This Week on IVN: The Political Landscape

Published: 12 Nov, 2012

2 min read

With the 2012 election finally behind us, we all witnessed how divisive and partisan our political culture has gotten. Diversity of opinion is a defining and essential characteristic of democracy, but it does not have to divide us. This week on IVN, we will pay special attention to the new make-up of our political landscape and its implications on America's evolving political culture.

100 Ways Republicans Are Just Like Democrats

While there are certainly differences between Democrats and Republicans, here are 100 ways Republicans are just like Democrats.

20 Democratic US Senators Face Re-Election in 2014

Every two years approximately one-third of all US Senators are up for re-election. These 20 Democratic US Senators face re-election in 2014.

13 Republican US Senators Face Re-Election in 2014

Every two years approximately one-third of the US Senate is up for re-election. The following 13 Republican US Senators face re-election in 2014.

President Obama Wins Florida with the Independent Vote

Florida was the last state to be called, due in part to long lines at some polling locations and absentee ballots that needed.

Record Number of Women Elected to Congress in 2012

The 2012 election cycle saw a record number of women elected in Congress, with 20 Senators and at least 77 Representatives.

Other Stuff from Around the Network

Facebook Application

IVN.us announces the launch of the Drop Your Party Facebook App on Facebook to show Washington, DC where partisanship is not going to work anymore.With Congressional approval ratings hovering around 10 percent, it’s time we move past party labels and start electing those who are dedicated to developing lasting solutions, regardless of party affiliation. Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, Greens, and everyone else is invited to ‘Drop Your Pin’ on the map of voters committed to independent-minded voting.

Contributor of the Week:Lillian Ewing

Industrious and enthusiastic professional with dual Master's Degrees in the life sciences and English in addition to a Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Minnesota.Notable Posts:-Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Brought Before High Court -The Impact of Vote-by-Mail on California -Americans for Responsible Leadership Remains in the Shadows -Potential Prosecution of International Election Monitors in TX

Ballrooms, Ballots, and a Three-Way Fight for New York

The latest Independent Voter Podcast episode takes listeners through the messy intersections of politics, reform, and public perception. Chad and Cara open with the irony of partisan outrage over trivial issues like a White House ballroom while overlooking the deeper dysfunctions in our democracy. From California to Maine, they unpack how the very words on a ballot can tilt entire elections and how both major parties manipulate language and process to maintain power....

30 Oct, 2025

1 min read

Princeton Gerrymandering Project Gives California Prop 50 an 'F'

The special election for California Prop 50 wraps up November 4 and recent polling shows the odds strongly favor its passage. The measure suspends the state’s independent congressional map for a legislative gerrymander that Princeton grades as one of the worst in the nation....

30 Oct, 2025

3 min read

5 Politicians Bucking Their Party on Gerrymandering

Across the country, both parties are weighing whether to redraw congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Texas, California, Missouri, North Carolina, Utah, Indiana, Colorado, Illinois, and Virginia are all in various stages of the action. Here are five politicians who have declined to support redistricting efforts promoted by their own parties....

31 Oct, 2025

4 min read