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Monday, November 25, 2002
Republican Govs Celebrate Election Successes
By Jason White, Staff Writer
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How pleased are Republicans with the 2002 election results? Just ask Connecticut Gov. John Rowland.
"I'm trying not to gloat," Rowland said at the Republican Governors Association's annual meeting in Southern California last weekend. "It's hard for many of us, but nonetheless, I think we exceeded expectations."
Rowland's glee is driven by an election that saw Republican governors maintain their hold on a majority of the states, an accomplishment few analysts, and few Republicans, thought possible heading into Election Day.
Many GOP governors and governors-elect gathered at an oceanfront California resort to toast their electoral victories, say goodbye to departing colleagues such as Michigan Gov. John Engler, talk policy with Bush Administration officials and play a little golf.
The mood was festive as Republicans basked in the glow of their electoral successes. But even an appearance by actress Bo Derek couldn't distract the governors from the heavy issues they are facing.
Deep budget deficits plague nearly every state, a constant topic of conversation at the meeting. Homeland security was also front and center, as President Bush's Homeland Security Advisor Tom Ridge and Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson addressed the governors.
Although no quick fixes were found for either budgets or security, at least one new governor found some solace in knowing he was not alone in facing big issues.
"There's a collegiality here that's important coming in as a new governor," said Maryland Gov.-elect Robert Ehrlich. "There's a comfort level achieved when you see everybody in the same boat. Budget deficits, Medicaid, and homeland security are issues that cut across all state lines."
Ehrlich's victory in Maryland surprised many observers, who thought the conservative congressman would have little chance against Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend in the heavily Democratic state.
So how did he do it?
"It's a secret," Ehrlich said to some laughter. "I think it was a combination of timing, of a popular President. I think reaching across some non-traditional lines that had been established. The Jewish vote in Maryland is an important vote. I believe in Baltimore County we won the Jewish vote, and that's never been done before."
Another Republican who crossed traditional lines was Hawaii Gov.-elect Linda Lingle, the state's first Republican governor in 40 years. The former Teamsters employee credits her victory to a reform message that resonated with voters after decades of single-party rule, which she said had resulted in stagnation and corruption.
"Four decades of one party rule has put the state in a very bad position as it relates to public trust," said Lingle. "It was a unique opportunity to step forward and talk about issues in the context of saying two parties are better; that when you have a competition for ideas the public will benefit."
Lingle also said the poor economy drove many voters in her direction.
"When times are tough fiscally, when revenues are down, people turn to Republicans because of our record of being fiscally responsible," she said.
The surprising victories of these two Republicans in traditionally Democratic states were lifted up as possible models for future Republican success in more moderate and liberal states.
Rowland, outgoing chairman of the RGA, credited their victories to an appealing mix of fiscal conservatism and social moderation.
"Bill Owens [Colorado governor] likes to tease me that I'm trying to rebuild the Rockefeller wing of the Republican Party. But indeed we were successful in a lot of the predominantly Democratic states because we had fiscally conservative, socially inclusive candidates," said Owens.
Rowland dismissed GOP defeats in Arizona, Oklahoma and Tennessee as aberrations caused by intra-party turmoil. Attorney General Jim Ryan's defeat in Illinois was blamed partly on his last name, which just so happens to be the same as the state's scandal plagued outgoing governor, George Ryan. Rowland had no comment on surprising Republican losses in Kansas and Wyoming.
Contact Jason White at jwhite@stateline.org ![]()
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Taxes and Budget
Politics
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