2015’s off-year elections were among the least exciting America has seen in years—the highest-profile race was Kentucky’s gubernatorial contest—but surprise defeats in even tiny districts signal an evolving national view just ahead of the 2016 Presidential and Congressional races.

Kentucky’s gubernatorial race saw the victory of Republican Matt Bevin over Democrat Jack Conway in a surprise shift in power that will bring to the governor’s house only the second Republican in 40 years. Bevin’s campaign largely centered around a promise to shut down the state’s Affordable Care Act exchange and stymie Kentucky’s planned expansion of Medicaid. Coupled with the surprising win of Republican Mike Harmon over Democratic incumbent Adam Edelen, the 2015 results provided a shock to the Kentucky Democratic Party that they will need to reconcile before even higher-stakes national elections come next November.

Another hotly contended ballot was that in Houston, where voters were tasked with putting through the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, a non-discrimination bill that would provide legal recourse for discriminated-against members of protected classes. The ordinance was struck down by a wide margin in the mostly-red state, with detractors who spoke to the Houston Chronicle claiming that the bill would’ve allowed “men dressed as women, including sexual predators, to enter women’s restrooms.”

Drawing national attentions as well was Ohio’s vote on a series of ballot initiatives that would have paved the way within the state for the legalization of marijuana—though many pundits predicted the hot issue would drive younger voter turnout, the proposition failed spectacularly. Issue 3, the nondescript name of the bill, was disliked by even large proponents of legalization as it would have allowed several businessmen an effective monopoly on sales of the drug within Ohio.