Posts by Dr. Eric Ostermeier
Climbing the Ladder
When Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley won reelection for a sixth term in November 2010 he and his fellow Iowa U.S. Senator, Democratic Tom Harkin, were 11th on the all-time list for the longest-serving delegation members serving together to the nation’s…
Read MoreWhy Ohio? The Numbers Don’t Lie (Bellwether States Revisited)
Talk about bellwethers: Ohio’s vote for the winning presidential candidate has deviated from the national vote an average of just 2.2 points since 1900 and only 1.3 points since 1964.
Read MoreDeep Benches: Which States Consistently Field US House Candidates from Both Parties?
Democrats and Republicans in New Hampshire, Indiana, Minnesota, and Idaho have fielded candidates in each of the last 100+ U.S. House races in their respective states.
Read MoreChoices, Choices, Choices
In 2010, a total of 29 candidates ran across Minnesota’s eight congressional districts – good for the seventh highest per district average in the history of the state (at 3.63 candidates) across the 78 general cycles dating back to 1857….
Read MoreMinnesota’s Gender Gap: The Disappearing Female Candidate?
After notching five of the 16 major party U.S. House nominations in 2010, women may secure only two such slots across Minnesota’s eight districts this November.
Read MoreWith Barber Victory Nearly 1 in 4 House Democrats Elected Via Special Election
Almost one-quarter of the Democratic caucus was first elected to the U.S. House via special election – more than double that of the GOP.
Read MoreCan Democrats Take Back the Iowa House in 2012?
Democrats would have to win 64 percent of the House races they are contesting – something the party has achieved only once since 1992.
Read MoreWill Arizona Democrats Hold Their Undefeated Special Election Victory Streak?
Democrats in Arizona have won all three special elections to Congress since statehood, but are victorious in only 35 percent of U.S. House elections over the last 60 years.
Read MoreBarrett Support Rises in 19 Counties, Falls in 53 Others
An increase in support in Dane and Milwaukee Counties is not enough for Mayor Barrett to stave off Governor Walker’s surge in central and northern Wisconsin.
Read MoreRomney Still Slow off the Blocks
While all eyes were on Wisconsin this week, Mitt Romney turned in more sluggish performances in presidential primaries held on Tuesday. Despite effectively sealing the nomination nearly two months ago, Romney failed to crack the 70 percent mark in two…
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