The Most Veto-Proof Legislatures

by Karl Kurtz

The Massachusetts Legislature, with 88% of its members coming from the Democratic party, jumped ahead of Hawaii (83%) and Rhode Island (82%) as the most Democratic legislature in the country as a result of the 2006 election.  Rounding out the top five Democratic legislatures are Arkansas (76%) and Maryland (76%).

The top five Republican-dominated legislatures after the election are Idaho (75% R), Utah (74%), Wyoming (72%), South Dakota (67%), and Florida (65%).

Trivia question: Of the following five state legislatures, which has the highest proportion of Democrats among its total membership?  California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, or New Hampshire?

Answer below the jump.

Here is the somewhat surprising rank order of those states in percentage of seats controlled by Democrats, given that the first two were at least partially controlled by Republicans before the election: Minnesota (64%, 12th among all states), New Hampshire (59%, 16th), California (59%, 17th), Colorado (59%, 19th), Illinois (56%, 23rd).

Of course, looking at total membership rather than chamber by chamber membership can be a bit misleading.  For example, the New York Legislature's total membership ranks 13th with 63% of its seats in Democratic hands. But that masks the fact that the 150-member Assembly has a 70% Democratic membership, while the Republicans control the 62-member Senate with 55% of the seats.

Comments

[Mark Hobratschk, JD, MPA]

Which state legislature had the greatest % change in the 2006 elections from one party to another?

[Karl Kurtz]

Mark, I don't have a routine in my database that pulls these numbers out automatically, but the answer to your question in this election has to have been New Hampshire. The House went from 37%D to 60%D and the Senate from 33%D to 54$D. The Minnesota House went from 49%D to 63%D.

[J.Cox]

Karl, I'd like to see the spreadsheet that lists all the state rankings (legislative percentages by state) and the change from pre to post election.

[Sandwich Repairman]

I don't understand how Florida, the 4th most populous state and the most obvious swing state, still has such a big Republican majority in its state and federal delegations.