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Governorships


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Walker's Odds: How Often Do Wisconsin Gubernatorial Incumbents Win Reelection?

By Eric Ostermeier on May 18, 2012
Governors in the Badger State have kept their job in 34 of 46 contests since statehood, or 74 percent of the time.

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Barrett vs. Walker II: A History of Wisconsin Gubernatorial Rematch Elections

By Eric Ostermeier on May 10, 2012
Losing gubernatorial candidates have come back for rematches against victorious Republicans and beat them two times out of the six rematches in Wisconsin history.

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Angus King Embarks On Well-Trodden Pathway to Maine US Senate Seat

By Eric Ostermeier on March 6, 2012
Nine sitting or former governors have been elected U.S. Senator in the Pine Tree State including four during the popular vote era.

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Could Heath Shuler or Brad Miller Buck History in North Carolina's Gubernatorial Race?

By Eric Ostermeier on January 30, 2012
Only four sitting North Carolina U.S. Representatives or U.S. Senators have won a gubernatorial election in state history, and only one in the last 100 years.

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Scott Walker Faces 3rd Shortest Wisconsin Gubernatorial Tenure if Recalled

By Eric Ostermeier on January 13, 2012
Only an acting governor and a governor who died on a Civil War relief expedition will have served fewer days in office than Walker.

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The Top Five Smart Politics Reports of 2011

By Eric Ostermeier on December 30, 2011
A look back at some of the most illuminating and controversial of the 200+ Smart Politics reports published this year.

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Democrats Tally Worst Showing in Mississippi Gubernatorial Race Since Reconstruction

By Eric Ostermeier on November 9, 2011
For the second consecutive election cycle, the Democratic vote in Mississippi's gubernatorial race declines to a new post-Reconstruction low.

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Williams Records 4th Worst GOP Gubernatorial Tally in Kentucky in 140 Years

By Eric Ostermeier on November 9, 2011
David Williams now holds two of the 10 worst showings by a Republican gubernatorial, U.S. Senate, or presidential nominee in Kentucky since 1871.

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Kentucky GOP Poised for 2nd Worst Gubernatorial Showing Since 1870

By Eric Ostermeier on October 27, 2011
Only once in the last 140 years have Kentucky Republicans failed to win at least one-third of the gubernatorial vote.

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Do Governors Make the "Most Successful Presidents?"

By Eric Ostermeier on June 30, 2011
The top rated presidents in U.S. history are split 50/50 between those who had gubernatorial experience and those that did not.

Could Tommy Thompson Win Wisconsin's U.S. Senate Seat?

By Eric Ostermeier on May 18, 2011
No ex- (non-sitting) Wisconsin governor has ever been elected to a 1st term in the U.S. Senate

Pence Seeks First Governorship by Sitting Indiana Congressman Since 1888

By Eric Ostermeier on May 9, 2011
A sitting U.S. Representative from Indiana has not won a gubernatorial election in 123 years

Tim Kaine in 2012 and Virginia's (Sometimes Sticky) New Revolving Door from Richmond to D.C.

By Eric Ostermeier on March 15, 2011
Kaine campaign would mean seven of the last 10 Virginia ex-governors launched U.S. Senate bids, including each of the last five

What's in a Photo? A Political Analysis of Gubernatorial Portraits

By Eric Ostermeier on March 10, 2011
Republican governors are eight times more likely to wear flag pins on their lapels than Democrats, and three times more likely to wear red ties over blue

Most Popular Google Autocomplete Search Results for the Nation's 50 Governors

By Eric Ostermeier on March 7, 2011
While most top gubernatorial Google autocomplete search results are mundane, "Nazi," "racist," "birth certificate," and "death panel" define some governors

Scott Walker Dominates 2011 Media Coverage of Gubernatorial Politics

By Eric Ostermeier on March 4, 2011
Wisconsin governor has been mentioned in 26 percent of cable TV gubernatorial news stories in 2011 - more than 42 other governors combined

Former Pawlenty Chief of Staff Bob Schroeder to speak at Humphrey School

By Eric Ostermeier on February 7, 2011
Event focuses on keys to successful governorships and what lies ahead for Mark Dayton's administration

Minnesota: More Governors than Vikings Head Coaches Since 1961

By Eric Ostermeier on January 12, 2011
Vikings rank fourth for the longest average coaching tenure in the NFL over the past 50 years; gubernatorial turnover in Gopher State is 25 percent higher than Vikings head coaches

Republican Dominance over Upper Midwestern Governorships through the Years

By Eric Ostermeier on November 30, 2010
Republicans have controlled the governor's mansions of IA, MN, ND, SD, and WI for over 72 percent of the time since 1846

Minnesota to Have Only Democratic Upper Midwestern Governor for First Time Since 1954

By Eric Ostermeier on November 24, 2010
Dayton one of four Minnesotan 'lone Democratic wolves' to govern in the five-state region since the Dakotas achieved statehood in 1889

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Political Crumbs

Governor vs. Governor vs. Governor

May 16, 2012

The last election cycle saw five ex-governors attempt to win back their old jobs, with success stories in California (Jerry Brown), Iowa (Terry Branstad), and Oregon (John Kitzhaber). But in 1904, the State of Wisconsin saw three governors on the general election ballot: two-term Republican incumbent Robert La Follette, former two-term Democratic Governor William Peck (elected in 1890 and 1892), and former two-term Republican Governor Edward Scofield (elected in 1896 and 1898). La Follette - with Teddy Roosevelt at the top of the ticket winning the presidency - cruised to an 11.3-point victory over Peck with 50.5 percent of the vote. Scofield ran a distant fourth on the National Republican ticket with just 2.7 percent - also losing to Social Democrat William Arnold who received 5.5 percent, but beating Prohibition and Socialist Labor candidates.


A Vote for No One

May 9, 2012

More than 50,000 North Carolina residents who voted in the Tuesday's Republican presidential primary opted for 'no preference' on their ballot, or 5.2 percent. That marks the second highest percentage of those who have done so in the 40 years of the modern primary era, behind the 9.8 percent who indicated no preference during George H.W. Bush's rout over Pat Buchanan in the state twenty years ago in 1992. In 2008, 4.0 percent were likewise noncommittal, with 1.7 percent voting no preference in 2000, 3.8 percent in 1996, 1.0 percent in 1988, 2.7 percent in 1980, and 1.7 percent in 1976.


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