Democrats failed in Tuesday’s elections to take out their three high-profile Republican gubernatorial targets.
Media outlets have projected that Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Florida Gov. Rick Scott and Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder have all won reelection.
{mosads}On a night where Democratic House and Senate candidates are falling like flies, the failure to unseat the three governors added to Democratic gloom.
So did a loss in Illinois, where Republican businessman Bruce Rauner defeated Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn in President Obama’s home state.
Wisconsin was the biggest prize of the night given Walker’s battles with unions and the possibility he could run for president in 2016.
Democratic businesswoman Mary Burke put Walker’s jobs record front and center, arguing he failed to meet his pledge of creating 250,000 jobs as governor.
Walker argued voters should allow him to finish the job.
“Our number one goal over this next term is to ensure that everyone who wants a job, can find a job,” Walker said in a statement after his big win. “I thank you, the voters of Wisconsin, for the honor of allowing me to serve as your governor for another four years.”
Separately, he told The Associated Press that any talk of running for president “will have to wait.”
Scott was able to defeat former Gov. Charlie Crist, a Republican who switched parties, despite having a higher unfavorable than favorable rating, at 42 to 49 percent.
It helped that Crist had similar unfavorability.
In Michigan, Snyder touted his pragmatic side, with the slogan “one tough nerd.” He signed a minimum wage increase and accepted ObamaCare’s Medicaid expansion.
Former Rep. Mark Schauer (D) had latched on to $1.8 billion in business tax cuts, but the message was not enough.
The Detroit Free Press had backed Snyder, supporting him for overseeing Detroit’s “speedy voyage through bankruptcy.”
Snyder’s victory is striking given that the Democratic Senatorial candidate, Gary Peters, won decisively in the same state.
Obama and Hillary Clinton had stumped for Schauer and Peters, and they come away with a split decision in the state.
Walker’s victory should quiet reports of disputes between Walker and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, head of the Republican Governors Association, over support for Walker’s campaign.
Republicans also won several gubernatorial races in the Northeast, pulling off an upset in Maryland and are performing well in New England.
Republican businessman Larry Hogan’s win in Maryland showed the depth of Republican gains. The seat had been thought to be safe, with Democratic nominee Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown ahead by double digits in polls for much of the race.
As the race narrowed, Democratic heavyweights President Obama and Hillary Clinton arrived to try to shore up support, but they came up short.
In Maine, Republican Gov. Paul LePage, controversial for moves such as his removal of a mural for being too pro-labor and comparing ObamaCare to Nazi Germany, won reelection.
He held off Democrat Mike Michaud, who would have become the first openly gay governor to be elected in the U.S.
In Massachusetts, Republican former health insurance executive Charlie Baker is leading by one point with 95 percent of precincts reporting, according to the AP. The loss, while not as unexpected as her 2010 Senate loss to Scott Brown, would be another blow to Democrat Martha Coakley.
Even in Vermont, which no one expected to be a close race, Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin, the chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, is leading by little more than one point with 92 percent of precincts reporting, over Republican businessman Scott Milne.
If no candidate wins more than 50 percent there, and the Libertarian Party candidate has siphoned off 4 percent, the Legislature selects the governor. The Burlington Free Press reports it is expected to select the plurality winner, according to tradition, despite being Democratically controlled.
Democrats were able to hold on in Rhode Island and New Hampshire, in some glimmers of hope, and they had an expected take down of Republican Gov. Tom Corbett in Pennsylvania.
This story was updated at 12:42 a.m.