW MEXICO
House Post-Election: 46D – 23R – 1 Outstanding
House Pre-Election: 38D – 32R
New Mexico House Democrats picked up nine seats and two more races are headed into recounts. If Democrats win both recounts, New Mexico House Democrats will return to Sante Fe with a supermajority to go along with their new trifecta, thanks to Gov.-elect Michelle Lujan-Grisham’s victory.
TEXAS
Senate Post-Election: 12D – 19R
Senate Pre-Election: 10D – 21R
House Post-Election: 67D – 83R
House Pre-Election: 55D – 93R – 2V
Texas Democrats flipped 12 seats from red to blue in the state House and two seats from red to blue in the state Senate.
WEST VIRGINIA
Senate Post-Election: 14D – 20R
Senate Pre-Election: 12D – 22R
House Post-Election: 41D – 59R
House Pre-Election: 35D – 64R – 1V
Democrats beat Republican leadership in the West Virginia House and Senate – West Virginia House Democrats picked up five seats and Democrat John Doyle took down the GOP Majority Leader-designate, Riley Moore. In the Senate, Democrats gained two seats and are now only four seats away from the majority. Republicans’ Majority Leader, Senator Ryan Ferns lost to Democrat William Ihlenfeld. Democrats have put themselves in a strong position regain the chamber control they lost in 2014.
DEMOCRATIC SUPERMAJORITIES
Democrats gained supermajorities in the following chambers:
- California Senate
- Connecticut Senate
- Illinois House
- Nevada Assembly
- Oregon House
- Oregon Senate
- Vermont House
Democrats held supermajorities in the following chambers:
- California Assembly
- Delaware House
- Hawaii House
- Hawaii Senate
- Illinois Senate
- Maryland House
- Maryland Senate
- Massachusetts House
- Massachusetts Senate
- New York Assembly
- Rhode Island House
- Rhode Island Senate
- Vermont Senate
