◼ link
On Election Day, Republicans lost the presidential campaign, two seats in the United States Senate and several seats in the House of Representatives. One bright spot nationally however, on a tough night, was that once again Republicans added to our ranks of governors. Thirty states will now have Republican chief executives, up from 22 just three years ago. That’s the most governorships held by one party since 2000. It’s 60 percent of the country.
Republicans have been adding governors since we won here in Virginia, and Chris Christie won in New Jersey, in 2009. We won five more seats in 2010, and this year Pat McCrory was elected governor in North Carolina, the largest state in play this cycle. No matter the political environment, voters keep electing more Republican governors, from deep blue northeastern states like Maine to bright red southern states like Alabama.
This is not happening just due to campaign skills, though I would argue there is not a political organization more effective recently than the Republican Governors Association. Instead, these victories for common-sense conservative governors are occurring because voters can see the real progress being made by Republican governors. Fiscally conservative policies work. Results get votes.
...Citizens want governments to be more efficient and effective. They want core services like transportation, education and public safety to be funded well and competently managed. They want budgets that make governments live within their means, like families and businesses do every day. They want common sense energy solutions. They want more opportunities and less excuses. And that’s what Republican governors are delivering.
This results-oriented conservatism is why more states are electing Republican governors. Republican governors are helping private-sector employers add jobs, balancing budgets without raising taxes, shortening commutes and improving schools.
They are defending the Constitution and protecting American values. They are explaining the conservative message in enthusiastic, civil tones, outlining specific policy solutions, and getting results without blame or delay. And they are pointing the way to the winning Republican Party of tomorrow.
