WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH MINNESOTA?

Powerline Blog ^ | November 6, 2014 | John Hinderaker

[right-wing agnostic]

This map, which originated with National Journal, has been making the rounds on Twitter. It it similar to the one that was popular a few years ago that showed the United States as red or blue, by county. But this map shows the Congressional districts based on the just-completed election:

[SandRat]

if they count them at all

[machogirl]

You have a POINT. AZ would count them, if they were delivered by this Administration (on time).

[x]

German influence is stronger in the Dakotas (and Wisconsin).

Of course, there was the Nonpartisan League in North Dakota and the LaFollette Progressives in Wisconsin, but neither of those movements made such a tight bond with the Democratic Party as the Farmer-Labor movement did in Minnesota.

Indeed, LaFollette sat as a Republican in Congress. His sons broke away but the elder returned to the GOP only to be defeated by Joe McCarthy in the primary.

The Farmer-Labor Party governed Minnesota for eight years in the 1930s, and were in a position of strength when Elmer Benson and Hubert Humphrey merged the FLP and the Democrats. The Nonpartisan League in the Dakotas just didn't have the leadership or staying power once the agricultural markets improved.

Maybe the Scandinavians were a little less assimilated than the Germans and clung to liberal or socialist ideas longer. Also, the Dakotas didn't have large cities that deliver liberals votes after the Great Depression was over.

Besides the Swedes and Norwegians, the miners around Duluth were pretty militant for a long time. The large Finnish population included many Communists (one wonders why).

[sasportas]

Not so simplistic to blame it on the Scandinavians, I see. Thanks, very informative.

[TurboZamboni]

The state bird of Minnesota is the loon.

So is our state governor.

[TurboZamboni]

To be fair, Mondale is a Minnesota native.

Minnesotan’s are very protective and territorial over their local franchises and ‘celebrities’, no matter how idiotic or banal.

It’s like extended retarded family. Blood is thicker than sense.

[Windflier]

“You can see how CA has become more red inland and towards the coasts. This is encouraging for those Freepers who worry their votes are for naught. The tide is in your favor for 2016."

The map of California is misleading. Those huge red areas you see are mostly empty space, devoid of humans, while the slim blue line along the coast is packed with people from wall to wall.

Conservatives and Republicans are making some gains in California (two state assembly seats were won by Rs yesterday), but it's going to be a long uphill battle to take that place back.

[HiJinx]

Military living in the district cast regular ballots. Absentee votes are counted like early mail-in ballots, I think.

[machogirl]

Thanks!

[machogirl]

I don’t think that China would nuke us. They own too much of the USA. They have to ship their people somewhere and the USA is a bread basket. I wouldn’t put it past them to use bio terrorism. Heck, this Administration is doing a great job ensuring no American will have the money to buy food, thus starving to death.

[machogirl]

I don’t think I could EVER try Lutefisk.