Election '05: Referendum on Bush?

[eclectics]

I'm not sure that this was a referendum on Bush. Dillon (the DA) may have lost due to his pro-life stance. And Suffolk County has been dealing with a lot of corruption, and voters might have been reacting to that. But you're right, if I was a Republican on LI I'd be worried!

I wouldn't go so far as to exactly call it a referendum either. Like I said, 2006 will be the test. I do believe displeasure with Bush had some say in the results. Maybe not the deciding factor, but it had some clout.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

From what I understand, the referendum remarks are not pointed at the two governor races, but the fact that California voted down all four of their Republican Governor's ballot issues.

That is being touted as the "sign" that the republicans are losing their power to get things passed.

It is a make or break time for both parties.

The referendum remarks have been pointed at all the elections -- the CA ballot issues, the VA and NJ Governor races, and everything in between.

Here in VA, the statewide races are split -- Dems won the Governor, GOP the Lt. Gov., and GOP less than a 1 point lead in the AG race that will lead to a recount. To me, the popularity of the outgoing Democrat governor, Mark Warner, and people turned off by the negative campaign Kilgore waged were much more factors than Bush or anything on the national level.

 

[DawnCt1]

Dawn -- Do you really have partisan school board races?

No, I wouldn't say that they are partisan. We live in a large geographic town that has largely rural areas with neighborhoods and a smaller population. Many of the voters know the candidates personally or at least know who they are. There are others who may not have kids in school and do not know then at all. There is no acrimony if that is what you mean but the Republicans took the majority seats in all categories anyway.