Some evidence suggesting that GA will (probably) stay Red

I'm teaching three classes this semester. I asked the students in my two lower-division introductory courses (American National Government) what grade they'd give W for his two terms. Here's how the numbers broke down.

A 2
A- 3
B+ 1
B 7
B- 5
C+ 4
C 10
C- 8
D+ 2
D 3
D- 6
F 3


That amounts to a GPA of just over a straight C. (2.03) Not great, but you can graduate with a 2.03. Your degree is just as valid as for the 4.0 kid.

I asked my upper-division students (in my Presidency and Congress class) the same question. They were tougher graders.

B- 1
C 3
C- 5
D- 1
F 3

That's equivalent to a D+ (1.37).

I also asked the students (all anonymously, btw) who they believe was the greatest or best president in United States history. Here's what my lower-division students said.

FDR 10
Reagan 10
Washington 8
Lincoln 8
Clinton 4
TR 4
JFK 3
W Bush 2
Truman 1
Nixon 1
Jefferson 1
Jackson 1

And for my upper-division course.

Lincoln 6
Washington 3
FDR 2
Reagan 1
Jackson 1

Just a couple of comments. Reagan is far more popular than JFK, whose day among the youth has come and gone--or at least for this group of students. He's as ancient history as anyone else from the past. FDR did better than I would have guessed, and the old standards of the first George W and Lincoln also did quite well. Tommy J, my erstwhile favorite, doesn't carry much appeal with the youngin's today.

About 25% of the students in the lower-division classes said they had voted early. Thirteen of my fourteen upper-division students had already voted.

Photo taken in Savannah, GA.