# Politics & Elections **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/politics-elections/22.md?page=261 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 262 --- ## [Illinois Governor's Race](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-governors-race/694896)
**Author:** [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Replies:** 27\ **Last updated:** [October 19, 2014, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-governors-race/694896 "2014-10-19T04:17:23Z")
Democratic incumbent Pat Quinn faces Republican challenger Bruce Rauner. Thus far, every poll taken this years shows Rauner winning. The latest shows Rauner up by 14 percentage points. At first glance a Republican vic… --- ## [Election predictions here](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-predictions-here/700616)
**Author:** [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Replies:** 43\ **Last updated:** [October 17, 2014, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-predictions-here/700616 "2014-10-17T19:49:44Z")
You all know I love predictions and my accuracy is always worth remarking on, which I guess makes it remarkable. So I’ll show you mine if you show me yours. For bonus points, predict an upset somewhere where a candidate … --- ## [Will there ever be a 45-state landslide victory again?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-there-ever-be-a-45-state-landslide-victory-again/700881)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 26\ **Last updated:** [October 10, 2014, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-there-ever-be-a-45-state-landslide-victory-again/700881 "2014-10-10T20:15:10Z")
It seems that 49-state or 500-electoral vote landslide victories are gone for good, a relic of the 1900s. The past six presidential elections haven’t exactly been blowouts and we’re a deeply divided electorate. The losi… --- ## [Were US politics less hostile a few decades ago?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-us-politics-less-hostile-a-few-decades-ago/699902)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 72\ **Last updated:** [October 8, 2014, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-us-politics-less-hostile-a-few-decades-ago/699902 "2014-10-08T22:09:44Z")
People claim that US politics is becoming more hostile now than ever, but is that really true? 1980-1990 is the selected decade for comparison with 2004-2014. --- ## [2014 Ohio voter deadlines and registration](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-ohio-voter-deadlines-and-registration/700534)
**Author:** [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [October 8, 2014, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-ohio-voter-deadlines-and-registration/700534 "2014-10-08T00:08:02Z")
Today, Monday, October 6, 2014 is the deadline to register to vote in Ohio. If you haven’t registered before this, you must get your paperwork in today. http://www.sos.state.oh.us/sos/elections/Voters/register.aspx You… --- ## [2014 Connecticut Governor's race](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-connecticut-governors-race/696642)
**Author:** [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [October 6, 2014, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-connecticut-governors-race/696642 "2014-10-06T20:32:23Z")
A few weeks ago, Daily KOS had a story about a press conference that GOP candidate Tom Foley had called at a recently-closed paper plant and how it quickly turned into a PR debacle for the candidate. I found the accompa… --- ## [Why doesn't a junior member of the majority party lead a coup for SotH?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-a-junior-member-of-the-majority-party-lead-a-coup-for-soth/694884)
**Author:** [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [October 5, 2014, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-a-junior-member-of-the-majority-party-lead-a-coup-for-soth/694884 "2014-10-05T07:31:14Z")
Normally the vote is among party lines and between a majority candidate and a minority candidate (and assorted 1 vote each people). So why wouldn’t someone else in the majority party make a deal with the minority party … --- ## [State/Local Referendums this Cycle - Anything Interesting?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-local-referendums-this-cycle-anything-interesting/700094)
**Author:** [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [October 3, 2014, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-local-referendums-this-cycle-anything-interesting/700094 "2014-10-03T22:31:47Z")
Any interesting local referendums or the like this cycle? Illinois has two proposed constitutional amendments. One is a spiel about not denying anyone the right to register to vote or cast a ballot based on gender, race… --- ## [What's going on in the Kansas Senate election?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-going-on-in-the-kansas-senate-election/698237)
**Author:** [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Replies:** 72\ **Last updated:** [October 3, 2014, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-going-on-in-the-kansas-senate-election/698237 "2014-10-03T02:09:56Z")
There is a thread on it GQ, but it’s not intended to be an elections thread. It led me to this post by Nate Silver at 538: Upheaval In The Kansas Senate Race Is Making Our Chart Kinky So the Republican is leading, the… --- ## [Americans for Shared Prosperity understands women voters](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-for-shared-prosperity-understands-women-voters/699270)
**Author:** [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Replies:** 240\ **Last updated:** [October 3, 2014, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-for-shared-prosperity-understands-women-voters/699270 "2014-10-03T01:49:15Z")
Their new ad proves it! AFSP | Dating Profile - YouTube :rolleyes: --- ## [Americans residing abroad: Have you ordered your absentee ballot for the fall 2014 elections yet?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-residing-abroad-have-you-ordered-your-absentee-ballot-for-the-fall-2014-elections-yet/700118)
