State Decision '06: Democrats Edge In

"I don't believe it was a repudiation."
By a narrow margin (51 to 49 as of the time of posting; the outcomes of several races are still close), Democrat Pat Bauer and the interesting thing atop his head will be speaker of the Indiana House. Republicans are set to easily retain control of the Indiana Senate and Republicans Rokita, Berry, and Mourdock swept the statewide races.

With the tide running so heavily for Democrats from sea to shining sea, and with key elements of Governor Daniels' agenda (like the lease of the Indiana Toll Road and the establishment of Daylight Savings Time) so unpopular, it is amazing that the Republicans were not set back much further in statewide and house districts. Moreover, the Republicans saved many of their seats along the Toll Road itself that were prime targets for Democratic pick-ups.

If this is the most that Democrats can manage in Indiana with the environment so heavily in their favor, then it bodes well for Mitch Daniels' chances to execute a turn towards more popular and less divisive issues, like all-day kindergarten, and move towards reelection for a second term. It also bodes well for Republican chances to upend Democrats yet again in two years, when the environment is unlikely to be so much in their favor in House races.

Brian Bosma, now the former Republican Speaker of the House, noted optimistically, "I don't believe it was a repudiation." He's right. It wasn't. With all of Daniels' much touted unpopularity and with all of his controversial reforms, it was the national tide that put the Democrats over the top in Indiana.

The Republicans held the Toll Road seats, which would have been the first to go if the victories of the Democrats came from Mitch Daniels and not from George W. Bush. Democratic victories came in districts mostly located where Democrats won in the Congressional races.

The Courier-Journal covers the state races in Southern Indiana. The Indianapolis Star has the change in the House and the Republican sweep of the statewide offices.