In Minnesota, A Deeper Shade of Blue

Amy Klobuchar, member of the United States Senate (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

All in all, Election Day was a good day to be a Democrat in Minnesota.

The DFL Party (as Democrats are known in Minnesota) wrested control of both houses of the Legislature from the Republicans for the first time since 1990.  President Barack Obama won the state and its 10 electoral votes.  Both constitutional amendments--voter ID and prohibiting gay marriage--were rejected by voters.

Most of Minnesota's congressional delegation--Senator Amy Klobuchar and Representatives John Kline, Keith Ellison, Erik Paulson, Michelle Bachmann, Betty McCollum and Tim Walz--won re-election.  Most, that is, except for Republican Chip Cravaack.  He lost to Democrat Rick Nolan in the Eighth District.

Bachmann just barely beat Democrat Jim Graves in the Sixth District.  We wonder if she now realizes that not everybody in her district loves her and her publicity-seeking views that sometimes border on the outrageous.  Whether this will be her cue to dial it down a notch remains to be seen.  Frankly, we doubt it.

Neither Obama nor Republican Mitt Romney campaigned much in Minnesota, as it was widely assumed that the state was in the President's back pocket.  But then the polls tightened up, and for awhile Minnesota was considered a swing state just like Iowa and Wisconsin.  The amount of TV ads from both campaigns and other groups increased.  While the Obama campaign sent former President Bill Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden to stump for them, Romney's people kept sending us his running mate Paul Ryan.   The GOP is kicking themselves for not bringing in Romney during the final stretch.

Though the new DFL-controlled Legislature will be under some pressure to get gay marriages legalized in the upcoming session, it'll be awhile before Adam and Steve or Amanda and Eve get to tie the knot in Minnesota.  Unlike what the Republicans did last session, the DFL isn't going to go overboard on pet social issues at the expense of more pressing ones such as balancing the state's fiscal problems.  Though with DFL Governor Mark Dayton halfway through his term, there's little chance of gridlock this time.

According to Secretary of State Mark Ritchie's office, 76% of Minnesotans voted in these elections--a new record.  There were some reported glitches, but voters seemed to find their polling places (some had been moved due to redistricting) just fine.  It's been reported that the amendments, more than the presidential race, were the catalyst for the record turnout.  But it's also possible that, if the Voter ID amendment passed, some of the folks who voted this time might not have had the chance to do this next time.

Politically, Minnesota is considered a blue state.  If the Democrats somehow manage to mess things up in the next two years, people will be seeing--and voting--red.