We are expecting Senator Warren's challenger, Attorney John Deaton, to speak to his supporters at about eight forty five this evening. As you heard, Elizabeth Warren has won that race for the Senate. Wbz's Mike Macklin is with the Deaton camp at the Nash Bar and Stage on Tremont Street. Obviously some wind out of the sales there.
Michael, Well, we're down here in the theater district and this certainly wasn't the theatrical production that John Deaton was hoping for Tonight. He's been mixing with his supporters here at the Nash Bar, making no bones about the fact that the race is probably going to turn out the way all of the polls have suggested it would, but
he's not speaking like it. Defeated candidate saying that he felt he got his message out, got his voice heard, and he says he presented himself as an alternative to Elizabeth Warren Dalton bemoaning the one party status of Massachusetts where the Republicans are virtually out of sight. He says he would like to change that. He was hoping his candidacy here in the US Senate race would help change that.
And he says that perhaps there may be another run in him in the future, although he is not committed to any particular race or any particular time. But the fifty seven year old who is an attorney here in Massachusetts and was making his first run for political office, seeming fairly satisfied with the job that he did in this race, no doubt disappointed with the way the vote count will turn out, but nonetheless thinking that he got
his message. Job. We expect to be hearing from him within the next hour and Deeton Headquarters by Backlan WBZ, Boston's news Radio.
All right, you're listening to an election night coverag John WBZ, And as we continue along, already several states have called the presidential race a lot more to go, but Vermont, Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, and Rhode Island all have gone, have all been called for Vice President Kamala Harris. She has thirty five electoral votes as it sits right now. Former President Donald Trump as one Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Florida, Lahoma, Mississippi, South Carolina,
and Tennessee and has ninety five electoral votes. Of course, it's a long night, and we are going to be waiting to see who's won all the states and eventually who has won the White House. Independent Bernie Sanders is on his fourth term in the US Senate, but control of that chamber is still very much up for grabs. Jennifer King has everything we need to know about that.
There are thirty four seats in the US Senate being contested in this election. Democrats have a fifty one to forty nine majority, with four independent senators included in their caucus. Eleven Republican held seats are up for election, all in red states. The GOP needs to flip two seats to regain control of the Senate at only one if Donald Trump wins, since JD Vance would get the tie breaking vote.
In West Virginia, Governor Jim Justice dominated his Republican Senate primary and is polling at double the numbers of Democrat Glenn Elliott. Other closely watched Senate races include Montana, where Democrat John Tester is defending his seat against Tim Sheehey in a state where Republicans now dominate other statewide offices. In Ohio, longtime Senate incumbent Shared Brown is facing a strong challenge from Republican businessman Bernie Morie. With Senate control
on the line. Both Montana and Ohio have seen record breaking campaign spending.
I'm Jennifer King control of the US House, who is also up for grabs in this election. Republicans are trying to hold onto a slim majority. Several of the districts, though they're defending, are in deep blue states, ones like New York and California. Republicans Brenton Williams and Anthony the Espepsido of New York are both defending their seats, though
the Cook Political Report says their districts are leaning Democrat. Meantime, control over Virginia's seventh districts still a toss up between Democrat Eugene Vindman and Republican Derek Anderson. Back to Massachusetts. Now, five ballot questions statewide on the ballot today, one of them to change the game for tipped workers the busiest Jay Well Let explain that one.
Question five on the ballot asks if tipped workers should make an increasing wage up to the state minimum on top of gratuity. If Massachusetts voters opts know on this one, nothing changes to how they're paid. But if it is a yes majority, servers bartenders, barbers, bell hops would all work there way up to fifteen bucks an hour over the course of five years. It would also open up the door to tip pooling, where gratuity can be shared with back end staff like cooks and cleaners, though that's
only optional. Those in favor say the law would protect employees vulnerable to wage theft and exploitation by their bosses. Those again, say all this really does is spell a pay cut to servers, arguing patrons will give less as a result, and Massachusetts already requires employers to cover the difference if it's a slow night for tips. J Willett WBZ, Boston's news radio.
Among the top issues on the minds of voters this election day, abortion voters in nearly a dozen states voting today on whether to establish the right to abortion access. Ten states, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, and Missouri among them, have measures on their ballot to protect the right to abortion access or reproductive freedom.
Since Roe v.
