Posts by Dr. Eric Ostermeier
Party Like It’s 1986?
Tim Johnson’s retirement opens up an opportunity for Republicans to gain control of both U.S. Senate seats in South Dakota for the first time since the convening of the 100th Congress in January 1987 (Tom Daschle ousted incumbent GOPer James…
Read MoreJohnson to Retire with 2nd Longest Tenure on Capitol Hill in South Dakota History
At 26+ years and counting, Senator Tim Johnson has already eclipsed Tom Daschle but will fall six years short of the Mount Rushmore State’s all-time record set by Karl Mundt.
Read MoreWho’s #1 (Part II)? The Media’s 2016 Democratic Field
Hillary and Joe are ranked 1-2 in eight of 11 outlets under analysis with Andrew Cuomo solidly in third.
Read MoreWho’s #1? The Media’s 2016 Republican Field
Twenty-three GOPers have been listed as 2016 contenders across a dozen media outlets; only two candidates appear on all 12 lists (Rubio and Christie).
Read MoreWhy Does Keith Ellison Keep Getting Primaried?
Incumbent DFL U.S. Representatives have faced primary challengers only 30 percent of the time in party history; Ellison has faced at least one every cycle.
Read MoreFamiliar Faces
On Wednesday, Paul Ryan’s 2012 U.S. House challenger Rob Zerban announced he will seek a rematch in 2014 against the failed GOP VP nominee. Should Zerban win his party’s nomination next year, that would mean the Democratic Party will have…
Read MoreTom Cotton’s Quandary: Can House Freshmen Win Senate Seats?
Only 17 House freshmen have been elected to the Senate over the last century, and just two in the last 40 years.
Read MoreCan Mark Dayton Reach 50% in 2014?
The state with the lowest level of voter support for Democratic gubernatorial candidates in the 20th and 21st Centuries is…Minnesota?
Read MoreThe Most Competitive States for Gubernatorial Elections Since 1900
New Mexico’s races have been the most narrowly decided followed by Indiana and Ohio; Illinois captures top honors since the Reagan Revolution with Rhode Island the one to watch since the Republican Revolution.
Read MoreAnd the Most Notable First Lady Is…Laura Bush?
Laura Bush receives a 29 percent longer write-up than any other First Lady on the White House website’s official bio pages.
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