Full disclosure: I run a state-level blog which is part of Blogs United and the 50 State Blog Network.

Going into this year's important elections, not only is there a chance for a historic Presidential election, but there is a chance to expand our majorities in both the House and Senate.  While national blogs are great places to follow the House and Senate races (personally, I prefer Swingstate Project and the new and improved Senate Guru), there is another growing section of the blogosphere that is growing.

State and local blogs are growing not only in number, but also in readership and influence.  And they are still great places to get news in your home state that you otherwise might not see if you only looked at the national-level blogs.

Or, as Betsy Muse put it in this week's 50-State Blog Roundup:

One way to stay on top of this is to follow along with the state blogs. We're discussing our congress critters and their shenanigans long before it hits the national scene. Stop by. Check us out. You too can be the first to know.

This week's roundup is made possible thanks to the major efforts of boadicea. Residing in one of those "W" states, I'm turning the tyranny of the alphabet on its head this week. Here's the 50 State Blog Network Roundup--this week running from Wisconsin to Alabama!


Advertise on the 50 State Blog Network. Read the 50 State Blog Network Roundup F.A.Q.

The first Beatle to die tragically young once said, "life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." Life is also what happens when we're not blogging. In the better late than never category, life has finally gotten out of the way to allow this week's 50 State Blog Roundup to emerge.

If your favorite 50 State Blog member is missing from this week's roundup, I promise no slight is intended. It just means no one had a chance to nominate a post for the week.

You can help make sure that doesn't happen again in the future. You can submit a nomination for any blog listed at the BlogPAC state blog roll via the nifty automated nomination system prepared by Ralph Brodie. Give it a try next week.

Live in Missouri? Used to live in Missouri? Never lived in Missouri, but are for some reason fascinated by Missouri politics? Well, come on down to Show Me Progress, Missouri's new Soapblox-based progressive community blog. (We've actually been up and running for a couple of weeks now, working out the glitches.)
Like our cousin, Fired Up Missouri, we'll hammer the state GOP, but we will also provide a platform for progressives around Missouri to talk about issues, candidates, electeds, and what's going on in your neck of the woods. So join us this week as we follow the special session and hear directly from the Democratic candidates for Attorney General.

Here are some updates from around the 50-State Blog Network, brought to you this week by Wasatch Watcher, the progressive community blog in Utah...Yes that Utah...because when Dr. Dean says 50 states, it means 50 states.

Ever had a great idea for a diary, but felt it was too "Oregon-specific" to post here?  Wanted to talk to other progressive Oregonians about Measure 49 (fixing 37), bridging the gap between the "two Oregons," the Chalkboard Project, Getting "on the Bus," whether Jeff Merkley should throw his hat into the Senate race, or something even more squarely within arcane Oregoniana?

Ever thought it would be great if there was a mini-Daily Kos just for Oregon issues?

If so, and you haven't already heard it somewhere else yet, there's good fantastic news after the fold!

Hello again, Kos'ers --

This is a followup to my post yesterday:
http://www.dailykos.com/...

We are starting a new Missouri State Progressive Politics blog, and need to pick a name. One of the choices was in the lead, but other choices had some support too so we figured a runoff poll was needed. Vote below, and stay tuned for more updates on this exciting project!

(If you like one of the options below that has 2 variations listed, please point out which variation you like in the comments.)

Hello Kosmopolitans --

A small group of Missouri DFA'ers and ProgressiveDems are working on creating a new state blog site, to provide a gathering place for the Missouri Progressive Community and a true Missouri hub of the 50-State Blog Network. We have been looking at the other state blogs like Blue Hampshire and Blue Jersey, and we have lots of hopes and ideas for the site. But we have been struggling to find a name.

The goal of this site is to be a resource and water cooler for progressives of all stripes in our state. We hope to include a DailyKos-like forum (powered by SoapBlox), as well as an events calendar, feeds page, and eventually perhaps a wiki. While there are other blogs and community sites in Missouri, we want to create an independent entity that is not associated with any particular politicans or groups - a true grassroots resource.

Below you will see some of the names we have been debating over. Vote for your favorite, or suggest a better name in the comments below. (The current favorite is "Show Me Progress.") We will update the Kos community as the site progresses!

So there's this thing called the 50-State Blog Network, and you should check it out -- it's made up of progressive community-based sites like this one, and it's committed to connecting readers to stories not just in our state, but all over the country.  This week the roundup is coming to you from Minnesota, where we have a top-tier Senate race against Norm Coleman, one of Joe Lieberman's best buds, and a third potential Dem candidate considering a run -- read the interview here.

On with the roundup!

LP of New Mexico FBIHOP kicks the State Blog Roundup into another gear this week.  Cross-posted with permission: -Populista

Hello, I'm  from New Mexico FBIHOP, part of the 50-State Blog Network.  The Network is a group of community blogs from around the nation that blog about local issues.  They also allow diaries, so you can write your two-cents on local issues as well.

Every Friday, one of us compiles a Roundup of notable posts from the blogs on the network.  This week, I volunteered, and the following are stories that either I found by reading, were sent to me by blog authors or readers or just came to me in a vision.  If you want to help out,  Minnesota Campaign Report has graciously agreed to compile the State Blog Roundup on June 1. Please send recommended stories this upcoming week to: mncampaignreport [at] yahoo.com . To volunteer to compile a future round-up contact Clem G. at wvablue [at] gmail.com.

Oh, and as always, feel free to take this post and put it up on your blog.  Just attribute it to me (LP) or the 50-State Blog Network.  Thanks, and on to the Roundup!

Hello, I'm LP from New Mexico FBIHOP, part of the 50-State Blog Network.  The Network is a group of community blogs from around the nation that blog about local issues.  They also allow diaries, so you can write your two-cents on local issues as well.

Every Friday, one of us compiles a Roundup of notable posts from the blogs on the network.  This week, I volunteered, and the following are stories that either I found by reading, were sent to me by blog authors or readers or just came to me in a vision.  If you want to help out,  Minnesota Campaign Report has graciously agreed to compile the State Blog Roundup on June 1. Please send recommended stories this upcoming week to: mncampaignreport [at] yahoo.com . To volunteer to compile a future round-up contact Clem G. at wvablue [at] gmail.com.

Oh, and as always, feel free to take this post and put it up on your blog.  Just attribute it to me or the 50-State Blog Network.  Thanks, and on to the Roundup!