Wade was overturned in twenty twenty two, seven states have put forward measures on abortion before their voters. In all, seven, the efforts to preserve abortion rights one exit polls We're giving us a bit of a glimpse in the minds of voters as America chooses its next president.
Americans nationwide how they feel about the state of affairs in our country. Americans generally are unhappy with the way things are. Seven to ten say they are dissatisfied or angry. Close to half say their famili's financial situation is worse today than it was four years ago. But six and ten Americans say America's best days are ahead of us and not in the past. More than seventy percent and our national exit polls say democracy in America is threatened.
Is ABC Stephen Portnoy.
Respondents to this ABC poll pointed to the economy as one of their top concerns this election. We are continuing to monitor election results from across the country. We want to get you up to speed on the presidential race. Of course, it's going to be a long night, maybe along several days. But as of right now, Donald Trump
has ninety five electoral votes. He has won Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Florida, Oklahoma, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee, while the northeast and a few other states belongs to Kamala Harris Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island all going Harris's way along with Maryland. She has thirty five electoral votes as we speak, a lot more results to come in through not only this evening, but as the days where on.
We're hoping they'll be a call of this race in the early going and it won't take days upon days, but we'll see and we'll be here for you no matter how long it takes. All this campaigning over the last many months cost the candidates a pretty penny. CBS's Jim Cursula has those numbers.
Candidates spent a record sixteen billion dollars on US election campaigns, according to a nonprofit called Open Secrets. That was an all time high. In the hotly contested presidential race, Vice President Kamala Harris emerged as the fundraising leader. Her campaign directly raised over one billion dollars, with forty percent.
Coming from small donors.
Former President Donald Trump's campaign raised three hundred and eighty two million dollars directly, with twenty eight percent coming from small donors. Jim Chriscilla CBS.
It is eight thirteen.
On election nights, stay with WBZ News Radio for election coverage throughout the evening wz's night Side with Dan Ray. Part of our coverage tonight, we'll be hearing from newsmakers including the President of the New England Council, Jim Brett, Congressman Seth Molten, former Congressman Mike Capuano, and New Hampshire Governor Chris Sonunu All straight ahead with Dan Ray and a whole bunch more.
Stay with us. Election coverage continues.
Now night Side with Dan Ray, an election night special on w b Z, Boston's news radio.
Good evening, everyone, and welcome on in. My name is Dan Ray, the host of Nightside, and I have about eight people tonight that we're going to talk to who know politics inside and out from different perspectives here in New England. Going to start off with Jim Brett. He's the President of the New England Council. Jim Brett. Welcome back to Nightside, sir. How are you tonight?
Always a pleasure Dan to be back.
Well, this is a big night. We only have a few of these during our lifetimes. You divide by four, however, whatever it is, if you get four score years in your lifetime, you get about realistically twenty of these you've seen more than a few presidential elections, final presidential elections on that first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, and you're looking at it from the perspective of the
New England Council. A lot of people don't understand what the New England Council is, but you're about to, not you personally, the New England Council is about to turn one hundred years old. Tell us about it.
Well, that's an historic figure itself, one hundred years old. Where the oldest regional business organization in the United States. Obviously, it was found in nineteen twenty five, and it was founded in a little town called Poland Spring in Maine.
And there was the governors and the leading CEOs at the time who were involved in manufacturing of textile and shoe and they were saying that we need to find ways of working together because in nineteen twenty five a lot of the workers were leaving the New England region going down south to the Carolina's warmer climate, lower taxes, and they said that we are well situated in our
own individual states. We know the Senators, we know the congressmen, they know us, but it's more important that we know more of the elected officials throughout New England that could help us and be our voice in Washington. And that was really the genesis, saying, if we work together as a region, even though we're a very small region of the United States, we're only about five percent of the nation's population and about thirteen and a half million people,
half of them in one state. But the genesis was, if we work together. Vermont's population is no bigger than the city of Boston, but they have two United States Senators. So they said, if we're five percent of the nation's population and we have twelve percent of the United States Senate in New England, that's a great asset. But we have to find ways of keeping them engaged, involved and working together on New England issues. And it's something that
has developed into a very successful advocacy organization. And what we do is we are engaged with all the members of Congress, the twenty one members of Congress, and whether
they're Democrats or Republicans today they're Democrats. When I first started in nineteen ninety six, you know, there's two senators in New Hampshire, Republicans Bob Smith and Judd Gregg, and New Ginridge was the Speaker of the House, so they needed someone who could go to Washington and be their voice, who could work both sides, both sides of the aisle, and advocate on behalf of New England, whether it be on higher ed energy tax policy.
