The following article summarizes the original event which is listed below the summary.
Normality was a winner in 2022 Midterm Elections
At our November 2022 luncheon forum, a group of enthusiastic UMRA members gathered in the Campus Club to hear political scientist Kathryn Pearson discuss the midterm elections just a few days after they occurred. She offered several insights, including these:
· Despite their shortcomings, predictions from opinion polls were generally more accurate than predictions from fundamentals (e.g., the economy, president’s ratings)
· Democrats slightly outperformed the polls and did better than the president’s party usually does in midterm elections.
· Normality was a winner. The elections were generally administered smoothly with few protests, and defeated candidates conceded.
· Support for abortion rights outperformed Democratic candidates. Initiatives to restrict abortion were defeated in several states that did not strongly support Democratic candidates.
· Polarization continued to progress throughout the country. In Minnesota, outstate areas including the Iron Range were more firmly red, while the Twin Cities remained firmly blue.
· The Twin Cities suburbs made the difference in this year’s elections in Minnesota. Formerly red suburbs have become more blue, delivering the Democrats the trifecta of the governor’s seat and both houses of the Legislature.
· With split government at the federal level, there will be a contest between those in both parties who want to govern versus those who want to make a point and concede nothing.
—Ron Matross, UMRA president
What happened November 8? Understanding the 2022 midterm elections
Tue, November 15, 2022, at 10:45am
Kathryn Pearson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
U of M Department of Political Science
Campus Club Fourth Floor
Coffman Memorial Union
What could be more timely than to have Kathryn Pearson as our presenter for the UMRA luncheon forum just one week after the 2022 midterm elections? With U.S. Senate and House races occurring across the country, as well as heated governor and state executive races, there will be a lot to unpack.
Please note the forum will be on Tuesday, November 15, a week earlier than usual, to avoid Thanksgiving week. Reservations and prepayment are due by November 5.
An associate professor in the University of Minnesota Department of Political Science, Pearson has earned a reputation as an UMRA presenter rock star for the illuminating election analyses she’s shared with us since her first UMRA presentation in 2008.
Pearson joined the U of M faculty in 2004 and is a distinguished scholar whose research focuses on the United States Congress, congressional elections, political parties, and women in politics. Her research has been published in The Journal of Politics, Perspectives on Politics, Legislative Studies Quarterly, Political Research Quarterly, and Politics & Gender. Her book titled Party Discipline in the House of Representatives was published in 2015 by the University of Michigan Press, and she has a new book in the works on gender and partisanship in the House of Representatives. She is a recipient of the Morse Alumni Award for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education.
This year’s elections may be the midterms, but these days state and even local elections have become national politics. I don’t know about you, but I will be hungry for a clear-eyed view of what happened on November 8 and what it may mean for Minnesota and the U.S.
You can make your reservation and pay online, or email Diane Young at [email protected] if you prefer to pay by check.
Please join me in welcoming Kathryn Pearson at our November forum.
—Jan Morlock, UMRA past president
Upcoming Events
Many life challenges that get in the way of quality of life and good health at home have little to do with medical issues. Cathy Lauring, our presenter for UMRA’s February 18 workshop, will explore a variety of resources to assist in keeping us healthy at home—including physical, emotional, cognitive, and financial services.
John Bantle will lead the discussion of A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson when the UMRA book club meets via Zoom on February 21.
Join UMRA members to watch two of the best hockey teams in the nation. UMRA has negotiated a discounted ticket price of $33.
Barbara Klick, RN, MBA, the presenter for UMRA’s February 25 Forum, has decades of experience working in human and veterinary medicine, and will bring her wisdom and perspective to our discussion about what we can learn from our pets about facing end-of-life challenges and decisions.
The Fourth Friday Book Club will meet via Zoom on February 28 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. CST to discuss The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain.
Join members of the UMRA Hiking Club for a hike on March 3 at the Holland Lake Trailhead in Lebanon Hills Regional Park in Eagan. It is the largest park in the Dakota County park system. Our route will take us on an unpaved trail with some roots, rocks, and easy hills. It will be about 5 miles for 2 to 2.5 hours. We will meet for an optional lunch afterwards somewhere nearby (TBD).
Will Craig discusses using local sources for family history.
The THEME is Insects
The UMRA Photo Club will meet at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in the meeting room of the Hennepin County St. Anthony Branch Library, in the small shopping center at New Brighton and St. Anthony Boulevards.
For those interested in lunch, meet at the Great Dragon at 11:30 a.m.
The UMRA Hiking Club will explore wildlife along the Mississippi River in Fort Snelling State Park. The 3.9-mile Pike Island Loop is generally considered an easy route and takes just over an hour. Hikers can leave at that point, or stay to add another short loop. The trail is located below the bluff on which the historic fort sits. The last time we were there we saw a lot of deer, and the river always provides fascinating views.
The UMRA Photo Club will meet at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in the meeting room of the Hennepin County St. Anthony Branch Library, in the small shopping center at New Brighton and St. Anthony Boulevards.
For those interested in lunch, meet at the Great Dragon at 11:30 a.m.
Theme to be announced.
The University of Minnesota Archives, with its major holdings largely tucked away in two huge underground caverns along the Mississippi River under the West Bank campus, holds the essential records of our University of Minnesota’s past. University Archivist Erik Moore will interpret the holdings and bring out a sampling of what it holds. We will also get a tour of the caverns (Minnesota Library Access Center), revealing where these precious materials are housed, including the original tapes of KUOM, now Radio K.
You are cordially invited to see Rick Huebsch, Associate VP for Research, Technology Commercialization at UMN, who will discuss UMN Technology Commercialization. Tech Comm facilitates the transfer of UMN innovation beyond the research lab, to benefit the public good, foster economic growth, and generate revenue to support the University's mission.
Do you have a box or several albums of old family pictures that you are not quite sure what to do with? Or perhaps you just want to find out more about your ancestors and are not sure where or how to begin. This meeting of the Family history group will be an open discussion.