Smart Politics recently examined Governor Tim Pawlenty’s approval rating and highlighted its remarkable strength and stability in the face of the current economic crisis. But Pawlenty’s popularity is also noteworthy when viewed in the greater partisan environment of the Gopher State.

A Smart Politics analysis of state and federal officeholders across the 12-state Midwest region finds Minnesota is the most Democratic-friendly, despite failing to elect a Democrat to lead its state in nearly 25 years. No Midwestern state has elected a higher percentage of Democrats to state and federal office than has Minnesota, with two-thirds of such offices currently occupied by DFLers.

The U.S. Census Bureau classifies the country into four different regions, with 12 states comprising the Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Studying the most recent electoral results in these 12 states, Minnesota has the highest percentage of Democrats in its state legislature, is tied for the second highest percentage of Democrats in its delegation to the U.S. House, and has elected the third largest percentage of Democrats in statewide elections, pending the final outcome of the 2008 U.S. Senate race.

Minnesota is the only Midwestern state to rank in the top 10 most Democratic legislatures in the country. With DFLers comprising 66.2 percent of all legislators in the State Senate and House, Minnesota ranks as the most Democratic in the region and 9th most Democratic in the nation. Only two other states in the Midwest, Illinois (#17, 60.5 percent) and Iowa (#22, 58.7 percent), rank among the Top 25 most Democratic legislatures in the country.

Seats Won in Midwestern District Elections: State Legislatures

Rank	State	DEM	GOP	Other	% DEM
1	Minnesota	133	68	0	66.2
2	Illinois	107	70	0	60.5
3	Iowa	88	62	0	58.7
4	Michigan	84	64	0	56.8
5	Wisconsin	70	61	1	53.0
6	Ohio	65	67	0	49.2
7	Indiana	69	81	0	46.0
8	Missouri	85	112	0	43.1
9	North Dakota	57	84	0	40.4
10	South Dakota	38	66	1	36.2
11	Nebraska*	17	32	0	34.7
12	Kansas	57	108	0	34.5

Note: Nebraska has a unicameral, non-partisan legislature. Legislators are identified as Republicans or Democrats for informational purposes only.

In elections to the U.S. House of Representatives, Minnesota is tied with Wisconsin for the 2nd largest percentage of Democrats serving statewide in the region (5 of 8 Representatives, 62.5 percent) – just seven-tenths of a percent behind Illinois (12 of 19, 63.2 percent).

The GOP has not held a majority of the U.S. House delegation in the Gopher State since the 1980 election. In the 2008 elections, Republican U.S. House candidates received their lowest vote percentage statewide since 1934.

Seats Won in Midwestern District Elections: U.S. House

Rank	State	DEM	GOP	% DEM
1	Illinois	12	7	63.2
2	Minnesota	5	3	62.5
2	Wisconsin	5	3	62.5
4	Iowa	3	2	60.0
5	Indiana	5	4	55.6
5	Ohio	10	8	55.6
7	Michigan	8	7	53.3
8	Missouri	4	5	44.4
9	Kansas	1	3	25.0
10	Nebraska	0	3	0.0

Note: At-large U.S. House elections for North and South Dakota compiled in statewide election data below.

Minnesota also ranks near the top of the bluest states in the Midwest for statewide contests (elections for President, U.S. Senator, Governor, and all other Constitutional offices). Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty is the only GOPer to have won statewide elected office in Minnesota since 2006, with DFL candidates winning 5 of 6 contests (83.3 percent): President, U.S. Senate (2006), Attorney General, Auditor, and Secretary of State.

Minnesota trails only Illinois (8 of 8 contests) and Wisconsin (6 of 7) as the most Democratic-tilted states by this measure. However, if DFLer Al Franken prevails in the 2008 U.S. Senate election, Minnesota will tie Wisconsin for the 2nd largest percentage of Democrat candidates elected statewide.

Offices Won in Midwestern Statewide Elections

Rank	State	DEM	GOP	% DEM
1	Illinois	8	0	100.0
2	Wisconsin*	6	1	85.7
3	Minnesota**	5	1	83.3
4	Ohio	6	2	75.0
5	Missouri	6	3	66.7
5	Iowa	6	3	66.7
5	Michigan	4	2	66.7
8	North Dakota*	4	11	26.7
9	Kansas	2	6	25.0
10	Indiana	2	7	22.2
11	South Dakota	2	10	16.7
12	Nebraska	1	7	12.5

Note: Includes winners of the most recent elections for Constitutional officers, U.S. Senate (x 2), and the presidency. For North and South Dakota it also includes at-large U.S. House elections. * North Dakota's and Wisconsin’s Superintendent of Public Instruction are nonpartisan offices. ** Does not include the winner of the 2008 Minneosta U.S. Senate election contest.

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