Best and worst state parties?

[RINO Tom]

WV Dems and CA Dems.

A "Democrat" was elected Governor of WV in 2016 and Manchin won in a landslide in 2012. I'd say WV Dems are doing okay for an R+19 state. But yes, I am aware that there aren't many other examples other than those and WV Dems get weaker everyday.

That part was my "personal opinion" section.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

anybody mentioned the Minnesota GOP who once managed to get evicted from their own headquarters for forgetting to play rent? Colorado GOP have done some pretty embarrassing stuff as well.

Wisconsin Dems strike me as a very shoddy and poorly organised party. Same with the NY Dems, what with their constant failure to take the Senate in a super liberal state.

[Skunk]

Colorado GOP have done some pretty embarrassing stuff as well.

In terms of worst meaning least effective I'd have to go with Colorado Republicans as of late as well. One of the most populous counties in the state had a 12 year old running Trump's campaign office.

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/292180-12-year-old-running-trump-campaign-office-in-colo

Also the fact that Cory Gardner only barely won in 2014 after Mark Udall ran one of the worst Senate campaigns in recent memories is pretty pathetic too.

[Cactus Jack]

The Nevada Democratic Party is a force of nature and will be so long as Reid is in charge and has heirs apparent to his political machine. Also the OHGOP and FLGOP, and I'd give the AZDEMs a probationary spot starting this year on account of the sheer size of the comeback they're trying to make.

[Illiniwek]

Illinois Democrats are horrid. So are Michigan Democrats.

Massachusetts Republicans are pretty solid.

Can't express how much I agree with these three. MI Dems especially are terribly ineffective, and MA Republicans are probably the best Republicans I know.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

anybody mentioned the Minnesota GOP who once managed to get evicted from their own headquarters for forgetting to play rent?

I was going to mention that. They also haven't won a statewide election in over a decade, haven't got over 50% in one in over two decades, failed to pick up any House seats in 2016 despite Trump's landslide outstate and generally have a just plain awful and incompetent bench. Their whole strategy is to run lots of paper candidates and hope for a wave basically.

Here's one that have yet to be mentioned: Virginia Republicans. Once dominant, now a collapsing joke, note how they almost lost the House despite the gerrymander they put in, manage to always nominate the worst possible candidate (see 2013) and actually have lost a key Senate seat TWICE (2006 where George Allen blew it and failed epicly with the "macaca" incident that gave the Dems the Senate and then later 60 seats, and failing to realize that Mark Warner was vulnerable in 2014, thus resulting in a narrow loss and what might make the difference in the Senate next year.)

[Stranger in a strange land]

anybody mentioned the Minnesota GOP who once managed to get evicted from their own headquarters for forgetting to play rent?

I was going to mention that. They also haven't won a statewide election in over a decade, haven't got over 50% in one in over two decades, failed to pick up any House seats in 2016 despite Trump's landslide outstate and generally have a just plain awful and incompetent bench. Their whole strategy is to run lots of paper candidates and hope for a wave basically.

Here's one that have yet to be mentioned: Virginia Republicans. Once dominant, now a collapsing joke, note how they almost lost the House despite the gerrymander they put in, manage to always nominate the worst possible candidate (see 2013) and actually have lost a key Senate seat TWICE (2006 where George Allen blew it and failed epicly with the "macaca" incident that gave the Dems the Senate and then later 60 seats, and failing to realize that Mark Warner was vulnerable in 2014, thus resulting in a narrow loss and what might make the difference in the Senate next year.)

The VA GOP's problems stem from a refusal to admit that VA is no longer a (non-Atlas) red state and continue nominating right-wing or far-right candidates in a state where a moderate hero nice guy FF Republican could still win.

[The Undefeatable Debbie Stabenow]

Some of the best Democratic Parties:

• NV: they seem to be on their way to consistent control, largely thanks to the infrastructure Reid built up
• KY: they continue to do pretty well in lots of statewide races and even make some Senate races almost competitive despite KY's strong conservative lean
• OR: holds six of seven seats on OR's congressional delegation despite it not being among the most Democratic-leaning states in the country in presidential races

[Former Kentuckian]

I think the Wyoming Democrats deserve a little credit for putting up a little fight this year. They've managed to recruit former Wyoming House Minority Leader Mary Throne for Governor, former Chair of the Teton County School Board Gary Trauner for US Senate, are in talks with best-selling author Mary Neal in challenging Liz Cheney for US House, and from a listing on ActBlue it looks like they may have recruited (former?) manager of the Wyoming Low-Income Energy Assistance Program Jeffrey Dockter for State Auditor. Wyoming is arguably the most Republican state and the odds are stacked way against them, but they're showing some signs of life and I give them props for that.

