GOP Unlikely to Take Back Minnesota House in 2008

The new Smart Politics commentary for Twin Cities Public Television’s Almanac: At the Capitol site is now posted here. Several commentators and news reports have filled out their ‘DFL scorecard’ as we pass the halfway point in this year’s legislative session. My commentary suggests no matter how poorly or how highly one thinks the DFL has performed in the House thus far, it is unlikely to lose its majority party status in 2008.

First, historically it is very rare for party control of the Minnesota House to change hands in consecutive elections. Second, the amount of turnover in back-to-back elections that would be required for the GOP to take control again in 2008 would be unprecedented in modern times: after each ‘landslide’ election in modern legislative electoral history (the DFL picked up 19 seats in 2006) there has been a period of relative stability in the party composition of the House. In short, the Minnesota electorate is prone to give that party some time to implement its agenda — usually across several election cycles. For the full commentary, please visit the Almanac: At the Capitol website.