November 8, 2005 2006 → 28 22 Date 8 November 2005 | 28 governorships 22 governorships 28 22 | |
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United States gubernatorial elections were held on November 8, 2005 in two states and one territory, as well as other statewide offices and members of state legislatures.
National Effect
Shortly before election day, U.S. President George W. Bush returned from a trip to Latin America to provide last minute campaigning for Virginian gubernatorial candidate Jerry W. Kilgore. After the defeat of Kilgore and Doug Forrester in New Jersey, Democrats prescribed these victories to the President's decreasing popularity. Republicans then tried to downplay these Democratic triumphs as victories exclusive to those states and their candidates. Some speculate that these two elections were harbingers of the positive momentum around the Democratic party, and it could be said that they had some positive effect on the landmark victories in the 2006 midterm elections and the 2008 presidential election for the party. Republicans, however, maintain that the Democrats' advantage in 2005 was due simply to the fact that they were the incumbent party.