**Author:** [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [October 1, 2014, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-residing-abroad-have-you-ordered-your-absentee-ballot-for-the-fall-2014-elections-yet/700118 "2014-10-01T19:24:50Z")
I ordered my absentee ballot. Have you? For those of us Americans residing abroad you still have the right to vote in federal elections using your last valid US address. Many states also permit you to vote for state a… --- ## [SDMB Retrospective US Presidential Elections 1872](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-retrospective-us-presidential-elections-1872/697673)
**Author:** [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [October 1, 2014, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-retrospective-us-presidential-elections-1872/697673 "2014-10-01T19:18:00Z")
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United\_States\_presidential\_election,\_1872 Again voting for the President who committed himself to protecting the civil rights of all Americans. --- ## [Koch/AFP Caught Red-Handed in NC?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/koch-afp-caught-red-handed-in-nc/699826)
**Author:** [@Lemmytheseal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemmytheseal2)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [September 30, 2014, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/koch-afp-caught-red-handed-in-nc/699826 "2014-09-30T16:53:29Z")
So, since there wasn’t already a thread about this, and since I can’t tweet it at the moment because I have software that prevents me from spending too long on certain sites, I figured I should put this page full of news… --- ## [If you could be the founder of your own political party...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-be-the-founder-of-your-own-political-party/695957)
**Author:** [@ILikeForeignLanguages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ILikeForeignLanguages)\ **Replies:** 81\ **Last updated:** [September 29, 2014, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-be-the-founder-of-your-own-political-party/695957 "2014-09-29T08:20:28Z")
What would it be called and what would be the central beliefs of the party? I would name mine, “The National Capitalist Party” after the two main things I believe in politically - national pride and capitalism. Here ar… --- ## [The Dems held the House for 40 years, how did that happen? \[closed duplicate\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dems-held-the-house-for-40-years-how-did-that-happen-closed-duplicate/699787)
**Author:** [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [September 28, 2014, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dems-held-the-house-for-40-years-how-did-that-happen-closed-duplicate/699787 "2014-09-28T16:52:06Z")
The Democrats had an uninterrupted hold on the House from 1954ish until 1994. The next longest is about 8 years. What caused this anomaly? --- ## [Do other Illinois pols have the same corruption/conviction rate as Illinois governors?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-illinois-pols-have-the-same-corruption-conviction-rate-as-illinois-governors/699752)
**Author:** [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [September 28, 2014, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-illinois-pols-have-the-same-corruption-conviction-rate-as-illinois-governors/699752 "2014-09-28T03:05:16Z")
Just curious - do other Illinois politicians have as bad a reputation/track record as the governors do? If not, what is it about the Governor’s mansion that attracts so many convicts-in-waiting? --- ## [Yard Signs for Candidates](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yard-signs-for-candidates/699019)
**Author:** [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Replies:** 22\ **Last updated:** [September 26, 2014, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yard-signs-for-candidates/699019 "2014-09-26T01:23:11Z")
Some neighbors of mine have a yard sign supporting one candidate, while the people living directly across the street from them have a similar sign telling passers-by to vote for her opponent. All very normal, except for… --- ## [Screw the midterms: The 2016 primaries have begun](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-the-midterms-the-2016-primaries-have-begun/699048)
**Author:** [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [September 24, 2014, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-the-midterms-the-2016-primaries-have-begun/699048 "2014-09-24T16:31:00Z")
At least here in South Carolina they have. Here in lovely Charleston, South Carolina on my daily commute these last few weeks I’m seeing anti-Christie ads. They ask why he’s appointed LIBERAL (their caps) judges to the… --- ## [Bill Maher's "Flip a District": John Kline of Minnesota's 2nd District](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-mahers-flip-a-district-john-kline-of-minnesotas-2nd-district/699253)
**Author:** [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Replies:** 33\ **Last updated:** [September 24, 2014, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-mahers-flip-a-district-john-kline-of-minnesotas-2nd-district/699253 "2014-09-24T15:38:22Z")
Those of you who watch Real Time with Bill Maher know that John Kline of Minnesota’s 2nd District is the winner of Maher’s “Flip a District” campaign. Maher and his viewers chose Kline largely because of the issue of st… --- ## [Victory at Any Cost to the Country](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/victory-at-any-cost-to-the-country/696753)
**Author:** [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Replies:** 52\ **Last updated:** [September 22, 2014, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/victory-at-any-cost-to-the-country/696753 "2014-09-22T08:04:42Z")
Cite. I look forward to the universal condemnation of liberals on the SDMB for this open statement by Reid that he valued political advantage over the business of the country. Obviously Reid is saying that he is willi… --- ## [2014 New Zealand General Election](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-new-zealand-general-election/695795)
