Race and ethnicity

African Americans Notch Record Number of U.S. House Seats in 2010 Election

By Eric Ostermeier on January 18, 2011

However, decade-by-decade rate of growth of number of blacks in the U.S. House has stalled to its lowest level since the 1920s

African Americans Still Dreaming of Equal Representation in Congress

By Eric Ostermeier on January 17, 2011

Black Americans have been elected to the U.S. House in less than half the states throughout history and to the U.S. Senate in just three

Numerology Alert: Will 1/11/11 Be a Notable Day in U.S. History?

By Eric Ostermeier on January 11, 2011

Over the last century, U.S. history has only provided a few examples of notable events taking place on eyebrow-raising dates on the calendar.

Race, Not Party, Defines Charlie Rangel Censure Vote

By Eric Ostermeier on December 3, 2010

Just 25 percent of racial minorities in the U.S. House (and only 1 black) voted for Rangel censure, compared to 92 percent of whites and 87 percent of white Democrats

Pathway to the Governor's Mansion in Minnesota, Part III: Ethnic Heritage

By Eric Ostermeier on October 23, 2009

Or, the end of Scandinavian dominance

Republican Senators Ignore 'Hispanic Effect' in Sotomayor Confirmation Vote

By Eric Ostermeier on August 6, 2009

In the months after President Barack Obama's selection of Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court, political analysts and even a few Republicans (e.g. Joe Scarborough) have characterized GOP opposition to and harsh questioning of the new Associate Justice as politically unwise. Such Republican Senators were cautioned and urged to...

Minnesota Legislature Ranks Near Bottom in Proportional Representation of African-Americans

By Eric Ostermeier on March 11, 2009

Although Minnesota has the 4th highest percentage of women serving in state legislatures nationwide, the Gopher State only ranks 40th in the country in terms of proportional representation of African-Americans in St. Paul. Out of the 201 legislators in the State House and Senate, only 2 members are black -...

Eric Holder Fallout: How Do Minnesotans Feel About Race Relations in America?

By Eric Ostermeier on February 20, 2009

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder’s provocative commentary and characterization about the state of race relations in America on Wednesday night before his Department of Justice employees has drawn both great fire and praise from across the political spectrum. Holder’s comments, however – a mixture of prose that challenged America to...

Stance of Ellison and McCollum On Israeli-Gaza Resolution Shines a Light on Liberal Voting Records

By Eric Ostermeier on January 18, 2009

The "present" votes registered by Keith Ellison and Betty McCollum a week ago Friday on the U.S. House resolution to recognize "Israel's right to defend itself against attacks from Gaza, reaffirming the United States' strong support for Israel, and supporting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, stirred up a bit of controversy...

How to Save Minnesota's U.S. House Seat: More Teenage Mothers?

By Eric Ostermeier on January 9, 2009

Last month Smart Politics examined the political impact on the state of Minnesota should it lose one U.S. House seat as projected by many analysts, including a recent report issued by Election Data Services. Earlier this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new data detailing the teenage...

Commentary: Race and the 2008 Presidential Election

By Eric Ostermeier on September 23, 2008

‘Entitlement politics’ appears to be the theme of the 2008 presidential campaign on the Democratic side of the ballot. It began when Hillary Clinton got pegged with the label, running for President out of the gate with a swagger that made her seem like she was the ‘inevitable’ Democratic...

The Race Issue In Wisconsin

By Eric Ostermeier on June 17, 2008

The University of Wisconsin's latest Badger Poll (conducted June 8-10 of 506 likely voters) provides an illuminating snapshot about its residents' views on race in America—or at least what they are willing to tell a pollster in a telephone interview. The poll revealed, firstly, that the Badger State is currently...

Beware the Race Card (It Should Already Have Been Played)

By Eric Ostermeier on April 30, 2008

As Barack Obama continues to labor under the cloud of controversy stirred up by his longtime friend, pastor, and ostensibly mentor Jeremiah Wright, the consequence of Wright's recent high profile speaking engagements will no doubt result in an abandonment of some voters, many of whom will be white, from Obama's...