USAPP Managing Editor, Chris Gilson, looks at the week in US state blogging. Click here for our weekly roundup of national blogs

Gilson, Christopher

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blogs.lse.ac.ukhttp://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2015/10/24/hogan-popular-in-maryland-as-walker-is-not-in-wisconsin-and-crist-is-back-in-florida-us-state-blog-round-up-for-17-23-october/New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (Credit; Pat Arnow) CC- BY-SA-2.0)Hogan popular in Maryland as Walker is not in Wisconsin, andCrist is back in Florida: US state blog round up for 17 – 23OctoberUSAPP Managing Editor, Chris Gilson, looks at the week in US state blogging. Click here for our weeklyroundup of national blogs. Northeast On Tuesday this week, New Hampshire’s miscellany: blue looks at some recent statements made by GraniteState lawmakers. They say that Republican State Representatives have said that Democrats support morerestrictive gun laws because they ‘in bed with organized crime’, have pushed old ‘evidence’ that President Obamawas not born in the US, and made Islamophobic comments. Moving south to New York, State of Politics writes thatthe Empire State will have three primaries next year, asstate and local primary dates are split into separatecontests. The multiple primaries will allow some statelawmakers to run for Congress and then run for stateelected office if their federal bid is unsuccessful. Stayingin New York, Times Union has the news that GovernorAndrew Cuomo has announced that he will be creatingnew regulations against discrimination based on genderidentity, transgender status and gender dysphoria. Thenew rules are similar to those of an Assembly bill whichhas remained stuck in the state Senate in 2008.PolitickerNJ this week looks at New Jersey GovernorChris Christie’s role in the coming state Assemblyelection races. They say that some previously safe GOPdistricts in the state are now looking vulnerable becauseof voters’ disenchantment with Governor Christie over issues such as the state’s insolvent pension andTransportation Trust Fund, and scandals such as Bridgegate.Heading over to the Pennsylvania, Keystone Politics reports that Governor Tom Wolf has made his oppositionknown to a bill which would allow legislative committees to block the Executive branch’s ability to pass new rulesindefinitely. The bill passed in the Senate, and Wolf will need 68 state House Democrats to win a veto overridevote. Staying in Pennsylvania, PoliticsPA has the news that the state’s embattled Attorney General, KathleenKane will release all of the inappropriate and illicit emails received and forwarded by state Supreme Court JusticeMichael Eakin.SouthIn the Old Line State this week, Political Maryland looks at Governor Larry Hogan’s ‘unmistakable popularity’.They comment that recent polls put his approval rating at 58 and 61 percent, which they put down to hisavoidance of ‘hot-button’ political issues and his seeking to minimize controversy during his first year in office.They also ascribe some of his high ratings as resulting from his openness about having non-Hodgkin’sMaryland Governor Larry Hogan Credit: Maryland GovPics (Flickr, CC-BY-2.0)lymphoma.Moving south, The Progressive Pulse comments on what they say is North Carolina’s ‘ongoing war’ on teachers.They write that state lawmakers are attempting to end teachers’ tenure rights, and are ‘assaulting’ the state’steachers’ union, all against a backdrop of teacher shortages across the state.On Friday, Saint Peters Blog looks at Florida’s’30 under 30’ rising political stars for 2015.Staying in the Sunshine State, The Shark Tankreports that former Governor, Charlie Crist, isback, this time with an announcement that hewill be running for the state’s 13thCongressional District. The seat’s boundarieswill soon be redrawn, and will then lean heavilyDemocratic. The incumbent Republican, DavidJolly, will be running for Marco Rubio’s Senateseat in 2016.Heading up to Alabama, Yellowhammer Newssays that the state’s House Speaker race isheating up with allegations of bullying by StateRepresentative Phil Williams, who is seeking to oust the current Speaker, Mike Hubbard. Williams also says thatsome of the bills which Hubbard tried to advance during the legislative session were specifically created to assisthis legal defense against the 23 corruption charges that he is facing.Talk Business and Politics has the news this week that the Arkansas Supreme