Voters Experiencing “Governors Remorse”

Many of us have felt the sting of “buyer’s remorse” – the regret that sets in once the euphoria of purchasing a new (and usually expensive) item wears off. This typically occurs when the product doesn’t turn out to be everything we expected and we realize we should have made a more rational decision. In several states with newly elected GOP governors, voters seem to be having “governors remorse” after some disappointing actions by these chief executives.

In Florida, Wisconsin, and Michigan, a hypothetical do-over election would result in the GOP candidates losing out on the governorship. The same appears to be true for Ohio and Pennsylvania. Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin has drawn national ire in recent months for signing off on a bill that strips public union employees of important bargaining rights. More recently, Rick Snyder of Michigan has faced criticism for his budget proposals and his enactment of the “emergency manager” law, which allows a privately appointed emergency manager to take over the operation of a municipality and render the elected officials powerless. This week, the city of Benton Harbor became the first Michigan town to be taken over by an emergency manager.

Recent polls are showing a backlash of voter sentiment. It turns out that these governors may not have been everything they claimed to be.