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Republicans Winning Midwestern Governorships at Near Record Rate
At 82 percent this decade, the GOP is enjoying its highest winning percentage in gubernatorial elections in the region since the 1920s As discussed by Smart Politics in a report five months ago, Mark...
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Brown and Kitzhaber Join the Exclusive 4×4 Club
Less than a dozen governors in U.S. history have been elected to four four-year terms – all since 1970 While pre-election polling suggested nearly a dozen governors could be in trouble in the 2014...
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End of an Era: Grassley/Harkin Finish #3 for US Senate Delegation Service
The Iowa duo ends up with the bronze medal for serving alongside each other in the chamber for 30 years Joni Ernst took office this week as one of thirteen new faces in the nation’s upper legislative...
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Perry Exits #10 in All-Time Gubernatorial Tenure
The Texan lands in the Top 10 for all-time service among statehood governors and #4 for consecutive service On Tuesday Texas will have a new governor for the first time in more than 14 years. Former...
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Which States Are Likely to Split Their Presidential-US Senate Vote in 2016?
States have split their ballot only 29 percent of the time in presidential and U.S. Senate elections over the last century; 6% in NC, 11% in WI and 16% in IL (key 2016 battlegrounds) After holding the...
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Culver Could Become 1st Iowa Governor Elected to US House Since 1800s
Only two Hawkeye State governors have won election to the nation’s lower legislative chamber with the last doing so in the late 19th Century With 2014 Democratic nominee Staci Appel announcing last...
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Which State Is the Most Midwestern (In Presidential Elections)?
Iowa and Ohio have voted in concert with the region overall at a higher rate than any other Midwestern state; Missouri and Minnesota have done so the least This is the first in a series of Smart...
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Midwestern Sister States and Distant Cousins in Presidential Elections
Two Midwestern states have been in accord on their presidential vote choice 96 percent of the time while another pair has voted in concert during just 41 percent of such elections This is the second in...
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Iowa Democrats Seek Rare Upsets Over Freshmen Blum, Young in 2016
Rod Blum or David Young could become the first freshman Iowa U.S. House member to be unseated by a Democrat since 1890 Democrats hope to whittle away at the large GOP advantage in the U.S. House in...
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Democrats Winning Governorships at Lowest Rate Since 1900
Not only are Democrats losing gubernatorial elections at a rate not seen in 100+ years, but the party’s nominees are losing badly As Democrats eye a potential pick up in Louisiana’s gubernatorial...
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Terry Branstad and the Top 50 Longest Serving Governors in History
Branstad has served as governor for one out of eight days since Iowa achieved statehood On Monday, Iowa will celebrate Terry Branstad becoming the undisputed longest serving governor in U.S. history –...
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The Seven Day Scramble
A full seven day gap between Iowa and New Hampshire has occurred in seven of the 12 presidential cycles since 1972 Presidential candidates who do not drop out of the race following the Iowa Caucuses on...
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12 Bellwether Counties in the Iowa Democratic Caucuses
Just a dozen counties in the Hawkeye State have backed every winner of the party’s caucus since 1980 As results trickle in on Monday evening from Iowa, political observers will be itching to make...
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Bellwether Counties in the Iowa Republican Caucuses
Since 1988, 27 of Iowa’s 99 counties have backed every winner of the Republican statewide caucus vote On Sunday, Smart Politics profiled the 12 counties in Iowa that have backed every winning Democrat...
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Steve King Seeks to Avoid 1st Primary Loss by Iowa US Rep Since 1940s
Iowa U.S. Representatives have successfully defended each of their last 187 renomination bids over the last 66 years Sioux City Republican State Senator Rick Bertrand turned heads earlier this month...
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Will 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 Of the six U.S....
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Iowa US Representatives Extend Primary Winning Streak to 191
With Steve King easily brushing aside a top-tier GOP challenger on Tuesday, it has now been 66 years since the last incumbent from the Hawkeye State lost a renomination bid Iowa’s four U.S....
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Number of Female Lieutenant Governors to Increase After 2016
Midwestern states account for 40 percent of the cumulative female lieutenant gubernatorial service in U.S. history along with the three longest current streaks (Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin) Smart...
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A Strong Performance By Trump Might Not Save Some GOP US Senators
Since 1972, 12 of the 27 Republican U.S. Senators to lose during presidential election cycles did so while the GOP White House nominee carried their state With Donald Trump’s polling numbers still on...
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Upper Midwestern Democrats Could Make Historic US House Gains in 2016
Democrats could pick off five of the 11 Republican-held seats held in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin (46 percent) – the second highest rate for the party in history While it is unlikely that control of...
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