Today's maps are on a very interesting topic: control of state governments. And not only that, but it's another set of historical maps! This pair from @Mill226 on Twitter show the fascinating political time period of the late 1930s USA. The threat of war in Europe and Asia was growing, while the US continued to suffer from depressed economic conditions. As the first map shows, the Democratic Party was still riding high on FDR's re-election in 1938.
A point of interest on both maps is Nebraska, which has used a "non-partisan" unicameral state legislature since 1936.
However, after the 1938 midterm elections, Republicans had gained in New England, the Midwest, and the Great Plains.
One thing I really appreciate about these maps is the calculations of what percentage of the US population was governed by each party. To me, that is a fascinating metric of the parties' relative strengths. I'm not sure, but I'd guess that the 1938 map shows one of the highest concentrations of state and population control in the hands of single party in the nation's history, perhaps only rivaled by the early-1800s Era of Good Feelings when the Democratic-Republicans were ascendant.
