Minnesota has plenty of liberal nuts scattered in various parts of the state, but has a better track record than Oregon when it comes to actually electing some decent Governors and U.S. Senators in the last dozen years or so. (I can't think of the last time Oregon had a decent one). I think Reagan would have won Minnesota if he had campaigned there in 1984, but choose not to, out of respect for not embarrassing Mondale. We haven't won either of them in any recent Presidential election, but we've come far closer to taking Minnesota on several occasions. In Oregon, Obama beat McCain by over 16 points in 2008. In Minnesota, Obama still won comfortably but the margin of victory was in single digits.
It really depends on what kind of numbers are happening nationally, but I expect Obama will run at least 3-4% better in Oregon than he's doing in Minnesota. We'll see.
President Reagan did campaign in MN the day before the election . . . .
OR wouldn’t be Romney’s 47th state; it would be like the 36th or 37th.
Decent governors??
When?
Ventura? Ummmmm no.
Dayton? Ummmmm no.
Tpaw.. well.. I’ll give you that one. However, he was not all that great.
I regret that Reagan didn’t go all out in MN!!! We’d have to wait till 2002 for that SOB Mondale to have the honor of being the first and only man to lose an election in all 50 states!!!! And we may never see a 50 state sweep now as long as Vermont remains in the union.
As for which state goes first. I agree MN, it is trending Republican and has been slightly more Republican, barley in 2004 but McCain did a few points better in 2008. Oregon was slightly ahead back in 2000.
Maybe because McCain only got 40% in Oregon but it has not been talked about at all while Minnesota has, (as has NJ which I’d rank behind both). All 3 are about in the same tier.
Rats have a knack for theft in Oregon, and recently in MN as well as the duly elected Governor and duly reelected Senator can tell you.