As Maine goes, so goes the country

"As Maine goes, so goes the country" or "As Maine goes, so goes the nation" was a phrase in wide currency at one time in United States politics.

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This phrase had two origins. One was that as political science began to become an organized field of study in the United States, it was noted that the state of Maine was something of a "bellwether" state; candidates carrying Maine were usually the overall winners of the presidential election. The other was that Maine, unlike the other states, held its presidential voting in September, not November as did the other states, on the premise that inclement weather endemic in much of Maine by November made voting at that time of year impractiable. (The United States Constitution only requires that all electors for President cast their votes on the same day?the states are empowered by Congress to decide when to hold the popular vote that chooses those electors.) As the Maine winner in September had proven to be on many occasions the national winner in November, candidates often went to considerable lengths in their attempts to carry Maine, despite the state's relatively small population (and hence elector count) and somewhat remote location.

Related Topics:
Political science - United States - State - Maine - Bellwether - Presidential - September - November - United States Constitution - Electors

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In September 1936, Maine voted for Republican nominee and Governor of Kansas Alf Landon over President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, causing the Republicans to trumpet this phrase. However, in November, only Vermont joined Maine in voting for Landon, the other 46 states going to Roosevelt, and giving Landon only eight electoral votes (the three from Vermont and the five from Maine), equalling the smallest total ever (as of 2004) won by a major-party nominee since the beginning of the current U.S. two-party system in the 1850s, and destroying the credibility of the phrase permanently. (Maine's tradition of early presidential voting did not end until 1960, however.) Democratic political operative James Farley amended the phrase, proclaiming, "As Maine goes, so goes Vermont."

Related Topics:
1936 - Republican - Governor of Kansas - Alf Landon - Franklin Delano Roosevelt - Vermont - As of 2004 - Two-party system - 1850s - 1960 - James Farley

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36 years later, after the landslide reelection of Richard Nixon in 1972, Republicans would have the opportunity to turn Farley's quip on its head, noting "As Massachusetts goes, so goes the District of Columbia."

Related Topics:
Richard Nixon - 1972

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