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Laffer Associates Game On [Updated 7/6/2016] b.) Politics in the States In the state legislatures, the changes in the Democrat/Republican split have been equally as radical as they are in the U.S. Congress. Counting all senate members of the various state legislatures in 2009, there were 1,024 Democrats, 889 Republicans and 58 categorized as “other.” (See Table 6 below). But today, the Democrats have only 827 State Senators, the Republicans 1,088, with 57 categorized as other—this is the very definition of a 180 degree turn around. In the state houses of representatives in 2009, Democrats had 3,058 members to the Republicans’ tally of 2,334 with 19 “others.” And yet, today, the Republicans control the vast majority of state houses with a grand total of 3,037 house members to the Democrats’ 2,342 members and 32 “others.” This switch in state legislatures all but assures the Republican control of redistricting and control of the U.S. House for years to come. As a final sort of “egg in your beer,” the Democrats had 28 governors to the Republicans’ 22 in 2009. Today there are 31 Republican governors, 18 Democrats and one “other” Bill Walker (I) in Alaska. With solid control of both houses and the governorships of so many states, a united Republican Party could do almost anything it wants to do if it has the will to do it, and, at the state level, the party is following through. HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_025306