The Republican sweep of the House of Representatives is enough a triumph in its own right, but lost in the shuffle is a factor far more important than mere congressional gains: following the 2010 elections, the Republican party now controls 20 trifectas across the United States, up from just 8 leading into the election. This means that the GOP controls the state house, state senate, and governorship in 20 states.
The Democrats, meanwhile, lost at least seven trifectas, down from 16 to 9. (Some races are still too close to call across the country.) And even though Democrats gained a trifecta in California, Proposition 20 passed there as well, placing the question of redistricting into the hands of the nonpartisan California Citizens Redistricting Commission.
