The Great Plains size up from the South along the western side of the Mississippi River all the way to the Canadian border. The states to its west all run up to the Rocky Mountains, which is another region. There are 8 states: Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota. Like the South, the upper Midwest was once reliable Democratic territory, but lost that with the rise of social consciousness in the Democratic Party to the detriment of Economic Issues.
I will confess that I know a lot less about the Senators from this region, especially the stack of states from Oklahoma to North Dakota. Take notes ginger James Lankford of Oklahoma and female Senator Deb Fischer of Nebraska out of the mix, and I'd have a hard time identifying who is who! Nevertheless, here we go.
North Dakota's Senators are two white men. John Hoeven was once the State's Governor. Kevin Cramer made his way to his seat via the North Dakota's only House seat. Hoeven is a right of center moderate and Cramer is a Pentecostal who hates abortion, denies climate change, wants to cut food stamps and school lunch programs and believes what every baby really needs is an open-carry permit. Neither are up for re-election this year.
South Dakota's Senior Senator, John Thune, is also the Republican Leader of the Senate. After decades of grooming himself for the opportunity, he now finds himself playing the straight guy to Trump's banal clown act. Pity the fool... Mike Rounds is the states Junior Senator and will likely be re-elected for another term on Novermber 3rd. Unlike so many of his colleagues, Rounds is willing to cross the aisle and work with Democrats to craft and pass bi-partisan legislation. I admire him for that.
Minnesota is represented by two women, Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith. Smith chose to retire leaving an open seat, which Democrat Peggy Flanagan is likely to win. If elected, Flanagan, whose birth name is Gizhiiwewidamookwe, is a citizen of the White Earth Nation of the Ojibwe tribe in Minnesota which would make her the first Indigenous woman to be elected to the Senate (Although not the only one this election cycle). Senator Klobuchar is also running for Governor of Minnesota and will almost certainly win that seat thus triggering the second special election before the dust from this one has even settled.
Nebraska's Senior Senator is the only other woman from the Great Plains region serving in the Senate. Deb Fischer is largely a behind the scenes player with interests in Agriculture and border security. When elected, she will be joined by Junior Senitor Dan Osborn. Osborn is an independent who has stated that he will not caucus with either of the major parties. The only other Independents in the Senate, Angus King of Maine and Bernie Sanders of Vermont both caucus with the Democrats. At a time when the term "populist politician" is getting tossed all around, Osborn appears to be the real deal. 
Iowa's Senior Senator is the Senate's Senior Senator. At 93, Chuck Grassley is the oldest. He was, in fact just re-elected in November of 2024 to serve through January 3, 2030. The man is very optimistic. He's also frail and forgetful and struggles to read his prepared statements and speeches. It's sad. The seat for Junior Senator is an open seat and it's my hope that Josh Turek, currently an Iowa state Senator wins on Nevember 3rd. He's smart. He's compassionate. And he knows what life is like for those with disadvantages.
Kansas Senior Senator is Jerry Moran. I honestly don't think I've every recognized the man on the floor of the Senate. He just walks around and fits in like a shadow. His Senate mate is even less of a figure, and now he may not be anything of a figure, if Adam Hamilton pulls through to win. This is a seat that garnered next to no attention at the beginning of this cycle. Then Adam Hamilton, a Methodist Minister, turned on the spotlight and suddenly what was once safe is now a toss-up. Another populist insurrection from the center left.
No one is up for re-election in Missouri. Senior Senator Josh Hawley runs bi-polar, at once a fist bumper to the January 6 insurrectionists and then a champion of those on Medicaide and Medicare... Eric Schmitt is a jerk.
Full disclosure, my mama's people are Okie's. Senior Senator James Lankford is a conservative Republic who is willing to compromise in order to move the ball forward. At the beginning of the Trump 2.0 presidency, he crafted in company with his Democrated colleagues a path forward to keep the government open, and Trump seemed to encourage his actions, until the end when Trump rejected the entire thing. It must be hard to be a reasonable Republican in times like these. The Junior Senator's seat is open and most certainly will be filled by Kevin Hearn who stepping up from the ranks of Oklahoma's House delegation.
Index Time
By Demographic Category
GENDER 3 out of 16 - 19; current score 25
RACE 1 out of 16 - 6; current score 0.0
RELIGION 0 out of 16 - 0.0; current score 0.0
DISABILITY 1 out of 61 - 6; current score 0.0
Diversity Index becomes 31.3 as compared to the current index of 25.0
By region so far:
New England - 8.3
Mid-Atlantic - 25.0
Midwest - 45.8
The South - 50.0
Great Plains - 31.3
Average Age will go from 66 to 63.
No comments:
Post a Comment