WASHINGTON: Republicans are poised to topple at least a dozen Democratic governors next month, and that could cause President Barack Obama and his party major headaches far beyond this year's elections. A cadre of new Republican governors, including some in battleground states that Obama won two years ago, could complicate his efforts to deliver benefits to voters and campaign effectively in 2012. They could also help create Republican-friendly House seats in next year's once-a-decade redistricting process. In the final weeks of this year's contest, Obama is campaigning hard for Democrats coast to coast, well aware of the worrisome signs for the future. So far, his results seem mixed, and some candidates seem wary of him. Democrats are at risk of surrendering governorships in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Oregon, New Mexico and Maine, among others. Obama carried all those states under Democratic governors in 2008. And all will be competitive in a 2012 re-election contest except, presumably, his home state of Illinois. Republican governors already have replaced Democrats in New Jersey and Virginia, states that Obama also carried two years ago. Elsewhere, Democrats are struggling to win a once-promising gubernatorial race in Florida, another swing state that has proven crucial in presidential races. Democrats might replace Republican governors in California, Hawaii and a few others states. But Minnesota is the only state in that category that seems likely to be seriously contested in the 2012 presidential race. As Obama tries to help Democratic congressional and gubernatorial candidates, he often visits states that will be vital to his re-election hopes. This year he has traveled four times each to Florida, Michigan and Wisconsin, five times to Pennsylvania, and six times to Ohio, where he plans to campaign again this weekend. The president's schedule “is driven entirely by how to best help Democrats in 2010,” said White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer. He said it's not surprising that competitive states this year will also be competitive in 2012. Next month's governors' races also have big implications for U.S. House elections from 2012 through 2020. The House's 435 districts are reapportioned every decade, after each census. States will redraw their districts next year in a process that often is intensely political, with borders crafted to help or hurt a party, or even a particular politician.
