The results from yesterday’s midterm elections are in, and across the country, Democrats did not fare well. Though some of the Congressional races were close, Republicans managed to win enough seats to take full control of the Senate, capturing a majority with wins in several highly contested states. Republicans also dominated gubernatorial races with wins in states including Florida, Michigan, Ohio, Maryland Wisconsin, Kansas, Massachusetts, Illinois, Maine, Georgia and Texas, where Sen. Wendy Davis—who rose to national prominence following a 13-hour filibuster to prevent anti-abortion legislation—was defeated. Pennsylvania was an exception to the trend, where Democrat Tom Wolf beat out incumbent Gov. Tom Corbett.
Ballots across the country also contained some notable measures for local voters to decide. In Oregon, Washington D.C. and Alaska, voters approved measures to legalize the use of marijuana. In Florida though, a pro-medical marijuana initiative did not get the votes it needed to become a constitutional amendment. Anti-abortion measures in Colorado and North Dakota—focusing on the personhood of the unborn—both failed to pass. Measures linked to raising the state minimum wage passed in Arkansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Alaska and Illinois …
