New Leadership, Recruiting Candidates, and a Narrow Majority in the General Assembly
IN THE NEWS:
While Democrats have a majority in the state House and Senate, those margins are razor-thin--which leaves open some questions about the balance of power. Can Republicans peel off votes for specific issues? What happens if Democrats are sick, out-of-town, or appointed to executive roles?
With Scott Surovell set to become the Senate Majority Leader and Don Scott as Speaker of the House, there's new leadership for the Democrats--and thirty new faces among the one-hundred seats in the Capitol building. What does that mean for the legislature this year?
The final votes are still being counted in the 2023 election, but both parties are already at work recruiting new candidates for 2025.
Recent recruitment efforts like Senator-Elect Danica Roem's Emerge have seen some big wins across the state, so there's a lot to be said about the power of choosing wisely.
At the Watercooler:
Susanna Gibson's comments about her election and the Washington Post piece may have tilted things out of her favor. Michael and Lauren discuss crisis communications and the tricky balance Gibson may have faced in dealing with the situation.
New leadership across Senate Committees--Louise Lucas will chair Finance, Mamie Locke will chair the Rules Committee, Scott Surovell will chair Judiciary, and more. Plus, shake-ups in the House seniority order that have huge effects on positions down the line.
