Posts by Dr. Eric Ostermeier
The Vanishing Center: Exiting US Representatives
More than half of the U.S. Representatives retiring in 2014 are within 10 points of the ideological center of the chamber according to National Journal’s new vote ratings, compared to just one of 14 members running for higher office.
Read MoreCollin Peterson: My Coffers Are Fine, Thank You Very Much
You wouldn’t know it from the media, but Peterson just recorded his strongest off-year 4th Quarter fundraising haul ever – coming in at nearly 75 percent higher than his average receipts over the previous decade.
Read MoreAndrews Exits US House with Top 10 Longest Tenure in New Jersey History
Five of the Top 30 longest-serving New Jersey U.S. Representatives are currently serving in the 113th Congress.
Read More10 Members of Congress Who Are Also TV Shows
Michael Grimm. Mark Sanford. Duncan Hunter. Paul Ryan. The 113th Congress is full of U.S. Representatives with television program namesakes.
Read MoreEric Holder at 5: Eying #3 All-Time AG Service Mark in 2014
With Holder currently in fifth place for attorney general service, by December only William Wirt and Janet Reno will have recorded longer tenures in U.S. history.
Read MoreObama’s America: State References in SOTU Addresses
When searching for episodic examples to bolster his policies in SOTU addresses, the president turns to the battleground states of North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Ohio more than any other.
Read MoreFrom Red to Blue
Barack Obama has delivered an address before a joint session of Congress eight times since taking office five years ago. During his first three speeches (February 2009’s inaugural address to Congress, September 2009’s address on health care reform, and the…
Read MoreRadel Resigns with 2nd Shortest US House Tenure in Florida History
The only other Floridian with a shorter stint in the U.S. House served 141 years ago after successfully contesting the state’s at-large Election of 1870.
Read MoreA State-by-State Historical Snapshot of Michelle Obama’s SOTU Guest Lists
Arizona is just the 15th most populous state, but 13 of its residents have been guests of the First Lady during President Obama’s first five addresses – highest in the nation.
Read MoreA Brief History of Republican SOTU Responses
Cathy McMorris Rodgers is the fifth woman from the GOP to deliver a televised opposition response and the second youngest member overall in a congressional leadership position to do so.
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