Free Republic

What's the fiercest rivalry in American politics today? There's Obama-Romney, of course, but try O'Malley-McDonnell—neighboring governors battling across the Potomac River over how best to resuscitate a moribund economy. Martin O'Malley, Maryland's liberal Democratic governor, is competing for jobs, businesses and tax dollars with Bob McDonnell, Virginia's conservative Republican chief executive. Both are rising stars considered potential presidential hopefuls in 2016. Both are Irish Catholics—Mr. McDonnell playfully calls Mr. O'Malley "the big Irishman to our north"—and each leads his party's association of governors. The two regularly spar on the Sunday talk shows, on the pages of Washington-area newspapers, and over...

Pipe manufacturer TMK IPSCO will move its corporate headquarters from Illinois to Houston to increase its exposure to the oil and natural gas market, the company has announced. Currently based in Downers Grove, Ill., TMK IPSCO said it will move most of its headquarters offices to the company’s new research and development center on Houston’s northwest side. The company expects to complete the Houston move by the summer of 2013 and build a new headquarters in the city within the next two years. “Houston is the hub of the global oil and gas industry. It’s important for the company to...

In 2010, influenced by the Tea Party and its focus on fiscal issues, 17 states elected Republican governors. And, according to an Examiner.com analysis, every one of those states saw a drop in their unemployment rates since January of 2011. Furthermore, the average drop in the unemployment rate in these states was 1.35%, compared to the national decline of .9%, which means, according to the analysis, that the job market in these Republican states is improving 50% faster than the national rate.

By The states that voted to put Barack Obama in office are suffering for supporting him. A recently releast Investor’s Business Daily report provides some telling data derived from comparing economic conditions in the so-called Blue States (those who voted for Obama) with those in the Red States that voted for John McCain. Income growth in Blue States trails per capita income growth in Red States by about .07%. Job growth which has been slow nationwide has Blue States lagging by .08%. Home prices in Red States actually climbed slightly by .03% but Blue State home prices dropped about 3.8%....

...Take a map of the United States and three crayons. Color the states Mitt Romney has won so far in red. Color the states Rick Santorum has won in blue. Color the states Newt Gingrich has won in green. Then look at the results. ....Romney's states replicate almost exactly the states Barack Obama won four years ago. Almost all of Santorum's states line up with the states John McCain took. Gingrich's two states also went for McCain. That leads us to these twin conclusions: Romney is weak where the Republicans are strong and strong where the Republicans are weak. Santorum...

GREENVILLE, S.C. – In the geographic heart of the Republican Party, the contest for the allegiance of Southern conservatives in the 2012 race is as wide open as ever. Of all the prizes still up for grabs in the GOP presidential primary, few are as desirable as the support of the South. Republican presidential nominations have traditionally been forged here – in South Carolina, especially – and any successful challenger to Mitt Romney would likely have to dominate among heavily conservative, evangelical Southern voters. Yet the only candidate this cycle who seemed to have a shot at locking down the...

How well run are America’s 50 states? The answer depends a lot on where you live. For the second year, 24/7 Wall St. has reviewed data on financial health, standard of living and government services by state to determine how well each state is managed. Based on this data, 24/7 Wall St. ranked the 50 states from the best to worst run. The best-run state is Wyoming. The worst-run state is California. Comparing the 50 states can be a challenge because they are so different. Some states have abundant natural resources while others rely on service or innovation. State populations...

Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell is holding little back as he compares his state’s model for success to Washington’s big government corporate socialism and big labor cronyism. In a recent letter, Gov. McDonnell writes, “we are unapologetic supporters of Virginia’s Right To Work laws.” But, McDonnell doesn’t stop there. He pulls no punches when he compares Richmond to Washington, DC and boasts about Virginia’s success. From Gov. McDonnell’s letter: There’s much more separating Richmond and Washington than just 100 miles of interstate. It’s a Tale of Two Cities.

America is an increasingly conservative nation, by ideology and by political affiliation, according to polling results from the Gallup Organization. While conservatives have long outnumbered liberals and moderates across the U.S., the study sheds new light on state-by-state patterns. The map below shows the pattern for the 50 states. Mississippi is the first state with more than 50% conservative identification, with Idaho, Alabama, Wyoming, and Utah approaching that level, and Arkansas, South Carolina, North Dakota, Louisiana, and South Dakota (the rest of the top ten conservative states) 45% or higher. Conservatives outnumber liberals in even the most liberal-leaning states (excluding...

