What's the score?

The consensus on education of environment, per my earlier hypothesis, is that both parties have viable platforms to use (or not use) on the local and state levels. I somewhat disagree in that many of the most contentious environmental issues are greater is scope than states and thus the Democrat's big-government philosophy is easily pawned off to the federal level, whereas it's tough for the GOP to maintain that, for instance, global warming is a state issue.

One reader points out: "You forgot the biggest issue of all: federalism!"

That's true, though fighting for states' rights is the Congress' job, and isn't really as much of a local or state campaign issue.

So what's the score: The National Conference of State Legislatures has a good page on this...Republicans hold the majority of both houses of the legislature in 21 states; Democrats control 17 states, and 11 states are divided.

Republicans control 28 governorships (v. 22).

The trend seem to be: GOP dominance on the state level lags behind Congress as far as the rate of accendance, but the GOP has a greater control of the states than the Congress. Party turnover is slower on the state level than in Congress, which means the Democrats are still riding the wave of their 50 year masterdom.

If someone sends me info on local council breakdowns or mayoral breakdowns (in cities were those elections are partisan) we will keep this thred goin. Otherwise, suffice it to say, I think, that the GOP is probably most helped on the local level by tax policy and property rights protection--because the Democrats are forced to keep their mouths shut on the issue.