[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 18152]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 MISSISSIPPI AND VIRGINIA MAKE HISTORY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOE WILSON

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 18, 2011

  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, history was made last week 
in off-year elections with Republicans gaining a majority in the 
Mississippi House for the first time in years and Republicans gaining a 
majority in the Virginia Senate, along with the State House and the 
Governorship for the first time in 130 years.
  With these gains, Republicans are now state legislative majorities in 
both houses in all states from Texas to Florida to Virginia and all 
states in between except narrowly in Arkansas.
  I am grateful my home state of South Carolina is symbolic of change. 
Fifty years ago this August, Charlie Boineau of Richland was elected 
the first Republican legislator of the Twentieth Century and the next 
year, State Rep. Floyd Spence was the first party switch ever leading 
in 1994 to David Wilkins elected the first Republican Speaker in the 
South. In 2010 all nine Republican statewide candidates were elected 
with the Governor being the first female in 341 years and only the 
second Indian American in national history. Seven out of eight federal 
officials are now Republicans.
  Encouraging the extraordinary change are transplants from the 
Northeast and Midwest who have relocated for a milder climate and lower 
taxes.
  In conclusion, God Bless our Troops and we will never forget 
September 11th in the Global War on Terrorism.

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