One of the often overlooked offices in America, state lieutenant governors have powers that vary from state to state with some presiding over the state Senate and others simply collecting a paycheck. Some lieutenant governors are elected on a ticket with the governor and some are elected in their own right, while several states hold primaries for both offices but in the general election run on a single ticket. As we saw in 2009 when President Obama appointed then-Arizona governor Janet Napolitano as Department of Homeland Security secretary, the departure of a governor can flip the office to the other party, who in that case was Republican Jan Brewer.
In this diary I want to take a look at the elections for lieutenant governor in 2014 or whichever office is first in line to the governorship where those offices are separately elected in a general election. This year there will be 11 states that directly elect a lieutenant governor separately in the general election while in two the separately elected secretary of state is first in line and in four states the state Senate president is first in line. Overall Democrats are defending five states while Republicans are defending 12 and below the fold I'll detail each race.
Alabama: Kay Ivey (R) - Lieutenant Governor
First term incumbent Kay Ivey narrowly won in 2010 when she defeated then incumbent Democrat Jim Folsom and was renominated for a second term. In a state where Mitt Romney defeated President Obama 61 to 38, Ivey is an overwhelming favorite over Democratic former State Rep. James Fields.
Arizona: Open (R held) - Secretary of State
Arizona has no lieutenant governor so the state secretary of state is first in line so long as they are elected in their own right, otherwise the attorney general is next in line. Incumbent Ken Bennett is running for governor and the Republican primary to succeed him is a battle between investment fund manager and 2012 senate primary loser Wil Cardon, state Sen. Michele Reagan, and state Rep. Justin Pierce. Democrats will nominate former attorney general and 2010 gubernatorial nominee Terry Goddard, last seen with a 43/36 favorable rating by PPP in 2011. Given the competitive nature of Arizona, the race being an open seat, and Democrats fielding a strong candidate with Goddard, this race will be strongly contested and provides Democrats with a solid pick up opportunity.
Arkansas: Open (vacant/R held) - Lieutenant Governor
In 2010 Republican Mark Darr was narrowly elected Lieutenant Governor and quickly found himself mired in ethics violations of campaign finance law, forcing him to resign in January of 2014 and leaving the office vacant until November. Republicans nominated incumbent 2nd District Rep. Tim Griffin while Democrats chose former State Highway Commissioner John Burkhalter. While Arkansas is increasingly becoming a Republican state and Mitt Romney carried it comfortably, Democrats are putting up a strong fight and this race will be one to watch in November, though Griffin is probably favored.
California: Gavin Newsom - Lieutenant Governor
Then-San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom was elected in 2010 over appointed incumbent Republican Abel Maldonado by a solid 11 point margin and is a heavy favorite for re-election given California's dark blue hue. He'll face former Republican state party chair Ron Nehring in the general election.
Georgia: Casey Cagle (R) - Lieutenant Governor
First elected in 2006, incumbent Republican Casey Cagle faces Democratic former State Senator and Dekalb County Commissioner Connie Stokes. While Georgia features a competitive Senate and gubernatorial race, Cagle has had a relatively uncontroversial tenure and two easy wins under his belt, giving him an advantage heading into the general election. However with two strongly contested races at the top of the ticket and in a state trending blue thanks to demographics, this race is one to watch.
Idaho: Brad Little (R) - Lieutenant Governor
Incumbent Brad Little is seeking a second full term and will face Democratic former state Sen. Bert Marley in the general election. With Idaho being one of the most Republican states in the country, voting for Mitt Romney 64 to 32, Little is an overwhelming favorite to win another term.
Maine: Justin Alfond (D-SD-08) - State Senate President
Maine has no office of lieutenant governor and thus the state Senate president is first in line, giving the state the distinction of one of a few where the governor and the officer first in line are of different parties. Democrats retook the state Senate majority in 2012 and look modestly favored to maintain their 20 to 15 advantage (including a left-leaning independent) with incumbent Republican governor Paul LePage being very unpopular at the top of the ticket. Incumbent Senate President Justin Alfond is very safe in his Portland-based Senate district where Obama won in a landslide.
Nevada: Open (R held) - Lieutenant Governor
Nevada's open race for lieutenant governor is the marquee election of the cycle for this office, having become a proxy war between two party bosses, Gov. Brian Sandoval and US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. With incumbent Republican Brian Krolicki term-limited, Republicans are turning to state Sen. Mark Hutchison. Democrats nominated Assemblywoman Lucy Flores, who has a very compelling background having overcome many socioeconomic disadvantages to become a rising star in state politics. With Brian Sandoval potentially running for Senate against Reid in 2016 or being on the Republican presidential ticket, Democrats want to have the threat of Sandoval's departure handing them total control of state government. A Democratic lieutenant governor would also be well positioned to run for governor herself in 2018 when that election will determine control over redistricting. As such this race will see a lot of attention and will be fiercely competitive in November.
