Author: Mercedes Yanora
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Karen Peterson resigns from Louisiana State Senate
Karen Peterson (D) resigned from the Louisiana State Senate on April 8 to focus on recovering from depression and a gambling addiction. She represented District 5 from 2010 to 2022. According to The New Orleans Advocate, a federal probe is being conducted into Peterson’s finances and gambling addiction. Prior to joining the state Senate in…
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Calvin Smyre, longest-serving member, resigns from Georgia state House
Calvin Smyre (D) announced on April 4, 2022, that he would resign from the Georgia House of Representatives, after being appointed ambassador to the Dominican Republic by President Joe Biden (D). Smyre has served since 1975, most recently in District 135. Smyre was elected to the state House in 1974. He is the longest-serving Georgia…
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Patricia Guerrero joins California Supreme Court
Patricia Guerrero was sworn in to the California Supreme Court on March 28, 2022. Founded in 1849, the California Supreme Court is the state’s court of last resort and has seven judgeships. Of the seven current justices, five were appointed by Democratic governors and two by a Republican governor. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) appointed Guerrero…
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February 2022 breakdown of state legislative party membership: 54.40% Republicans, 44.29% Democrats
According to Ballotpedia’s February partisan count of the 7,383 state legislators across the United States, 54.40% of all state legislators are Republicans and 44.29% are Democrats. Ballotpedia tallies the partisan balance of state legislatures at the end of every month. This refers to which political party holds the majority of seats in each chamber. Republicans…
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October 2021 breakdown of state legislative party membership: 54.11% Republicans, 44.71% Democrats
54.11% of all state legislators are Republicans and 44.71% are Democrats, according to Ballotpedia’s October partisan count of the 7,383 state legislators. Ballotpedia tallies the partisan balance of state legislatures at the end of every month. This refers to which political party holds the majority of seats in each chamber. Republicans control 61 chambers, while Democrats…
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Andrew Yang leaves Democratic Party
Former candidate for mayor of New York and president of the United States Andrew Yang announced his registration as an independent on Oct. 4, 2021. Yang previously belonged to the Democratic Party since 1995. Yang ran for mayor of New York in 2021 as a Democrat. He lost during Round 7 of the Democratic Party’s…
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September 2021 breakdown of state legislative party membership: 54.22% Republicans, 44.68% Democrats
54.22% of all state legislators are Republicans and 44.68% are Democrats, according to Ballotpedia’s September partisan count of the 7,383 state legislators. Ballotpedia tallies the partisan balance of state legislatures at the end of every month. This refers to which political party holds the majority of seats in each chamber. Republicans control 61 chambers, while Democrats…
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Kirsten Engel, Wesley Breckenridge resign from state legislatures
Two Democrats, Kirsten Engel and Wesley Breckenridge, resigned from their state legislatures on Sept. 8 and 10, respectively. Senator Engel represented Arizona Senate District 10 from Jan. 11, 2021, to Sept. 8, 2021, while Rep. Breckenridge represented Iowa House District 29 from 2017 to 2021. Engel resigned to focus on her 2022 campaign for Arizona’s…
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Seven new judges join the Virginia Court of Appeals
Seven new judges joined the Virginia Court of Appeals on Sept. 1. The Virginia General Assembly elected eight judges to the court on Aug. 10, 2021. The eighth judge, Dominique Callins, will take office on Nov. 1, 2021, following the retirement of Judge William Petty. Established in 1985, the Virginia Court of Appeals was originally…
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Tony Navarrete resigns from the Arizona state Senate
Senator Tony Navarrete (D) resigned from the Arizona state Senate on Aug. 10. He represented District 30 from 2019 to 2021. He also represented Arizona House District 30 from 2017 to 2019. Phoenix police arrested Navarrete on Aug. 5, 2021, on suspicion of sexual conduct with a minor. According to authorities, the alleged sexual conduct…