Sabato’s Crystal Ball: 2007 STATEHOUSE ROCK

With political pundits and concerned citizens focusing on the 2008 presidential and congressional contests, the 2007 election season has been lost in the shuffle. But, there are three revealing governorships on the ballot this November (Kentucky, Louisiana and Mississippi), and at least one of them (Kentucky) may turn out to be significant. Even the two less competitive statehouse races will matter because governors do count, not just for their states but in national politics as well.

To begin, governors play a key role in redistricting, which in turn can determine which party controls the House of Representatives….

Aside from redistricting, governors also have the power to appoint senators in the event of resignation or death….

A third national advantage to holding a governorship is that a political party gains a foremost advocate for the party’s presidential nominee….