Posts by Dr. Eric Ostermeier
Will Oregon’s 2014 Gubernatorial Race Be a Snoozer?
On the heels of the state’s most competitive race for governor in more than a half-century, there is little buzz so far about Oregon’s 2014 contest.
Read More64 Percent of 9/11 Legislators Are Out of Congress
Only 36 percent of the 531 U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives in office on September 11, 2001 are still in Congress.
Read MoreA Brief History of Presidential Red Lines
Prior to Obama, U.S. Presidents have been gun-shy to draw red lines with international relations and the threat of military force at stake (Obama owns 11 of the 13 such references); presidents have more commonly talked about actual red lines…on charts!
Read MoreChafee Just 4th Rhode Island Governor Since 1790 to Pass On 2nd Term
Facing a tough reelection bid in 2014, Lincoln Chafee throws up the white flag – a historical rarity among 1st term Rhode Island governors.
Read More7 Gubernatorial Election Double-Takes
The Idaho GOP didn’t give us Labrador vs. Otter in 2014, so Smart Politics takes a look back at some eyebrow raising surname matchups in gubernatorial electoral history.
Read MoreIowans Look to Split Vote Again in High Profile 2014 Contests
Hawkeye State voters have split their vote in gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races more than half the time since 1938.
Read MoreUnusual Exits: 13 Members of Congress Who Drowned
Two congressmen drowned while in office; one former U.S. Representative drowned on the Titanic and another on Independence Day.
Read MoreAfrican-American US Representatives by the Numbers
Maryland has elected blacks to the U.S. House at the highest rate in the nation since 1870; 25 states have yet to elect any African-Americans to the chamber.
Read MoreMark Dayton: Age Is Just a Number
Less than a half year after Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton was sworn into office, he already had one record under his belt: the oldest governor in Minnesota history. Dayton was 63 years, 11 months, and 8 days old on his…
Read MoreCould Scott Brown Win the Presidency?
Brown might be considering a presidential run, but very few presidents since Lincoln lost their last statewide race.
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