GOP Governors Elected in 2010 Lowered Unemployment Rates in 17 States

Cause and effect? Every state that elected a Republican Governor in 2010 saw their unemployment rate drop.

In 2010, as part of the TEA Party inspired bloodletting in Congress,  no fewer than 17 GOP Governors were elected. The 2010 blowout of incumbent Democrats was the biggest upheaval since the Depression era, and resulted in a major shift in Congress.

Now, the effects of the GOP blowout are being seen in the states where Republican or conservative governors were put in power.  In all 17 states,  the unemployment rate has dropped anywhere from 0.6 percent to as much as 2.0 percent. Some of the biggest drops have occured in such states as Michigan, Florida, and Nevada, where unemployment rates were high.  According to a report from The Examiner online, states who elected GOP Leaders saw their rates drop faster than states who elected Democrats; and a number of states (including New York) who now have Democrat Governors have seen their rates go up.   The percentages shown are actual drops in the rate iteself;  in many of the states the drops have resulted in the unemployment rates dropping by 1/5th, even 1/4th, which are remarkable gains.

7 of the 8 states who elected Democratic governors had drops in the rate, however,  none of them matched the smallest drop in unemployment in GOP led states.  New York's rate went up.  Washington did not elect a new governor in 2010,  however, Gregoire is not seeking re-election.

However, according to government statistics, WA state has seen it's unemployment rate skyrocket since 2008 to levels near 11 percent, and now hovering well over 8 percent, close to 9.  This in comparison to the years between 2005 and 2009 when our unemployment rate was well below 7 percent.