New Hampshire: Chuck Morse (R-SD-22) - State Senate President
As with Maine, New Hampshire has no lieutenant governor and the Senate president is first in line. Also like Maine, that results in the first in line being of a different party than incumbent Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan. Republicans just barely maintained their 13 to 11 state Senate majority in 2012 because of gerrymandering the lines and with Hassan set for a blowout win for governor and Democrats doing quite well in the state recently, there is a strong possibility that Republicans might lose control of the chamber and thus a Democrat becomes Senate president. New Hampshire's legislative elections are definitely ones to watch.
Oklahoma: Todd Lamb (R) - Lieutenant Governor
Todd Lamb was first elected in 2010 and faces Democrat Cathy Cummings in the general. With Oklahoma being one of the most Republican states in the country and taking a hard right turn away from its Blue Dog Democratic roots in 2010, Lamb is a lock for re-election.
Rhode Island: Open (D held) - Lieutenant Governor
Incumbent Democrat Elizabeth Roberts is term-limited while several candidates are running to succeed her. The Democratic primary is a race between incumbent Secretary of State Ralph Mollis, state Rep. Frank Ferri, and Cumberland Mayor Daniel McKee, with Mollis probably favored. The Republican primary likely see the nomination of 2010 secretary of state nominee Catherine Terry Taylor, meaning we could see a rematch of the 2010 secretary of state election in which Mollis narrowly defeated Taylor. With Rhode Island being one of the most Democratic states in the country, the Democratic nominee is likely the favorite, but this is nonetheless a race to watch as Republicans have the potential to perform better in state races than they do federally.
South Carolina: Open (D held) - Lieutenant Governor
South Carolina curiously has an outgoing Democratic lieutenant governor, John McGill, thanks to the resignation of incumbent Republican Glenn McConnell, who himself ascended to the office when the elected incumbent Ken Ard resigned due to comical campaign finance violations. Because no state Senate Republicans wanted to forfeit their seat due to the state constitution promoting the Senate president to lieutenant governor in the event of a vacancy, the Republican majority elected then-state Sen. McGill as Senate president right before McConnell resigned, thus making him lieutenant governor.
Unfortunately for Democrats, they are heavy underdogs to retain the office in November due to South Carolina's solidly Republican nature. The party nominated state Rep. Bakari Sellers while Republicans nominated former attorney general and 2010 gubernatorial primary loser Henry McMaster, who should win comfortably in November.
Tennessee: Ron Ramsey (R-SD-04) - State Senate Speaker
Tennessee is another state without the office of lieutenant governor and instead has the state Senate speaker first in line. Republicans hold an overwhelming 26 to seven majority in the Senate that will expand to 28 to five after 2014 thanks to gerrymandering and Tennessee being solidly red. Ramsey is very secure in his district where Romney won 73 percent of the vote and will remain Senate speaker.
Texas: Open (R held) - Lieutenant Governor
Texas saw a high-profile primary race this spring with longtime incumbent Republican David Dewhurst getting crushed by tea party challenger state Sen. Dan Patrick. Democrats are running state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte and while the party hopes to take advantage of Patrick's fringe positions, Van de Putte is at a clear disadvantage in a state as red as Texas currently is. This is a race to watch to see just how much of a liability a far-right candidate like Patrick is in the general election.
Vermont: Phil Scott (R) - Lieutenant Governor
The last remaining Republican elected statewide in Vermont and the only one in significant position of power, moderate two-term incumbent Republican Phil Scott is a heavy favorite for a third two-year term after no Democrat filed for the race. Vermont is one of the few states with fusion balloting where a candidate can win the nomination of multiple parties and is home to one of the few successful third parties, the Vermont Progressive Party. The Progressives are running Dean Corren who qualified for public financing in the state, no small sum, but it remains to be seen whether he can make the race competitive at all as Vermont is still open to voting for genuinely moderate Republicans like Scott and the Progressives have never before won a statewide election.
West Virginia: Jeff Kessler (D-SD-02) - State Senate President
West Virginia is the fourth state in this diary to have no lieutenant governor and instead has the Senate president serve as acting governor in the event of a vacancy. Democrats have controlled the West Virginia legislature uninterrupted since 1932 and with a 24 to 10 majority and only half the seats up each cycle should be solid favorites to retain control of the state senate in 2014. However West Virginia has taken a sharp turn to the right in recent cycles and that shows no sign of slowing, with the party's hold over the state House of Delegates tenuous at best, meaning that the state is one to watch in terms of Republican gains in the fall. Incumbent Senate President Jeff Kessler is secure however since he last won election unopposed in 2012 and is not up for re-election until 2016.
Wyoming: Open (R held) - Secretary of State separately elected
Like Arizona, Wyoming's secretary of state fills the role of lieutenant governor. Incumbent Republican Max Maxfield is not running for re-election and several Republicans are running to succeed him, including former state Reps. Edward Buchanan and Pete Illoway, attorney Clark Smith, and businessman Ed Murray. No Democrat filed for the office, which is not surprising considering Wyoming is one of the most Republican states in the country.