[decimalsanddollars]

there is no way Oberstar's district is going Republican in the next 20 years at least. It's been Democrat since the 50's, voted for Gore by a fairly wide margin, and has voted for Democrats in virtually every other race as well, it was where Humphrey had the best showing in his 3 way governor's race in 1998, since most of the people are party loyalists rather than the liberals who were drawn in by Jesse's socially liberal views. It also has Duluth, which is a pretty liberal city, and no way to neutralize that. Oberstar's hardly a blue dog anyway, he may be pro-life and pro-gun, but otherwise he's your typical socialist, leftist extremist democrat.

Peterson's is a toss up. The people there are like the Dakotas, they're pretty nonpartisan. Yet somehow it takes a Dem as conservative as Peterson to win there but the Dakotas elect full blown socialists. I've never been able to figure that out. But I don't think he'll be leaving for awhile anyway.

And Moore is anything but a Blue Dog, he's definately a liberal, he only has a 20 from the ACU. He even supports partial birth abortion. How he survives there is a mystery.

[JohnnyZ]

there is no way Oberstar's district is going Republican in the next 20 years at least.

I dunno 'bout that. The Iron Range is shifting more Republican because of social issues, unions be damned. And the southern part of the district is becoming suburbanized.

It'll certainly be doable if Republicans control the next round of redistricting. Maybe the DFL will experience a rebirth, but my guess is things are gonna get a bit worse for them before they get better.

[Truthsayer20]

"...but the Dakotas elect full blown socialists. I've never been able to figure that out."

It has a lot to do with federal welfare farming.