Just did some googling and Wikipedia browsing and stumbled on something crazy

[Proud liberal 80]

As late as 2004 the Democrats had all 6 Senate seats from South Dakota, North Dakota, and Montana...Crazy!

Edit - and both Dakotas were represented by a Democrat in their only Congressional district at the same time, too.

Edit 2 - And the Democrats were winning their elections by double digits in the Dakotas

[bottomofthehill]

1. I think when I came to Washington DC

the only Republican from Georgia was Newt and by 2000 the white democrat had been erased from GA

[Roland99]

3. 1) Gerrymandering. 2) voter suppression

[Proud liberal 80]

4. Senate seats can't be gerrymandered

And each only has one state Congressional district, and there is mostly white people up there so I doubt there is much voter suppression going on

[Roland99]

12. but the state legislatures matter more in those terms

If they can gerrymander to create false Republican majorities, that gives them the ability to increase voter suppression and make it easier for gop candidates to win general elections for federal seats

[stopdiggin]

5. usually carried out by the party in control

of the reins.

Two more likely things (three as I'm thinking). One -- rural urban divide -- ever widening, and there isn't much "urban" in the high lonesome. 2) Christian right -- the anti-abortion platform (as a single issue) has more pull here than in almost anyplace else in the country. 3) energy politics

[pnwmom]

9. Democrats failed to support incumbents regarded as DINO's,

who lost primaries to people who would never win a purple state.

[Proud liberal 80]

13. Not in these cases

The incumbents in these states either retired or lost re-election, included in this list is Tom Daschle

[scarletwoman]

6. Facebook happened.

September 26, 2006 - Facebook "membership is opened to anyone:" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Facebook (scroll down the page to the timeline chart)

Lies and conspiracy theories travel fast.

[Generic Other]

8. I have all ads suppressed there

I see none of those. I guess I am missing many chances to be sold crap or be radicalized.

Oh well. I see friend's dinner plates, flowers, art...

[UpInArms]

7. Gawd Gays Guns

eom

[Mister Ed]

10. Prior to that time, those voters voted in their own best interest.

Now they vote for whomever the incessant hate-radio broadcasts convince them to.

[mopinko]

11. what's the voting system?

hava was 2001.