Free Republic

Remember how the Washington Post complained when the purple California turned solidly blue? Oh, you don't remember that? Well, that is because it never happened. However, when a formerly purple state turns red, as is the case with Iowa, the Washington Post can be counted to go into full whine mode over it as happened on Monday in a story by Annie Gowen "Iowa’s sharp right turn: From centrist state to ‘Florida of the North'."

“Don’t California my Texas” has been a popular phrase amongst Texans for some time now. For years, we here in the Lone Star State have watched people from New York and California flee to our greener pastures and while we love the fact that we have such an inviting atmosphere that businesses and people want to come to, we worried that people would forget the reason they came here in the first place.Texas has no state tax and a lower cost of living. A three-bedroom home in a nice neighborhood in the suburbs outside of Dallas costs many times less...

What a way to pay homage to their sports heroes. Rioters in Atlanta took their frustrations out on the College Football Hall Of Fame, smashing out the windows, vandalizing the place, and looting priceless memorabilia. Because somehow it’s racist symbol of white supremacy. Somehow.

Looking to capitalize on a suddenly close Minnesota race and reassure voters anxious about economic jitters, Republican presidential hopeful John McCain told a massive crowd Friday that his administration wouldn't be afraid to ruffle feathers in Washington or on Wall Street. McCain and running mate Sarah Palin spoke from the head of a jam-packed airport hangar in Anoka County, a critical area of a surprisingly competitive state. Their ticket is about even with that of Democrat Barack Obama and Joe Biden in a state with an unrivaled string of backing Democrats for president. "A vote for Senator Obama will guarantee...

Without a doubt, all politically alert Americans are aware of the Red State, Blue State color scheme that's used to describe the voting patterns of various constituancies in the U.S. In it, Red states are conservative Republican, Blue States are liberal Democrat. There are some marginal states, which have become known as Purple States. But, on Free Republic, I've noticed some Freepers complain about the colors that are applied. I personally never felt strongly about it, but others seem to, and they have a point. The term became fixed into our conciousness on election night in 2000. The networks chose...

Has Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine's chances of landing the coveted spot as Obama's Veep risen? According to stories at both The Politico and the Washington Post Kaine has risen to the level of serious contender, along with Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh and Delaware Sen. Joe Biden. The WaPo story has close Kaine associates acknowledging that Kaine has told them that he has had "very serious" conversations with Obama about joining the ticket.

The Sen. Barack Obama campaign held a conference call this morning on one of the key battleground states in this race: Pennsylvania. Team O, led by Gov. Ed Rendell, stressed the importance of registering and winning over the one-million-plus, un-registered voters spread out over the Keystone State.

It's complicated. Pennsylvania is a "purple" state that must go Democrat blue instead of Republican red for Barack Obama to win the November election. John McCain does not need Pennsylvania to win the White House, but Obama sure does.

The number of political luminaries already flying into Iowa these days offers a clue into the sizzling race in Iowa's 1st congressional District. ...this appears to be one of the most competitive races in the country, with no clear front runner in sight for the seat left vacant by Republican Rep Jim Nussle who is running for Governor. ...neither of the two candidates for the congressional seat, Democrat Bruce Braley and Republican Mike Whalen has an obvious advantage... BRALEY IS A TRIAL LAWYER FROM WATERLOO AND PAST PRESIDENT OF THE IOWA TRIAL LAWYERS ASSN. WHALEN IS A RESTAURANT ENTREPRENEUR FROM...

With all the talk about the former red state, Republican state, California, becoming a blue state -- which is not quite as true as some think -- there is someone talking about it becoming a purple state. That is California Republican Party chairman Duf Sundheim, who talked about his hopes for California during last week’s bus tour kicking off Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s re-election campaign against Democratic challenger Phil Angelides. The Silicon Valley lawyer came on a few years ago to put a moderate face on the party, whose apparatus was traditionally viewed as right wing and increasingly out of step...

NEW YORK IN A BUSH STATE OF MIND: THE CITY IS A LITTLE MORE RED THAN YOU THINK  New York turned a shade of red in last week's election New Yorkers are depressed right now. You've read in the newspapers how they are upset about President Bush's re-election. I've seen the looks on people's faces as they trudge around the City with a collective frown. Wednesday morning was a surreal one for John Kerry's voters. Upper West Side liberals spat out their coffee when they saw the New York Times banner headline announcing Bush's big night - it wasn't...

The top official of President Bush's re-election bid on Tuesday termed Wisconsin a "classic example" of a so-called blue state that voted Democratic in 2000 "becoming purple and becoming redder." "I feel great about Wisconsin," campaign manager Ken Mehlman told reporters on a day when both Bush and Sen. John Kerry wooed voters in Wisconsin. "We have a fantastic organization, and we're doing well. We're ahead, and if the election were today, we would win in Wisconsin." Mehlman highlighted recent public polls in the state showing Bush up by 6 or 7 percentage points but described an ambitious travel schedule...