I also assumed, Jim, that there must be issues, for example, fishing issues that whether you're a Democrat or a Republican on that issue, you want to make sure that whatever restrictions they are imposed on our fishing industry, they're done fairly. Obviously, you have many regulatory agencies that you have to contend with. Interesting enough, you talked about the population. I will bet you that as great as your organization is today, over
time you've lost population and also representation in Congress. I suspect that back in the day when the New England Council started, we probably had sixteen or seventeen, maybe even eighteen members of the House of Representatives, and that figure has diminished, which means.
That I think you could double that. In the nineteenth twenties it was over thirty members, thirty members that we're advocating on behalf of New England and Washington, and now we have twenty one and every dessential every ten years when they do resistrict and someone seems to lose, Rhode Island seems to lose the seat, Massachusetts seems to lose the seat. That's why it is so important that they
the members of the delegation work as a region. And someone like Ritchie Neil, who's the dean who's elected nineteen eighty eight to Congress from Springfield, he has really truly led the effort to inform and educate all new members of Congress from New England that we work together as a region. Because when we do that, we have a lot of clout. And we've had a lot of successes in areas such as tax policy and energy and health care. And that's because people in other parts of the country
marvel at how well coordinated and cohesive. The New England delegation is both the House in the Senate, and it's been that way, whether they're all Democrats are all Republicans, it's just working together. So it's a joy for me to work with them because they understand and strength and unity. We have an awful lot of clout, and as I say, we've had people from other parts of the country come to us and say we would like to duplicate what
you do. We would love to have a mid Atlantic Council, our Southeast Council, but they've been unsuccessful and achieving that. So we're unique and able to do what we do. And I think one of the reasons we do as well is that New England pretty much you know, it's rich Ox Nation, it's patriots, you know, New England patriots.
There are many.
People that live in New Hampshire that work in Massachusetts. Many people in Massachusetts work in New England in New Hampshire, many people live in Massachusetts work in Rhode Island. Some even work in Maine and live here, so we are
a little more cohesive. But I think also we're an organization that is very unique in this time and era where there's so much gridlock, so much polarization in Washington, our organization is able to access Democrats and Republicans to sit together and to see if we can find common ground on issues that would be of importance to New England. It's not the New England Democratic Council, it's not the New England Republican Council. It's the New England Council. And
who's the New England Council. It's the community health centers, it's hospitals, it's colleges, it's the biotech, it's the industries that you could think of. They're part of the New England Council, all with the mission statement to improve the economic conditions in New England and have a voice at the table in Washington. And what I'm very proud of is to be able to say that we don't give money, we don't have a pack, we don't give endorsements, we
don't give a grade. And that's why we're able to get leaders of both parties and Jim white House, Jim.
Maybe with a little bit of luck, Congress can take the New England Council as an example and as a model and maybe work together in the Congress that will assemble a January. Jim Brett of the New England Council, present and CEO, thanks so much for joining us tonight here on nightside in a very important night. And we'll have you on some night and spend some time taking phone calls from listeners.
Thanks so much, love you, thanks very much.
I appreciate Thank you.
Dan.
All Right, Jim Brett, back to our other programming here.
On Nightside Campaign twenty twenty four America Votes. This is wb Z Boston's news.
Radio, sixty five degrees in Boston at eight thirty eight. Good afternoon, make that good evening. I'm Ben Parker. Here's what's happening. The polls are closed in Massachusetts. In fact, they closed about a half hour ago. So far, Senator Elizabeth Warren has one re election, as have five unopposed members of the House, and Kamala Harris has won Massachusetts
in the presidential race. Right now, there is a focus on the city of Boston, where many voters had to wait in line past eight o'clock because they're polling places ran out of ballots.
I'm at the Phineas Bate School, Ward eighteen, and as you can see, the line is very long here. The good news is that the ballots have arrived, but at some point throughout the day they ran out of ballots.
I'm here with Megan Sweeter, and give me a sense. What time did you get here and how long did you have to wait?
So we got here about five twenty and we waited for about an hour and a half before the ballots showed up. And when we got here they said that the ballots were. They were out of ballots, but the line was moving pretty fast, so we were a little confused. But we were about ten people behind where they ran out of ballots.
