Posts by Dr. Eric Ostermeier
History Suggests Kagan Confirmation Process Will Be Rockier than Sotomayor’s
Presidents since Woodrow Wilson have faced increased Senatorial opposition in attempts to get their second Supreme Court Justice seated; only 1 such nominee out of 13 received greater support from Senate
Read MoreHow Competitive Are U.S. House Special Elections?
Special elections are 17.4 points more competitive than general election contests; special election seats are also 4 times more likely to switch parties
Read MoreIs the ‘S’ Word Scaring People Away from the ‘L’ Word? (The Vanishing Liberal in Minnesota)
Ratio of self-identified conservatives to liberals is at a five-year high in the Gopher State while charges of socialism are hurled at D.C. Democrats
Read MoreRepublicans Outnumber Democrats in Minnesota for First Time Since 2005
Study of nearly 70 SurveyUSA polls finds GOP holding first party ID advantage since October 2005; percentage of Minnesotans identifying as Republicans at highest level ever recorded by polling organization
Read MoreDavid Obey’s Exit and the Badger State Congressmen Who Left Before Him
Obey served alongside 31 different Wisconsin U.S. Representatives since election in 1969
Read MoreLong Legislative Service Not a Prescription for Gubernatorial Electoral Success in Minnesota
Only one Minnesota Governor since statehood has spent as much time in the legislature as 2010 DFL candidates Margaret Anderson Kelliher and Matt Entenza
Read MoreCan Pawlenty Launch a Sam’s Club Presidential Campaign from a Target State?
Minnesota ranks #33 in the nation in Sam’s Club & Wal-Mart stores per capita, and ranks #1 for Target
Read MoreWill Voter ID Issue Turn Conservative Democrats Into ‘Emmercrats’ in MN Gubernatorial Race?
Emmer continues to highlight voter ID as core issue to 2010 campaign; popular issue may be the lure to get conservative Democrats onto his coalition’s hook
Read MoreMinnesota Twins Begin Target Field Era at Near Record Pace
Twins’ 14-8 start and ‘projected’ 103-59 finish are tied for second best for first seasons with a new ball park among MLB teams
Read MoreReapportionment Winners and Losers Through the Years
Pennsylvania (-17 seats) and New York (-16 seats) have lost the largest number of seats from their peak U.S. House delegations; the Keystone State is slated to lose a seat again for a 9th consecutive census period
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