Politics and Campaigns
Montana’s Racicot Thrives Politically By Listening
HELENA, Mont. – Last December, Republican National Committee Chairman Jim Nicholson invited some of his party’s governors to meet with congressional leaders for yet another post-mortem on what went wrong in the 1998 elections. Near the end of the meeting, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott of Mississippi called on Montana Gov. Marc Racicot, saying […]
Deal Ends Political Row That Tied Alabama Senate in Knots
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The infamous jug is emptied and gone. The National Guard can rest easy, and apparently so, too, can Alabama’s constitutional experts. The Alabama state senate is coming back to town, vowing this time to work, not bicker. Alabama’s 35 senators will return from an abbreviated spring break today (Tuesday), a week after […]
Online Governing A Reality, States See Online Voting In Future
WASHINGTON – Wired citizens in a growing number of states can already use their computers to file tax returns, apply for state gaming permits, renew driver’s licenses and register their cars online. In the very near future, voters might also find themselves with the ability to cast ballots from their desktops. On March 17, California […]
Wyoming Adopts Health Insurance For Kids Of Working Poor
WASHINGTON – Wyoming, the second to last state to construct a plan to provide health insurance to kids of the working poor, has finally adopted the necessary legislation, but it took two years and a contentious battle among lawmakers. On March 1, Republican Gov. Jim Geringer signed into law a bill that launches KidCare, Wyoming’s version […]
1999 Year Of The Pay Raise For Many Lawmakers
WASHINGTON – Emboldened by the booming economy and robust budget surpluses, state legislators in many parts of the country are making 1999 the year of the pay raise. Lawmakers in 10 states – Maryland, Kentucky, Idaho, Illinois, California, New York, Colorado, Arizona, Massachusetts and Connecticut – will be getting fatter salaries this year. And five […]
Bush’s Prospective Candidacy Overshadows Work of Texas Legislature
AUSTIN, Texas – Lone Star state lawmakers are working their way through the biennial 140-day session of the Texas legislature under the white-hot glare of national attention generated by Republican Gov. George W. Bush’s probable presidential campaign. While insisting the legislative session is his top priority, Bush earlier this week announced the formation of a […]
Minnesota’s Colorful New Governor Stars on Web
With a click of the mouse, the silhouette of Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura’s shaved head bursts into view like a full moon. Near the top of the computer screen, beside a snapshot of the former pro wrestler’s piercing eyes, is an in-your-face boast: “Our Governor Could Beat Up Your Governor.” Welcome to jessethebody.com, the brainchild […]
‘Fab Five’ Give Arizona Something to Brag About
Arizona has become a political trailblazer by installing women in its top five elected posts — a first among the 50 states. “We have varying responsibilities, we have different styles and we even may have some philosophical differences. But we share a commitment to working together for the betterment of the state of Arizona,” Gov. […]
Young Artists Mark California’s Changing of the Guard
According to California schoolchildren, the same things that have historically drawn more people to the Golden State than to any other part of the country will propel it into the 21st Century – the Pacific Ocean, dreams of fame, and a diverse culture and landscape. Artwork that incorporates those images was assembled into a mosaic […]
Wisconsin’s Tommy Thompson – Eyeing New Horizons?
Wisconsin’s capitol, the political preserve of Republican Gov. Tommy G. Thompson for 13 years, is getting reacquainted with political diversity. Other players are emerging from the political spell cast by the 57-year-old four-term governor, who has thrice enjoyed the magic of a 60 percent reelection margin. Thompson has made being Wisconsin’s governor a job to […]
Texas Gov Bush A Devolution Fan
George W. Bush, the popular Texas governor and early favorite of political handicappers for next year’s Republican presidential nomination, strongly advocates shifting money and power away from Washington to state and local government. In an interview with stateline.org, Bush said he believes accountability is heightened rather than diminished by the current trend toward government decentralization, […]
Welcome To Our Website
For the past five months, the staff of the Pew Center on the States has been working to make this site a useful news and research tool for journalists, policy makers and just plain citizens who wish to follow state government developments. We think you’ll find a wealth of useful infomration here, but Stateline.org is […]