How frustrating was that? Did it make you nervous?
You know what?
It didn't, because this is a very important election.
There's a lot at stakes.
So we had our two kids here, two and four, and we just hunkered down. They had their little notepad as stuffed animal, and we just waited it out.
How relieved were you when the ballots did get here?
Very relieved.
Yeah, we were very happy when we saw the cop walk through with the ballots.
And finally, why was it important for you to wait?
It was important, as decided to. It's a crucial election. It's I think it's important to participate in civic duties like this and to have your voice heard.
Megan Sweeter, thank you so much. So that's the situation here in Rossendale. The good news is that the ballots have arrived. They're still waiting on more to arrive. But yes, you can see this line is very long, but people are waiting patiently and they cannot wait to cast their ballots.
I was w to bctvs Paul Burton and Rosalindale on those ballot problems Earlier today, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren winning her third firm as Massachusetts Senator. Of the vz's Madison Rodgers is at Warren's campaign watch party in Madison. Apparently it is a party.
It is a party. Indeed, Ben, it was only a matter of moments between Poles closing here in the Bay State and Democrats notching a victory. Projections do now stay that Massachusetts has picked Kamala Harris for the next president and reelected Senator Warren to her third term.
I'm here with the.
Senator, the Warren campaign and mass DEM's at a watch party at a power station. The crowds are celebrating, though there is some anxiety for running through the crowds. We're expecting Warren to take the stage for an acceptance speech, and when she does, you can listen live right here on WBZ News Radio. Warren appears to have handily defeated the challenge from Republican John Deaton, but it is anything but clear which party.
Will win Senate control.
Live from the South End, I'm Madison Rogers, WBZ Boston's news radio.
All right, tivatuity WBZ.
We will keep you up to date on all of the happenings, including reaction from John Deaton's campaign party.
This evening.
We do have an update though on the presidential race, as a couple more states have been called. New Jersey goes to Vice President Kamala Harris, while Arkansas goes to former President Donald Trump. As it stands right now, the electoral vote count Donald Trump with one hundred and one and Kamala Harris with forty nine eight thirty three. Let's
get you out on the roads. It's traffic and weathered together the Subaru retailers of New England all wheel drive traffic on the three is zach, what are you seeing?
Well, I'm looking right now in the north here starting on ninety five in Woovern, we just got a report of a two car crash on the northbound side at Washington Street Route one. Little tap of the brakes here on the northbound side from Copland Circle, sorry, Copeland Circle to lynn Street one twenty eight ninety five Okay, from Lexington to Lynnfield ninety three Route three, no issues around their four ninety five merges downtown. ZAKEM. LeVert and Tobin.
No trouble there. Airport tunnels, no delays to and from Logan River Road. Smooth sailing on those south of town Expressway. Nothing in your way between the split and the tunnel Route three twenty four to ninety five, all the speed limit ride getting by ninety three and out west on the Pike. No issues in either direction between Natick and the expressway. Zach Transport to b bzy's twenty four hour traffic.
We got some record temperatures that they hit our way tomorrow. Plenty of sunshine, temperatures well into the seventies.
Your complete coverage of campaign twenty twenty four continues now on WBZ Boston's news Radio.
A busy day at the polling places today.
The ballots in Massachusetts had more than just races on it. Five ballot questions to consider in the commonwealth. Wbus's Nicole Davis is here and what are you saying when it comes to these ballot questions?
Nicole, Yeah, but we're just starting to get our first results in on the ballot questions. It is early, but here is what we have, starting with Question one, which if passed, would allow the legislature to be audited with a fraction of cities in towns reporting here, Yes on one has a big lead, seventy two to twenty eight percent. Ballot Question two on the mcast a bit closer, but again with a fraction reporting Yes on two is leading
sixty two to thirty eight percent. Question three to allow right share drivers to unionize Yes fifty nine and a half percent, No, forty and a half percent. We did have a feeling Question five was going to be close. That is the one about tipping in restaurants and other tipped wages. So far is closer than the rest of the questions. No on top with fifty eight percent, Yes coming in at forty two percent, So again, still pretty early, Ben,
But here's what we have on those. And we did have another question, Question four that's been the source of a lot of controversy.
Sure has the cold. Question four is all about the ability to grow and use certain psychedelics. Wbz's Jared Brosnan has more.
