Just Wait Until 2020
Over the last 105 years, only one state has never elected a Republican U.S. Senator while a fellow GOPer served in the White House – Arkansas. The Natural State has voted for a Democratic nominee in all 17 opportunities to date, and will get its next chance to break that streak in 2020 when Republican incumbent Tom Cotton is up for reelection. Louisiana (David Vitter, 2004) and Montana (Conrad Burns, 1988) have only done so once with Florida and Hawaii doing so twice. The only state which has never elected a Democratic U.S. Senator during a Democratic presidential administration is Kansas – choosing a Republican in all 22 races. Meanwhile, Maine has voted for a Democratic nominee for the nation’s upper legislative chamber while a Democrat served in the White House just once (Ed Muskie, 1964).
1. Is Senator Cotton not prominently being considered for whatever executive post in the “45regime” that could at any moment open up, e.g. secretary of Defense, chief of Staff?
2. ME: Angus King, 2012 deserves an honourary mention, since he was the de facto DEM contender for that cycle (national Ds gave only perfunctory support to their official nominee), and even after the 2014 elections has continued to caucus with the Ds.