The Waseca County News reports in Waseca County voters shift a little to the left:
WASECA — Is it a trend? The traditionally Republican Waseca County voters appear to be moving slightly toward center.
Throughout the county on election day 2008, the vote between the two major candidates for president was split 52.71 percent for Republican John McCain and 44.50 percent for Democrat Barack Obama.
The presidential vote in 2004 was split 54.95 percent for Republicans George W. Bush and Dick Cheney and 42.07 for Democrats John Kerry and John Edwards. And in 2000, the margin between Republican Bush and Democrat Al Gore was 10 percent, 51.35 percent for Bush and 41.17 percent for Gore.
In the 2008 U.S. Senate race, the split was 42.87 percent for Republican Norm Coleman, 33.08 percent for Democrat Al Franken and 23.18 percent for Independence Party candidate Dean Barkley.
This year Democratic incumbent Tim Walz took 62 percent of the District 1 votes for U.S. Representative over Republican Brian Davis who received 32.81 percent. Four years ago, Republican Gil Gutknecht won re-election with 61.66 percent of the vote but lost to Walz in 2006.
The District 26A representative in the Minnesota House of Representatives will be Democrat Kory Kath, replacing the retiring Republican Rep. Connie Ruth. In Waseca County, Kath took 56.68 percent of the vote over his Republican opponent Tom Kuntz’s 43.21 percent.
Even in the District 24B race, which was held by incumbent Republican Tony Cornish, Democrat John Branstad closed the margin by getting 47.74 percent of the votes to Cornish’s 52.16 percent. Four years earlier, Cornish received 59 percent of the vote.
So does it all add up to a changing of the political landscape in Waseca County?
Interesting question. Read the whole article; the winners are suggesting that discussions of issues are causing area voters to tilt left. In Election reflection, former Congressman Penny observes:
By historic standards, the issues we face today are as large as any in recent memory: a war in Iraq and other challenges in that region of the world; a financial industry meltdown here at home and a deepening recession; a fossil fuelish energy dependency highlighting the urgent need for energy alternatives; a health cost crisis that is squeezing the middle class as well as government budgets; a babyboom generation of retirees (twice as large as the current population of retirees) who will soon overwhelm our federal budget.
These are truly historic times with challenges of historic proportions. Let us trust that our new President, the new Congress – and most importantly – “we the people” are up to the task.
The WCN news articles mentions John Branstad's come-from-nowhere strong close. Branstad's late-blooming challenge--which received little attention from outside the district--brought incumbent Tony Cornish to his narrowest margin of victory ever in terms of votes, closer even than when he captured the open seat vacated by Henry Kalis in 2002. This will be a seat to watch in 2010 if Branstad runs again.
In Is one Minnesota Congresswoman going too far to say Thank You ?, McPherson Hall at Minnesota Central asks why Michele Bachmann is going on another junket.
The Mankato Free Press looks at a slice of Minnesota's history in Dakota trace ancestors' steps; Walk is to commemorate 1862 forced trek.
We hope all our readers drive safely if they must drive on the area's slippery roads. Remember your winter driving skills.
The Strib reports Coleman to deploy lawyers for recount. A headline like that calls for a little ditty from Warren Zevon:
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