All politics is local they say. Reading posts from all over the country here at dKos has made me realize that I have had a few misconceptions about the political culture of a few states, including NC and PA for example. It's gotten me thinking.
So here's my plan to develop a better understanding of local & state politics. I'd like dKos users to give details about their state. I'd like to see prose profiles of the overall state political culture. I'd like to see reliable resources or links about your state. I'd like to see breakdowns by congressional district that help shine light on how the local culture and demographics effect that district. Are your districts totally fair & balanced like IA or egregiously gerrymandered like TX (as of 04)? Tell us about key gubernatorial & senate races. Tell us about regional differences. Outline major changes that have occurred over the past decade. Debunk myths outsiders may have, or reinforce them if they're true.
I'll to go state by state from east to west, coupling up a few which are very small (i.e. NH & VT) despite their differing political cultures. First up: Maine.