Question four asks voters to consider the legalization of naturally occurring psychedelic drugs like DMT, mescalin, and psilocybin aka what's found in magic mushrooms. If passed, anyone over twenty one years old can grow, share, or use psychedelics at home as long as they stay below the legal threshold for each substance, But outside of growing them yourself, the only way to get the substances is through licensed professionals, so it wouldn't be as easy as going to a dispensary
for marijuana or a liquor store for alcohol. Those against legalization point to the potential health risks from adverse reactions to the drugs and say they're unsure how the state can regulate at home use. They also worry about a lack of a breathalyzer type device that can instantly detect whether someone's under the influence. Those in favors say psychedelics psilocybin in particular, can help treat things like post traumatic
stress disorder and anxiety. They also argue that expensive treatment costs would mitigate any rampant recreational use. Jared Brosnan WZ Boston's News Radio.
Marijuana, by the way, also a top issue a lot of states in the selection. Massachusetts legalized recreational pod in twenty sixteen. This year, though voters in Florida, North Dakota, South Kota all deciding whether or not to legalize recreational marijuana in their states. Nebraska is voting on whether or not to legalize medical cannabis. Nebraska is just one of six states where marijuana is still completely outlawed, even in
a medical setting. One of the more hotly contested governor's races is playing out right across the border today in New Hampshire, WZ. Sherry Small is here now with the very latest from the Granite State.
Sherry Hi Ben.
Yeah, that's right. Polls showing this race to be neck and neck. Republican candidate Kelly Aot versus Democrat Joyce Craig. Aon has statewide name recognition that could give her a leg up. She's a former one term US senator. Before that, she was a prosecutor then attorney general for the state. She's pushing her anti tax agenda, new Hampshire being a no income tax and no.
Sales tax state.
She's also touting pro business economic policies one of our slogans, don't mass it up. She has the endorsement of outgoing Republican Governor Chris Sanunu. Democrat Joyce Craig, meanwhile, is the ex mayor of Manchester In twenty seventeen, she was elected the first woman mayor of the city, holding the office until January of this year. Prior to that, she served
as an alderman for six years. Her platform, she says she'll strengthen public schools, increased affordable housing, and protect access to abortion. Either way, New Hampshire will see its third woman governor, following Democrats Jen Shaheen and Maggie Hassen, both are now senators.
Been all right, Shery, We've got a couple of congressional races going on in New Hampshire as well. District one right now, Chris Pappas, who is the Democratic incumbent. He is leading Russell Presscott fifty one to forty nine percent. Still very low in the voting tallies. Only nine percent of the votes have been counted in District one. District two same deal, very low, under ten percent of the votes counted, and Maggie Goodlander is leading Lily Tang Williams
by about fifty one to forty eight percent. Seven states have been won by Kamala Harris so far in this election day twenty twenty four, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, and Rhode Island among them. So far in terms of electoral voting counts fifty two electoral votes for the vice president. While former President Donald Trump has won ten states, he just most recently picked up Arkansaw's votes. He has one hundred and one electoral votes. It's been a busy day at
the polling places all across the country. In fact, many young Americans casting their ballots for the first time.
Eighteen year old Tim cast his first ballot and says it's a big deal.
I really feel like my voice is being heard, even though it's one vote.
He was initially turned away from the polling place because he was wearing a Trump van's T shirt and political attire isn't allowed at the polls, but he is proud of Trump.
I just I think he did better for our country.
And being from Texas, Tim says, I.
Really think the biggest thing for me is immigration.
Allison Keys, CBS News.
Some polls are starting to close all across the country. Massachusetts closed forty minutes ago, so did up many states along the eastern seaboard. But as we move off to the west, there are still hours to go before the pollings closed. CBS's Nicole Skanga tells us today's voting was also not without its shriff scalers.
Officials in at least two states, made in Georgia say police have responded to threats against schools and polling places today, none of them credible. Brad Raffensberger, the Georgia Secretary of State, saying in a news conference that officials had identified the source that it was from Russia. The FBI also putting out a statement indicating many of the threats appear to originate from Russian email domains.
The meantime, officials say the US Capital Visitors Center was closed this afternoon after a man tried to get into that building with a torch and a flare gun. All eyes are on the outcome of this election day, lots of drama, lots of freight nerves. But Americans are not the only ones with a close eye on the polls.
China has no official position but perverse stability, and I.
