Michael Barone is always worth reading but something this week caught my eye:
Around 100 years ago Finnish immigrants flocked to the mines and woods of the country around Lake Superior, where the topography and weather must have seemed familiar. They’ve been a mostly Democratic, sometimes even radical voting bloc ever since. No more, it seems. Going into the election, the three most Finnish districts, Michigan 1, Wisconsin 7 and Minnesota 8, all fronting on Lake Superior, were represented by two Democratic committee chairmen and the chairman of an Energy and Commerce subcommittee, with a total of 95 years of seniority.
Wisconsin’s David Obey and Michigan’s Bart Stupak both chose to retire, and were replaced by Republicans who had started running before their announcements. Minnesota’s James Oberstar was upset by retired Northwest pilot and stay-at-home dad Chip Cravaack.
So here’s a new rule for the political scientists: As go the Finns, so goes America.
Barone may not be aware of this but so many Finns settled in Fitchburg that there is still a Finish Consulate in town. The town went big for Scott Brown and if I’m not mistaken narrowly for Bill Gunn in the last election.
Dare I say as Fitchburg goes, so goes the nation?
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