Nationally, Voters Send Mixed Signals
Although I spend most of my time focusing on state and local politics, I do enjoy the national scene as well, particularly when I see voters appear to contradict themselves. At the same time they put Republicans in power, they vote for policies usually promoted by Democrats.
Thanks to my WIBC producer Matt Bair, we found a few examples from Tuesday…
Arkansas
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Voters elect Republicans Asa Hutchinson to the Governor’s seat, Tom Cotton to the U.S. and elected four Republicans in all four contested House seats. They also voted to raise the minimum wage from $6.25 to 7.50, 25 cents above the national average.
Alaska
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Voters elected Republican Dan Sullivan to the United States Senate, defeating incumbent Mark Begich by three points. However, they also elected to raise minimum wage from $7.75 to $8.75 next year and to $9.75 in 2016 and they said yes to a measure that makes it legal for adults aged 21 and over to possess up to one ounce of pot and up to six plants.
Colorado
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Voters choose Republican Cory Gardner over Democrat Mark Udall, but reject, by 2-1, an amendment to the state constitution which would have defined a fetus as a person. A similar result occurred in North Dakota.
Illinois
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In my home state, Republican billionaire Bruce Rauner defeats incumbent Pat Quinn for Governor, but voters approve an advisory referendum calling for the minimum wage to be increased from $8.25 to $10.00 dollars next year.
Massachusetts
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They elect a Republican Governor while at the same time sign off on a measure that will allow workers to earn up to 40 hours of paid sick time in a given year, accruing one hour for every 30 hours on the clock. The ballot question’s supporters have said it will give the state the country’s strictest requirement for providing paid sick time to workers.
Nebraska
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Voters elected Republican Pete Ricketts to Governor by nearly 20 points. Republican Ben Sasse won in a landslide over his Dem opponent in the US Senate, but they also agreed to gradually increase minimum wage to nine dollars an hour by 2016.
What are they thinking?
