11/13/2007
Election Day 2007, where four states held general elections Nov. 6, went largely according to predictions. The two major races of the year, the governorships of Kentucky and Mississippi, were split between the parties. Democratic contender Steve Beshear easily defeated Gov. Ernie Fletcher in Kentucky, and Gov. Haley Barbour handedly won reelection in Mississippi. In an earlier election, held Oct. 20, Rep. Bobby Jindal won the governorship in Louisiana.
NFIB conducted extensive work during the election season by identifying and supporting candidates based exclusively on their propensity to be "leaders for small-business," not on their party affiliations or partisan politics. All of the endorsements that each NFIB state party PAC made were based directly on each candidate’s position and records on small-business issues, and brought considerable grassroots support to each of the campaigns. By sending out a variety of communications, including mail, e-mails, and phone calls, NFIB educated its members on these candidates, and encouraged small-business owners to get out and vote. Our efforts did not go unnoticed, and resulted in a very successful day for the small-business community and high endorsed-candidate winning percentages for each state.
Below are additional results from New Jersey, Virginia, Mississippi, and Louisiana (from Oct 20):
New Jersey
The elections in New Jersey resulted in little change in the overall makeup of the legislature, as Democrats maintained control. In the State Senate, the Democratic Party picked up one seat and retain a majority with a count of 23-17. In the General Assembly, Republicans were able to pick up two seats, but still stay in the minority with a tally of 48-32. The results confirm that while New Jersey voters still primarily vote Democratic, they are increasingly demonstrating a desire for fiscal responsibility from legislators within the state. Also of significance, voters rejected two of the four ballot questions, on stem cell research and property tax relief, for the first time since 1994.
NFIB's voter education and get-out-the-vote drives proved successful in the state, as two NFIB-endorsed candidates scored major victories in State Senate races. Sean Kean won in State Senate District 11, and Jennifer Beck had the biggest win of the day with an upset of incumbent Ellen Karcher in District 12. The race went down to the wire, but Beck ended up winning safely with 54 percent of the votes.
Overall, NFIB/New Jersey endorsed candidates did extremely well. In the State Senate races, the NFIB/New Jersey SAFE Trust endorsed 17 candidates, and 14 of those won, giving NFIB an endorsed-candidate winning record of 82 percent. The only losses occurred in Districts 2 (James McCullough), 8 (Francis Bodine), and 38 (Robert Colletti). In the General Assembly, NFIB fared even better: of the 25 candidates endorsed by NFIB/New Jersey, all 25 won, giving NFIB an impressive 100 percent winning record.
Virginia
In the conclusion of an aggressive and costly 2007 election season in Virginia, the biggest news came when the Democrats gained control of the State Senate by picking up the four seats they needed for a majority of 21-19. This exchange of power ends a decade-long GOP hold of the Senate, and is considered a victory for advancing the agenda of Gov. Tim M. Kaine in the state. State Sen. Richard L. Saslaw (Fairfax) will probably become majority leader and will most likely also chair the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor.
In the House of Delegates, the Republican Party retained its control, but Democrats picked up four seats, two in each of the rapidly changing regions of northern Virginia and Hampton Roads, where many of the year’s most contentious races took place. However, Republicans still hold either a seven or eight seat majority in the House.
NFIB/Virginia endorsed candidates saw many victories. In the State Senate races, the NFIB/Virginia SAFE Trust endorsed 14 candidates in all, and of these, 11 won, including a key victory in District 13 (Fred Quayle). The only losses were in three tightly contested races: Districts 6 (Nick Rerras), 34 (Jeannemarie Devolites Davis) and 39 (Jay O'Brien), giving NFIB a winning record of 80 percent. In the House, NFIB/Virginia came out with a 93 percent winning record, as a total of 14 candidates won out of an endorsed 15 candidates. The only loss was in District 34, an open seat race in which Dave Hunt was endorsed.
Mississippi
Mississippi's state elections proved victorious for the GOP, thanks largely to the strong and solid leadership at the top of the party. Of the eight statewide races, seven were won by Republicans. Most significantly, Gov. Haley Barbour, a longtime supporter of small-business interests, easily defeated his opponent John Arthur Eaves, Jr. by a margin of 58 to 42 percent. His strong leadership during the post-Katrina recovery period contributed largely to his win. Voters showed their confidence in the economic transition that the state has experienced under Barbour's guidance, especially with the significant work he has achieved on the issue of tort reform.
The NFIB/Mississippi SAFE Trust endorsed four candidates in the statewide candidates, including Gov. Barbour, and the only loss occurred in the race for Attorney General, allowing NFIB to achieve a 75 percent endorsed candidate winning record across the state. In addition, Insurance Commissioner-Elect Mike Chaney and Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann are both NFIB members and will surely be strong allies for small-business.
In the Mississippi State Senate, Democrats currently appear to have won at least 27 of the 52 races, giving them a majority in the chamber. However, several races still remain very close and could wind up being recounted. Key Republican losses in the Senate include the defeats of incumbents Ralph Doxey, Richard White and Shannon Walley; however, in a highly significant race, Democratic Sen. Gloria Williamson lost to Giles Ward in District 18. The current standings in the Senate have the Democrats claiming 27 seats and the Republicans with 22. NFIB/Mississippi endorsed in 35 Senate races, and of those, won 32.
In the House of Representatives, several races continue to be undecided. Currently the Democrats control 66 of the seats, and the Republicans claim 44 (with 12 falling in the "other" category). NFIB/Mississippi won 57 of the 66 seats it endorsed, with two still undecided. Overall, NFIB had an endorsed-candidate winning record of more than 90 percent on all of the general elections in Mississippi.
Louisiana
In the state's open primary on Saturday, Oct. 20, Congressman Bobby Jindal came out the winner in his second bid to lead Louisiana, with 54 percent of the vote amount 12 candidates. In 2004, he was elected to Congress representing Louisiana's 1st Congressional District, and proving to be a strong ally of small business, Jindal has a 100 percent record of supporting NFIB Key Votes and earned an NFIB Guardian of Small Business award in his first term. In September, Jindal was endorsed by the SAFE Trust, NFIB's political action committee, in the race for governor.
