Presidency
Smart Politics on WCCO-TV’s “Good Question”
Smart Politics’ Eric Ostermeier was interviewed by Jason DeRusha on WCCO-TV’s “Good Question” segment during Tuesday night’s 10 o’clock telecast. DeRusha’s Good Question tonight was, “Does the Vice President Pick Matter” Ostermeier explained why a VP pick is not a…
Read MoreThe Decline of a President: Tracing Bush’s Approval Ratings in the Upper Midwest
Despite rising national unemployment rates, high gas prices, and overall economic uncertainty, George W. Bush remains basically no less popular among Upper Midwesterners in 2008 than he was in 2007. A Smart Politics study of nearly 180 public opinion polls…
Read MoreThe Upper Midwestern Voting Bloc in Presidential Elections
Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin have been (correctly) labeled as key battleground states in recent presidential elections. With the exception of George W. Bush’s narrow victory in the Hawkeye State in 2004, the three states have voted as a bloc dating…
Read MoreBush Approval Rating Hits All-Time Low in Minnesota
Buried beneath the new horserace numbers coming from the Quinnipiac poll released today of 1,572 likely Minnesota voters is even more sobering news for President George W. Bush (and, perhaps, John McCain) as he finishes his second term: Bush’s approval…
Read MorePresidential Politics in Wisconsin: A Historical Overview
Since Wisconsinites cast their first presidential ballots in 1848, approximately 900,000 more votes have been cast for Republican presidential nominees than Democrats, out of more than 43.2 million votes cast across 40 presidential elections. Wisconsin has been on the winning…
Read MoreWhat Are the Odds of a Third Straight Republican Term in the White House?
Opponents of Republican presidential nominee John McCain have been trying to derail his campaign by tying him to the hugely unpopular George W. Bush. Bush’s approval numbers are still trickling downwards—now in the high 20s to low 30s in most…
Read MoreBush Approval Rating in Upper Midwest Lingers in the Basement
Despite relatively positive news coming out of Iraq and a new campaign season that has focused the lens of the news media off the sitting president to the new contenders, George W. Bush cannot shake the horrendous job approval…
Read MorePresidential Politics in Iowa: A Historical Overview
Despite being a competitive battle ground state in recent years, and an important state in determining the nominees of the Democratic and Republican parties, the state of Iowa has not had a long history of voting for Democrats in the…
Read MorePresidential Politics in Minnesota II: The Battleground State
Even though Democrats have carried the Gopher State in eight consecutive presidential elections dating back to 1976, and 16 of the past 19, Minnesota has rightfully earned its reputation as a purple battleground state when it comes to presidential politics….
Read MorePresidential Politics in Minnesota: A Historical Overview
Since Minnesotans cast their first presidential ballots in 1860, nearly 1 million more votes have been marked for Democratic (Democrat + DFL) presidential nominees compared to votes for Republican nominees, out of more than 38.6 million votes cast across 37…
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