In this article, the author discusses the Democratic victories that have raised expectations on college campuses in part because a number of the gubernatorial candidates, including Deval L. Patrick, emphasized themes of access and affordability in their campaigns. Mr. Patrick, the governor-elect of Massachusetts, traveled to the University of Massachusetts system's flagship campus, in Amherst, and made a vow: He would champion the state's public colleges. In Arkansas and Iowa, the incoming governors have called for the expansion of need-based student aid. New York's new governor, Eliot Spitzer, has said he will provide the state's two public-university systems with more money so that they can raise their academic quality and become more affordable. After a number of lean years, many college officials are hoping that newly elected leaders will open an era of greater interest in and support of higher education. Moreover, an analysis of a decade's worth of data compiled by Illinois State University shows that, when it comes to spending state tax funds on higher education, states with Democratic governors differ little from states with Republican leaders.