I couldn't help but notice the difference in these maps. This is the map of Minnesota in 2000, with the counties won by Gore in red and Bush in blue (you'll have to click on it to see it):
http://www.uselectionatlas.org/USPRESIDENT/img.php?year=2000&st=MN&type=mapThis is the governor's race of 2002. Blue counties are the ones won by PUKElenty, red by the Democrat Moe and Green by the Independence candidate Penny.
This is 1998, with the green counties being won by Jesse, the blue ones by :puke: Coleman and the red ones by the Democrat Humphrey:
In 2002 Penny did best down south where I live because it was his home district. He didn't do well at all up north. However, notice that the ENTIRE northern part of the state solidly went for Moe. Gore only won the northeastern part. Also note that in 1998 the north was Humphrey's best part of the state, including the northwest.
Now here's what I found most interesting, the results for Kittson county, our most northwestern county:
2000:
Gore: 42%
Bush: 51.3%
Nader: 2.6%
1998:
Ventura: 16.53%
Coleman: 32.16%
Humphrey: 50.34%
2002:
PUKElenty: 30.31%
Moe: 60.62%
Penny: 7.79%
Other counties such as Lake of the Woods which as the arrowhead pointing up have similar results. Now the question is, why such a change? The Democrats in gubernatorial races can win easy majorities up there even in a 3-way race, yet Bush can beat Gore with Nader getting below average for the state (except the far northeastern Pine county, where Bush won and Nader took more than 10%)? What happened here? If we can get this area to vote Democratic in the same level as the gubernatorial races, and keep all the other areas that voted for Gore, we'll win Minnesota in a cakewalk like we should be able to.