From the states that he won in 2008, Democratic operatives believe that President Obama will have the most difficulty carrying Indiana again when he runs for reelection, according to a special National Journal Political Insiders Poll released on Tuesday. Choosing from a list of 10 swing states that he won in 2008, Democratic Political Insiders were asked to rank the top five states one-thru-five that would be the hardest for Obama to carry in 2012. Indiana was the clear consensus pick of the Democratic Insiders for where the president’s reelection campaign is likely to encounter the most difficulty—nearly two thirds...

Sarah Palin's big problems among the GOP faithful are on clear display in a new poll that shows large numbers of Republicans aren’t sure about her and the tea party darling trails President Barack Obama in a head-to-head matchup in Tennessee — even with the president's job approval numbers running low in the state. The poll in the solidly red state where she and McCain crushed Obama by 15 points two years ago is a warning bell that Palin, despite her following and appeal to conservatives, remains fairly radioactive to some Republican voters, who are far from convinced she can...

Yes, more and more of the American population now lives in red states, and that will benefit the GOP in Congress and Presidential elections. But while the map is getting redder, the red states themselves may are getting bluer, especially Texas, which was the huge winner with a net pickup of 4 seats. This chart is from the state of Texas. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see where the population growth has come from, and where it's going (hint: the growth is not coming from the GOP Anglo base). Note that if we're just talking white population, Texas...

National politicians have been served notice that the American people have finally awakened. Dissatisfaction with government is palpable. It showed in the election, in polls, and in voting patterns. Ron Fourier summarized recent polling: More than 70 percent of Americans believe the country is on the wrong track.Almost as many believe the nation faces a "leadership crisis."Three quarters of voters disapprove of Congress, a near record low.Nearly 6 out of every 10 voters are more willing to take a chance this year on a candidate with little political experience.More than a quarter of voters are willing to back a candidate...

While the Republican gains in the House and Senate are grabbing the most headlines, the most significant results on Tuesday came in state legislatures where Republicans wiped the floor with Democrats. Republicans picked up 680 seats in state legislatures, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures -- the most in the modern era. To put that number in perspective: In the 1994 GOP wave, Republicans picked up 472 seats. The previous record was in the post-Watergate election of 1974, when Democrats picked up 628 seats. The GOP gained majorities in at least 14 state house chambers. They now have...

While the Republican gains in the House and Senate are grabbing the most headlines, the most significant results on Tuesday came in state legislatures where Republicans wiped the floor with Democrats. Republicans picked up 680 seats in state legislatures, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures -- the most in the modern era. To put that number in perspective: In the 1994 GOP wave, Republicans picked up 472 seats. The previous record was in the post-Watergate election of 1974, when Democrats picked up 628 seats. The GOP gained majorities in at least 14 state house chambers. They now have...

GULFPORT — First it was Congress and next it will be the state Legislature, Brad White, chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party, said Wednesday after Tuesday’s GOP sweep in midterm U.S. House races. “We’ve been working hard on candidate recruitment for state legislative races next year,” White said. “Politics is a team sport, and what team you’re on matters. That’s my intention — to take over the Legislature.” Though Mississippi, like most of the Deep South, has become firmly a “red state” in presidential elections and Republicans now hold a majority of statewide and congressional offices, its Democratic roots still...

So much of the national media's attention is focused Wednesday, shockingly, on Washington, where they live and work and where Republicans captured a half-dozen new Senate seats and five dozen new House seats. But out where most regular Americans live and work, voters also made historic changes -- to the long-lasting benefit of Republicans. This is especially important in years ending in '00 because these newly elected governors and state legislators will (with the exception of California) be the ones redrawing legislative and congressional district lines that will stand for the next decade until the 2020 census. And occupying the...

Republicans are on their way to controlling nearly 300 seats in New Hampshire's House of Representatives, according to preliminary vote counts. The latest tally shows 296 seats firmly in Republican hands, with three seats yet to be decided. GOP sources say two of those will likely go their way and leave Democrats with 102 seats. In the Senate, the final split is 19-5, according to figures at the Secretary of State's office. That represents a pickup of nine seats for the Republicans, who were the minority in a 14-10 Senate for the past four years. [SNIP] Secretary of State William...

Local TV station calling it for Paul Lepage

Georgia Republicans on Tuesday finished the job they started in 2002: consolidating control of state government by sweeping every major statewide office. For the first time since Reconstruction the state is poised to have no statewide-elected Democrats. The huge night for state Republicans follows a GOP wave that swept across the country and tilted the U.S. House of Representatives into GOP control and left Democrats with a narrow margin in the U.S. Senate. With most of the votes in Georgia counted Tuesday night, the Republicans held leads in races for U.S. senator, governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, insurance commissioner, secretary...