The recent U.S. election for President included a large shift in %change in democratic votes over 2004. Interesting however is the significant swath which exists across the mid-south of the country. These counties not only voted Republican, but voted more republican than in 2004! This upsurge in Republican voting trends is evident despite a tanking economy, massive deficits, an unpopular war, and a host of other factors which made most of the country step back and vote for a change.
I read on one popular site that the swath in question represents simple racism. That may be true although I wonder how one might quantify that. I wonder however if there are alternative explanations that might be elucidated through some additional demographic study and mapping.
The areas which include the largest shifts towards the Republican candidate include:
- Eastern Kentucky
- Southwestern West Virginia
- Extreme Western Virginia
- All of Tennessee
- Northern Alabama
- Northeastern Mississippi
- All of Arkansas
- Southeastern Oklahoma
- Southwester Louisiana
Apart from being all Southern, what might link these polities?
More posts to follow up on this.
Rob lives and works in the town of Jackson, MS where he leads the interactive department at an awesome advertising and branding agency. Life is slower than most places in Mississippi, and Rob tends to like it that way. Some of his favorite life experiences include sailing across the Atlantic Ocean in a 44ft sloop, learning to speak Swahili while living along the lower slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, and zipping along the curviest of Mississippi country roads in his VW Rabbit.