[YE]

I think the Wyoming Democrats deserve a little credit for putting up a little fight this year. They've managed to recruit former Wyoming House Minority Leader Mary Throne for Governor, former Chair of the Teton County School Board Gary Trauner for US Senate, are in talks with best-selling author Mary Neal in challenging Liz Cheney for US House, and from a listing on ActBlue it looks like they may have recruited (former?) manager of the Wyoming Low-Income Energy Assistance Program Jeffrey Dockter for State Auditor. Wyoming is arguably the most Republican state and the odds are stacked way against them, but they're showing some signs of life and I give them props for that.

Didn't Wyoming have a Berniecrat takeover at the state party level several months back?

[King Cobra]

NY Republicans have pulled some pretty slick moves but I'm not sure how any of them actually help Republican policy causes.

[mcmikk]

I think the Wyoming Democrats deserve a little credit for putting up a little fight this year. They've managed to recruit former Wyoming House Minority Leader Mary Throne for Governor, former Chair of the Teton County School Board Gary Trauner for US Senate, are in talks with best-selling author Mary Neal in challenging Liz Cheney for US House, and from a listing on ActBlue it looks like they may have recruited (former?) manager of the Wyoming Low-Income Energy Assistance Program Jeffrey Dockter for State Auditor. Wyoming is arguably the most Republican state and the odds are stacked way against them, but they're showing some signs of life and I give them props for that.

[Mr. Illini]

The least competent party is easily the California Republican Party.

The Illinois Republican Party is easily in the top five. The fact that they couldn't bring Quinn down in 2010 or retake the legislature with Madigan being so toxic says a lot.

That’s less the fault of Illinois republicans and more the praise of chicago democrats imo

The Chicago machine isn't as strong as it once was and I don't see it getting any stronger.

Yeah, but Dems in Chicago are still really good at turning out to vote, which arguably stems from the machine days

[Arkansas Yankee]

The Arkansas Republican Party is in great shape.

 I think that the Arkansas Democrats compete for the worst ranking.  Definitely since the Civil War the State was run by competing Democrat fiefdoms based on personalities.  In fact there are stories that when one fiefdom ousted another from the Governor’s office, some state employees would commit suicide. 

The party continued to be based on personalities even after the Faubus era.  Bumpers, Pryor, Clinton, McClellan, and Fulbright never tried to develop a real Party.  The party building efforts have really just begun.  I guess because there are no Democrat personalities now.

[Mycool]

anybody mentioned the Minnesota GOP who once managed to get evicted from their own headquarters for forgetting to play rent?

I was going to mention that. They also haven't won a statewide election in over a decade, haven't got over 50% in one in over two decades, failed to pick up any House seats in 2016 despite Trump's landslide outstate and generally have a just plain awful and incompetent bench. Their whole strategy is to run lots of paper candidates and hope for a wave basically.

Here's one that have yet to be mentioned: Virginia Republicans. Once dominant, now a collapsing joke, note how they almost lost the House despite the gerrymander they put in, manage to always nominate the worst possible candidate (see 2013) and actually have lost a key Senate seat TWICE (2006 where George Allen blew it and failed epicly with the "macaca" incident that gave the Dems the Senate and then later 60 seats, and failing to realize that Mark Warner was vulnerable in 2014, thus resulting in a narrow loss and what might make the difference in the Senate next year.)

The VA GOP's problems stem from a refusal to admit that VA is no longer a (non-Atlas) red state and continue nominating right-wing or far-right candidates in a state where a moderate hero nice guy FF Republican could still win.

Eh, I’d say the problem’s in the primary. It seems that the VAGOP is convinced the only way they can avoid a nasty primary is running to the right on social issues, which has turned the urban crescent’s moderates into democratic leaning. Ed Gillespie tried (in 14 and to some extent, 17) to run a nice guy, decaf conservative, and voters didn’t really accept it (especially in 17, maybe don’t run dog whistle ads that go viral). I’m not someone who believes Virginia is now California, but I do think the GOP will have to be shut out of statewide office for a while to find a winning solution for the primary/general election divide.

[Rjjr77]

I mean the worst has to be the Ohio Democrat Party right?

In what is a center right swing state, they've won in the past 28 years the following offices:

Ohio Governor (1x)

Ohio AG (3x) One was a special election to replace their own AG.

Ohio SOS (2x)

Ohio Treasurer (2x)

Ohio Auditor (1x)

Ohio Supreme court, 7 seats (7x)

US senator, they've done better with (4x)

Thats a pretty terrible track record for a swing state.

[Orser67]

Maine Democrats haven't been great lately. Despite being a D+3 state, they hold 0 of 2 Senate seats (granted King aligns with the Senate Democratic caucus), 1 of 2 House seats, and 1 of the 2 state legislative chambers.