Talking Point: Status of Minnesota GOP

"GOP Party - MN"

03/18/2009

Source: SALON
March 2009
Article: Just How Bad Off Is The GOP? (Part 2)


MINNESOTA


PRESIDENTIAL VOTE 2000: Gore 48-46
..................................2008: Obama 54-44

U.S. SENATE 2005: 1R-1D 2009: 2D

U.S. HOUSE 2005: 4R-4 2009: 5D-3

STATE HOUSE 2005: 68R-66
........................2009: 87D-47

STATE SENATE 2005: 38D-29
.........................2009: 46D-21


There have been signs in recent years, like an uptick in evangelicals and the reddening of some suburbs, that the Republican Party might be gaining traction in the home of Hubert Humphrey, Eugene McCarthy and Walter Mondale.

Though Michele Bachmann managed to survive the 2008 election despite herself, last November's "tsunami" was evidence that Minnesota remains one of the bluer of the battleground states.

The GOP lost ground in both houses of the state Legislature, and Norm Coleman lost his U.S. Senate seat, though he has not yet come to terms with that.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty, an evangelical Christian, may be considered a rising star in the national GOP, but he won both of his two terms without ever garnering more than 47 percent of the vote.

Memorable GOP quote:

"Let’s face it; our party is just not as well organized as it used to be at a time when Democrats have leap-frogged ahead of us. Part of the reason for our organizational problems is activist apathy." -- Tony Sutton, candidate for state GOP chairman