**Author:** [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Replies:** 43\ **Last updated:** [September 21, 2014, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-new-zealand-general-election/695795 "2014-09-21T21:53:29Z")
Well three years are almost up so it’s time again for a New Zealand General Election. Here’s our thread from last time. The campaign officially starts this Wednesday and the election will be held on 20 September. As alw… --- ## [For the minority party, what's the alternative to "obstructionism?"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-minority-party-whats-the-alternative-to-obstructionism/697971)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 60\ **Last updated:** [September 19, 2014, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-minority-party-whats-the-alternative-to-obstructionism/697971 "2014-09-19T20:33:49Z")
I hear lots of liberal complaints about conservative “obstructionism,” and understandably so. So here’s my question for the liberals: If your side controlled one or both houses of Congress, but the Republicans held the … --- ## [New Christie scandal](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-christie-scandal/689033)
**Author:** [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Replies:** 37\ **Last updated:** [July 4, 2014, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-christie-scandal/689033 "2014-07-04T17:50:07Z")
New Chris Christie Scandal: NJ Gov Gave Pension Fund Billions to Wall Streeters Who Bankrolled His Campaigns Christie’s staff declined to comment. Full disclosure: AlterNet does not lean right. :wink: --- ## [Presidents with historic birth timing](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidents-with-historic-birth-timing/687131)
**Author:** [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Replies:** 37\ **Last updated:** [September 19, 2014, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidents-with-historic-birth-timing/687131 "2014-09-19T00:09:32Z")
I know that JFK being the 1st President born in the 20th c. and Clinton being the 1st Boomer were considered big deals. But were Van Buren (1st after Independence) and Harding (1st Post-Civil War) similarly noted? --- ## [Politicians who "speak for their constituents."](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politicians-who-speak-for-their-constituents/691712)
**Author:** [@syncrolecyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syncrolecyne)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [September 18, 2014, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politicians-who-speak-for-their-constituents/691712 "2014-09-18T11:23:22Z")
Maybe this is not, strictly, an electoral question (and maybe in the wrong category) I am a political junkie. And when you watch or listen to many political shows, you notice the wide range of accents and dialects in En… --- ## [Party representation on Congressional Committees](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/party-representation-on-congressional-committees/698403)
**Author:** [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2014, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/party-representation-on-congressional-committees/698403 "2014-09-15T23:13:43Z")
Neither Jeeves nor Wikipedia were helpful. Though wiki had a cool history of the major committees. Are seats on committees allocated proportionally? For example, if Republicans have 60 Senators, would they have 6 seats … --- ## [Ian Paisley has died](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ian-paisley-has-died/698294)
**Author:** [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Replies:** 24\ **Last updated:** [September 14, 2014, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ian-paisley-has-died/698294 "2014-09-14T21:13:36Z")
Story here. I remember him primarily as one of Northern Ireland’s biggest hate mongers, but the article says he worked for unity toward the end. --- ## [NY gubernatorial primary 09/09/14: Cuomo v. Teachout](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gubernatorial-primary-09-09-14-cuomo-v-teachout/695915)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [September 12, 2014, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gubernatorial-primary-09-09-14-cuomo-v-teachout/695915 "2014-09-12T02:25:34Z")
Incumbent Andrew Cuomo seemed like a shoo-in until the Moreland Commission scandal broke. Now Zephyr Teachout, challenging Cuomo from the left, might have a ghost of a chance at the nomination. --- ## [SDMB Retrospective US Presidential Elections 1984](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-retrospective-us-presidential-elections-1984/697674)
**Author:** [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [September 11, 2014, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-retrospective-us-presidential-elections-1984/697674 "2014-09-11T20:05:58Z")
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United\_States\_presidential\_election,\_1984 Without hindsight I’d probably have voted for Reagan due to Mondale’s stance on foreign policy, but with hindsight the Minnesotan is the obvious cho… --- ## [End of Current Primary System](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-current-primary-system/696658)
**Author:** [@JesterX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JesterX)\ **Replies:** 44\ **Last updated:** [September 10, 2014, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-current-primary-system/696658 "2014-09-10T14:57:58Z")
I looked around for a thread with a similar topic but didn’t see one so apologies if this is a dupe. The current primary system where, in most jurisdictions, only registered party members can vote, tends to pick the mos… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/politics-elections/22.md?page=260) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/politics-elections/22.md?page=262)