Republicans Gain Record 680 State Legislative Seats, Securing REDMAP Objectives

Republicans achieve historic state legislative gains in the 2010 midterm elections, flipping a net 680 state legislative seats—breaking the previous record of 628 seats set by Democrats in the post-Watergate elections of 1974. The gains give Republicans control of redistricting in key states ahead of the 2011 redistricting cycle, fulfilling the strategic objectives of the REDMAP project.

Electoral Results and Chamber Control

Republicans take control of 20 legislative chambers while Democrats lose 21 chambers. Before the elections, Democrats controlled 40 chambers and Republicans controlled 55 chambers with two tied. After Election Day 2010, Republicans hold majorities in both legislative chambers in 25 states—up from 14—giving them complete control of redistricting in those states.

The gains are concentrated in REDMAP’s targeted states, including Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, and North Carolina. In several states, Republicans flip control of entire legislative chambers by winning just a handful of targeted races—precisely the strategy outlined in REDMAP’s plan. The 680-seat gain represents an unprecedented swing in state legislative power, fundamentally altering the political landscape heading into the redistricting cycle.

Causes and Context

Multiple factors contribute to Republican success: the slow recovery from the Great Recession, unpopularity of President Obama and the Democratic Congress, backlash against the Affordable Care Act, and the energy of the Tea Party movement. However, the scale of Republican gains in state legislatures far exceeds their gains in federal races, reflecting REDMAP’s strategic targeting of state legislative contests.

The REDMAP project invested approximately $30 million in targeted state legislative races—bringing unprecedented resources to contests that typically operate on budgets of tens of thousands of dollars. This resource advantage, combined with strategic targeting, allows Republicans to flip chambers by winning specific races in specific districts.

Redistricting Implications

The Republican gains create what the RSLC calls a “Republican firewall” for redistricting. With trifecta control (governor and both legislative chambers) in numerous key states, Republicans will have complete authority to draw new congressional and state legislative district maps following the 2010 Census. This control extends to critical swing states that will determine control of Congress for the next decade.

The timing is crucial—states redraw their electoral maps every ten years based on Census data, and the party that controls state legislatures in 2010 controls redistricting in 2011. By flipping 680 seats and gaining control of 20 chambers, Republicans position themselves to draw district maps that will favor their party regardless of future voter preferences.

Significance

The 2010 state legislative results represent the successful execution of REDMAP’s strategy to gain control of redistricting through targeted investment in state races. The historic gains give Republicans unprecedented power to draw electoral maps in key states, setting the stage for aggressive gerrymandering in 2011. The success of this strategy will reshape American politics for the next decade, as Republican-drawn maps make it mathematically difficult for Democrats to win congressional majorities even when receiving more total votes.

The results demonstrate that control of state legislatures—often overlooked by voters and media—carries enormous consequences for federal representation. By investing strategically at the state level during a Census year, Republicans engineer a structural advantage that will persist regardless of future electoral shifts. The record-breaking gains fulfill REDMAP’s objectives and position Republicans to entrench their power through redistricting, fundamentally altering the relationship between voter preferences and electoral outcomes.