Think that probably means Harris.
A Trump presidency, of course would mean the tariffs that would further hurt a slow in Chinese economy and a potential trade war, And of course questions remain. I think about how far either candidate would support Taiwan.
That is ABC's Ian Pannell. Kamala Harris has picked up another state in the race for president eight states now including Illinois and New Jersey. Massachusetts was called early four Harris, who now has picked up a few more electoral votes up to seventy one. Donald Trump sits at one hundred and one electoral votes. And we should tell you about Massachusetts congressional races. Elizabeth Warren won the Senate race over John Deaton today. There are some congressional seats up for
grabs well in terms of the incumbents facing challengers. Five incumbents didn't face any sort of challenge. They of course won. Richard Neil in District one has been declared the winner. He did face a challenge today. There are a few other challenged seats and we'll keep you posted on those as the evening goes on. Former President Donald Trump is trying to do something that hasn't been done since the late eighteen hundreds become president for a second non consecutive term,
the last and only person to do it. Hello, dear, this is your old Palgrover, Old pal Grover Cleveland.
He's the one who turned the trick.
He was elected as the twenty second president and served from eighteen eighty five to eighteen eighty nine. After being defeated by Benjamin Harrison, Cleveland won the presidency again in as the twenty fourth president. He served then in term number two, from eighteen ninety three to eighteen ninety seven. Cleveland's loss in eighteen eighty eight featured and winning the popular vote but losing with fewer electoral votes. He also was on the only president who was married in the
White House. He married Francis Fulsom in June of eighteen eighty six while he was the president. We are following results here on WBZ throughout the evening. The presidential race continues on Many polls still open across the country, so we will have to wait a while longer before we even start getting counts from there, but we are seeing some of the results coming in from some of the races across parts of the country. We do have a governor's race in New Hampshire that is underway, a Senate
race in Massachusetts that is over. Elizabeth Warren wins her third term on Capitol Hill. Will continue to keep you up to date, and we'll continue to check in with Dan Ray. He's got some exciting guests on this election night, So stay with us on WBZ. I'm Ben Parker.
Nights Side with Dan Ray continues now on WBZ News Radio.
Welcome back. We are interviewing a number of political leaders from different perspectives and with different experiences and different emphasize emphasis with us now a state representative, David Lynskey. He's a Democrat, been in the House Chamber here in Massachusetts for many, many years. Representative. Welcome to night's side.
Welcome.
How are you welcome to w b z's special election coverage.
Thank you, Dan. It's a big night for America tonight and I'm very happy to be part of it.
Well delighted you with us. You have been a state representative for I know Natick, but do you have other communities in your in your district as well?
Yeah, currently I represent all of Natick and half of the town of Whaleland. I formerly represented Sherburn and Millis too, but I picked up Whaleland and I'm very happy to have that too. And I've been in the state legislature now for twenty five years in Massachusetts and been involved in a variety of issues.
And I'm now you have.
Some seniority then twenty times through.
Well, one of the things you think, as we're saying, goes when I first ran that, my slogan was give a young man a chance, and now it's turned into there's no substitute for experience.
No question about that. Perspective always makes us feel that way,
a little bit of age, nothing wrong with that. So look, one of the things you mentioned was that your district changes periodically, and of course congressional districts change, and one of the things that you're very much involved in now nationally you're a state representative from Massachusetts, but you're involved with the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, the DLLCC, and you told me that the Republicans nationally have been i guess
out maneuvering the Democrats when it comes to controlling state legislatures, not so in Massachusetts. Tell us what's going on and what you and other members of the DLCC are trying to do about it.
Well, so, Dan, I think the reality is is that because of the dysfunction in Congress for the last many years, and then also a whole series of Supreme Court decisions that push decisions down to the state level, including quite frankly abortion, the importance of state legislatures became magnified immensely, and so state legislatures now have an enormous impact on everybody's day to day lives. But the Republicans quite frankly beat us to the punch about fifteen years ago with
a program to get people elected. Republicans elected the state legislatures, and what it turned into, quite frankly, was they then controlled congressional redistricting because that's generally done by state legislators out there. Now, did you know, for example, that way more people in this country vote for Democratic congress people than Republican congress people, but that's never reflected because the
way the maps have been drawn. So we and the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee over the past few years have decided to meet the Republican challenge and put a lot of emphasis in trying to get Democratic majorities in state legislatures. So tonight is yeah, my colleagues around the country, Yeah.