Court has upheld a stay ofexecution for eight inmates, despite agreeing with state officials that a lower court was wrong to halt them. Theinmates involved have all exhausted their appeals, but had sued the state, claiming that a new law whichprevents the state from revealing information which could identify the manufacturers of the drugs it uses forexecutions was unconstitutional. They argued that the lack of information about the drugs exposed them to therisk of pain and suffering.Midwest In Michigan this week, Eclecta Blog looks at a new report which shows that while over 100 of the state’s charterschools have closed since 2010, 25 never opened, despite funds for the being approved for them to the tune of$3.7 million. They say that the charter schools – which are mostly run by for-profit corporations have receivedmillions in taxpayer dollars with little to no accountability.Howey Politics Indiana writes this week on Governor Mike Pence’s new ‘policy gauntlet’ that will have a wideimpact on his reelection bid. Pence’s policy initiatives include an £1 billion road and bridge maintenance plan,$3.5 million for an anti-abortion group to provide pregnancy and parenting services, and a reinstatement of cutschool funds.On Monday, Progress Illinois reports that the city of Chicago has announced a new gun buyback program, usinga $250,000 fund for gun buyback events hosted by churches and neighborhood groups in the city.Moving up to Wisconsin, The Political Environment says that after years of over-spending and over-buildinghighway as the existing roads in the state crumble, a major interchange expansion will now be shelved for anumber of years. They comment that this is not the first time people living in the outskirts of a major city inWisconsin have put the brakes on highway spending. Staying in the Badger State, Blue Cheddar writes Thursdaythat according to a recent poll, 60 percent of Wisconsinites disapprove of Governor Scott Walker’s performance,and nearly that number feel that the state is headed in the wrong direction.On Wednesday, Say Anything blog reports that North Dakota State Auditor, Bob Peterson, will not be seeking asixth term in that position – an elected position that has been held by Republicans for 120 years.Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker Credit: GatewayTechnical College (CC-BY-NC-ND-2.0)West and PacificIn Colorado this week, The Spot says that state Democrats and Republicans are in agreement – federal landsshould continue to be managed by the federal government, and not the state, as has been suggested by somelawmakers and candidates in the state.Heading south, Progressnow NM has the news that the Secretary of State, Dianna Duran, resigned overnightThursday just before her next criminal hearing. Duran faces criminal charges for misusing campaigncontributions, which led to calls for her impeachment or resignation.Out west in California, Flashreport says that while the GoldenState’s unemployment rate has fallen in the last month, there hasbeen no attendant major increase in the number of jobs in the state.They say that the falling unemployment rate is actually due topeople dropping out of the workforce, which will eventually meanhigher taxes those who are in work. Staying in California, Fox &Hounds comments that people living in Los Angeles have nevercared much about local politics, and that each city councilmembernow represents 260,000 people, a 650 percent increase since 1925.They argue that the people of Los Angeles need more and betterrepresentation by increasing the number of politicians.Up in Washington, Strange Bedfellows makes the case against aballot initiative that voters in the state will have to decide this fall.The measure would dictate that the state Legislature should put onthe ballot a constitutional amendment requiring a 2/3 vote of both theHouse and Senate to close tax loopholes or enact a new revenuemeasure.Featured image: Former Florida Governor, Charlie Crist,Credit: Andres LaBrada Photographer (Flickr, CC-BY-2.0)Please read our comments policy before commenting .Note:  This article gives the views of the author, and not the position of USApp– American Politics and Policy, norof the London School of Economics.Shortened URL for this post: http://bit.ly/1LVKT3wCC BY-NC 3.0 2015 LSE USAPP

Hogan popular in Maryland as Walker is not in Wisconsin, and Crist is back in Florida: US state blog round up for 17 – 23 October

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