There seem to be far fewer switches than after the 1994 elections (or 2006/08 for that matter), which I think reflects the fact that the parties had already become more distinct in their ideologies.  In Louisiana a post-election shift gave the GOP control of the state house, although a) the House already had a GOP speaker despite a narrow Democratic majority, and b) Louisiana did not have elections this year.  Governing reports at least 3 party switchers in Georgia and one in Maine, all from D to R.

Bradley A. Smith

Josiah H. Blackmore II/Shirley M. Nault

  Designated Professor of Law

Capital University Law School

303 East Broad Street

Columbus, OH 43215

(614) 236-6317

bsmith@law.capital.edu

http://www.law.capital.edu/faculty/bios/bsmith.asp

From: Rob Richie [mailto:rr@fairvote.org]
Sent: Monday, November 22, 2010 5:37 PM
To: John Tanner
Cc: Smith, Brad; Mathew Manweller; Election Law
Subject: Re: [EL] Changes in Statehouses

That party switch underscores an important reality to what seems to go on in several states, especially the South - -when a switch happens, it sticks. Contrary to the lore that a two-party system results in regular rotation in party control -- "thrown the bums out when they don't do a good job" we're seeing literally century-long control of legislative chambers by one party. After more than a century of Democratic control of the Georgia state legislature, Republicans are now five years into what promises to be many decades of dominance there -- party-switchers helped cement that. Alabama's likely heading that direction now, and South Carolina and probably several other states too. North Carolina will be important to watch, as Republicans just took over the state senate for the first time since Reconstruction.