On that issue. There are some states, some sparsely populated states, I think maybe South Coda in Wyoming where they have two US Senators but only one member of Congress. So it doesn't make a big difference in states that just have one member of Congress because there's going to be really no redistricting. The list as a dramatic increase in population, but.
It makes them a difference in a Michigan or Wisconsin, or New York or North Carolina. You know that really the swing states. So what happens is is, as we know from what's going on in the in the presidential electric tonight, in the swing states, the votes are pretty much split fifty to fifty. But because of redistricting at both a state legislature level and the congressional level, the Republicans have really had majorities in those states and in
the congressional delegation and in the state legislature. And so they've done a great job at it, and we in the Democratic Party are now trying to match it. And I expect we're going to have some good news tonight.
Well, it'll be interesting. I know that it's one point. Later in the week, we'll find out that across the country the Republicans or the Democrats either picked up a lost so many state Senate seats or so many state legislative seats, state representative seats. State I know it's called the legislatures are a little different In New York. I know it's the Assembly, if they're not mistaken, but that's the equivalent I guess of our House of Representatives. And
do you think that the Democratic Party can turn this around? Obviously, in Massachusetts, the Democratic Party has a super majority in both the House and Senate and nothing's going to change as of tonight. Republicans are hoping to pick up a seat here, a seat there, but the Democrats run Beacon Hill in Massachusetts. But it's not always the same way in the other forty nine state capitals. And that's really for ex.
In Pennsylvania right now, the Democrats have a one seat majority in the in the state House of Representatives and they're down one seat in the state Senate up in our neighbors in New Hampshire. That's within three or four seats in the state Legislature and just a couple of seats in the state Senate. You know that the changing the majority in these states can really have a major effect on people's lives, on democracy, on their right to vote,
on the right to control their bodies. It has enormous impact. Like I said, the Supreme Court has pushed these decisions down to the state legislative level.
Yeah, there's a lot of cases that work their way up to the Supreme Court to deal with, you know, apportionment and how districts are constructed, and you'll see those cases percolate up. The other thing which people need to understand and maybe you can explain it better than I that different legislatures around the country are quite different. Meaning Massachusetts for the most part, members of our legislature, that's your prime career. You're a legislative you know, elected official.
Whereas in New Hampshire, I think that people it's more than one.
Hundred and fifty dollars a year.
Yeah, right, and no one's going to be able to live even in New Hampshire on one hundred and fifty dollars a year, so.
Of them too, yeah yeah, so very different situation. The reality is, when you have a situation like that, it gives the governor a lot more power. When you have a very part time, inexperienced legislature with no staff and no expertise, that that's what happens. It hands it hands the control away from the people, away from the legislature into the hands of the governor.
But doesn't it make that a little easier for your organization of this Legislative Campaign Committee Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee to go into a state like New Hampshire and find good candidates who you would approve of and help them get elected because it's an easier lift, I guess, is what I'm saying, to turn to flip a state legislature like New Hampshire than it would be for the Republicans to in any way shape or form flip a more professional legislature like Massachusetts.
Or Now that's exactly right, right. We're putting a lot of resources into New Hampshire today, obviously, and we've been doing it for months, but we're also trying to to get control of state legislatures this session in Minnesota, in Arizona, and then increase some seats where we're in the minority, and trying to be able to at least sustain a vetol.
North Carolina as an example of that. They have a democratic governor, they just elected another democratic governor tonight, but the legislature down there is overwhelmingly Republican, and when the governor of Vito is something in North Carolina, they aren't enough Democratic votes to sustains vetail. So there the Republican super majority in both the House and the Senate are
really able to control them. So we're trying to pick up some seats in North Carolina to give that governor a little help down there.
And what this shows is that so many of the states in America, at the legislative level and at the state level are just very different, the PP dishes of democracy different, but all of them have impact. And again, your group, if people want to check it out as the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, or if they're more interested, they could get in test with your office at the State House, Representative David. Great to have you on. Get you on some night and maybe we'll get some callers
involved as well. But this was a pretty interesting happensity this lesson tonight. Thanks so much, Representative.
Thank you, Dan. Have a good evening, and democracy prevail tonight.
I think it will, there's no question in my mind. And the show will prevail and continue right after this quick break right here on WBZ, Boston's news radio