Posts by Dr. Eric Ostermeier
Gwen Graham Becomes Just 2nd Freshman Florida US Rep to Retire from Congress
Of the 134 sitting freshman U.S. Representatives in state history, 131 ran for reelection and one ran for the U.S. Senate – leaving only Graham and one other Floridian who did not seek reelection to Capitol Hill after one term.
Read MoreWill There Still Be 20 Women in the US Senate After 2016?
While female candidates have opportunities to pick up seats this November, some face challenging general election odds while others face stiff competition to win their party’s primary.
Read MoreMike Pompeo Eyes Historic Hurdle in Kansas US Senate Race
No popularly elected U.S. Senator from Kansas has ever lost a renomination bid.
Read MoreWill Scott DesJarlais Lose His Seat in 2016?
The embattled Tennessee U.S. Representative narrowly escaped a primary loss in 2014 to avoid becoming just the second GOP incumbent from the state in 60+ years to lose a renomination bid.
Read MoreThe Longest Republican US House Delegation Streaks
Just three states have elected at least one Republican to the House of Representatives in every cycle since the founding of the party in 1854; eight other states have streaks dating back to the 19th Century.
Read More115th Congress Could Have Fewest Split US Senate Delegations in History
If the nation’s six most competitive seats flip in 2016, the upper legislative chamber will tie its mark for the lowest number of states with split delegations in the direct election era.
Read MoreStates Still in Search of Major Party US Senate Candidates
Democrats and Republicans in four states are still looking for candidates as filing deadlines loom just days or weeks away.
Read MoreWill Patrick Leahy Break Robert Byrd’s US Senate Service Record?
Vermont’s other U.S. Senator is also on the ballot in 2016 – and is climbing the list of all-time service in the nation’s upper legislative chamber.
Read MoreRebecca Bradley Continues Incumbency Dominance in Wisconsin Supreme Court Elections
Just six sitting justices from the Badger State have been defeated at the ballot box over the last 164 years.
Read MoreWisconsin: The Nation’s Presidential Primary Bellwether Since 1972
Wisconsin is the only state to back the eventual nominee from both parties in every cycle since 1972, save for a non-binding Democratic beauty contest primary in 1984.
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