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CHAPTER 34 North America Political Geography I Regions EL ! DE Elections by from . In the 2016 presidential election , the votes in County and Wayne County were not at all close . In County , 87 of voters selected Hillary Clinton . In Wayne County , 84 of voters chose Donald Trump . This might not surprise many people , given the apparent polarization of the American political map . What might surprise them , however , is the location of those two counties . The heavily Republican Wayne County is in Illinois . The heavily Democratic County is in Mississippi . Each presidential election generates a new map . States won by the Democratic candidate are shaded blue , and states won by the Republican candidate are shaded red . For the past several elections , many of those states have always been solid blue , while others remain solid red . These maps are useful , given the nature of the electoral college , but they can create something of a political mirage . These maps might leave someone with the impression that nearly everyone in Texas , Georgia , and Missouri is a Republican , while nearly everyone in California , New York , and Illinois is a Democrat . That is not the case . In 2016 , Hillary Clinton received a significant share of the vote in Texas ( 43 ) Georgia ( 46 ) and Missouri ( 38 ) while Donald Trump received a significant share of the vote in California ( 32 ) New York ( 37 ) and Illinois ( 39 ) While none of these states were terribly competitive , it is important to note that there are plenty of Democrats in red states , and plenty of Republicans in blue states . It is rare for the losing presidential candidate in a state to receive less than a third of the vote . 155
156 JOEL QUAM AND SCOTT CAMPBELL That said , there are certainly areas of the country that tend to lean heavily toward one party or the other , while other parts of the country are extremely competitive . Here , we will look at nine essential facts about America geography . We will examine the places where Democrats or Republicans do well in elections , as well as those places that are competitive . The first three facts will include brief examinations of the traditionalistic , moralistic , and individualistic American political , which were first defined by political scientist Daniel . in 1966 . 2076 Presidential Election by County ( Where darker Shades Show Map . Man Republicans Do Well in the Traditionalistic South . The Southern political region roughly corresponds to those states that were once part of the Confederacy South Carolina , Mississippi , Alabama , Georgia , Louisiana , Texas , Virginia , Arkansas , Tennessee , and North Carolina . The region also includes West Virginia , Kentucky , Oklahoma , and southern Missouri , which were not part of the Confederacy , but which have traditionally shared the South political ideology . Florida was part of the Confederacy , but is its own unique political region , and will be discussed below . Cleaned by Max Till from Noun The South is the birthplace of the traditionalistic American political subculture , and is still dominated by it . This subculture is built on three foundational beliefs . First , respect for traditional religious , family , and social values are profoundly important , and politicians are expected to share those values . Second , government should be small and limited to basic operations it should not be expansive or innovative . Third , taxation and spending should , as a result , be limited . The South was once solidly Democratic , but the political emphasis on small government , low taxes , and traditional values much more closely aligns with the Republican Party today . For the last forty years , the South has been solidly red . As we see below , Virginia has drifted somewhat from these traditionalist values , as has North Carolina . There are even signs that Texas and Georgia are shifting from the traditionalist subculture , and could
NORTH AMERICA POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY I 157 turn blue in the next decade or so . The rest of the South , however , shows few signs of abandoning their loyalty to the Republican Party anytime soon . Democrats Do Well in Moralistic New England and the West Coast . New England was the birthplace of the moralistic political subculture . This subculture is the polar opposite ofthe traditionalistic subculture . It believes that government can and should be a positive agent promoting the collective , and that politicians should be driven by progressive issues . Government should not be limited , but large and innovative , and taxation and spending should be utilized to promote the public good . Created by Alex Tar lrom Noun Propel These ideals closely align with the liberal wing of the Democratic Party . New England was , for many years , a Republican stronghold . The abolitionist movement was born in New England , and drove the early evolution of the Republican Party . Over time , however , as Republicans grew more conservative , the region began to drift away from the party , and is now mostly Democratic . Two of the moralistic subculture , Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren , are from Vermont and Massachusetts , respectively . In 2016 , Donald Trump did not win a single county in either of those states . The moralistic subculture is also strong on the West Coast , particularly in liberal bastions like San Francisco , Portland , and Seattle . This region was the political hearth of a number of progressive ideals , including the gay rights and environmentalist movements . Democrats usually dominate statewide races in California , Oregon , and Washington . Much of the individualistic Midwest is Competitive . North Dakota , South Dakota , Nebraska , Kansas , and Missouri all have a tendency to lean Republican in presidential elections , but each of those states has elected a Democratic governor or senator at some point in the last two decades . Minnesota and Illinois tend to lean Democratic in presidential elections , but both states have elected Republican senators and governors over the last two decades .
158 JOEL QUAM AND SCOTT CAMPBELL Created by Gregor from Noun The rest of the Midwest Iowa , Wisconsin , Michigan , Indiana , and Ohio along with neighboring Pennsylvania , are some of the most competitive states in presidential elections . They are classic swing states . They are dominated by the individualistic political subculture , which originated among German and English settlers in the states . They carried their ideals across the to the Midwest , where the subculture is strongest today . The individualistic subculture falls between the moralistic and traditionalistic , both geographically and ideologically . Unlike traditionalistic Southerners , are not obsessed with making government as small possible . They typically favor good schools , a solid infrastructure , safe streets , and a strong military , and they are willing to pay taxes to maintain them . That said , often find that the moralistic subculture of New England and the West Coast takes things too far . individualistic voters do believe that government is a bad thing , but also do believe that it government to solve all ofthe world problems . Essentially , individualistic voters view government as a business . It should be practical and utilitarian . Taxes are an investment , and voters expect a return on that investment . Government spending should emphasize economic growth . Voters in this subculture are generally unconcerned with a candidate personal life they re not expecting politicians to be saints or crusaders , they simply want pragmatism . Extremely liberal or extremely conservative have a tough time in the Midwest swing states . Voters there have demonstrated that they are willing to swing from one party to the other , provided the candidate is moderate and practical . Hybrid Florida is Very Competitive . Florida is an unusual mixture . The northern part ofthe state is an extension ofthe South traditionalistic region , which heavily favors Republicans . Florida is a popular destination for retirees , most of whom are older , white , and middle or , which also favors Republicans . However , Florida is also home to numerous large cities and a significant immigrant population , which strongly favors Democrats . Additionally , much of the state has been settled by migrants from the individualistic Midwest and , who might favor moderates of either party . As a result , margins between Republicans and Democrats tend to be razor thin in Florida . That fact , coupled with the state large allotment of electoral votes , makes it one of the most hotly contested states in each presidential election . Republicans Do Better with White Voters Democrats Do Better with Voters of Color . According to exit polls in 2016 , Donald Trump won 58 of the white vote , compared to Hillary Clinton 37 , a
NORTH AMERICA POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY I 159 huge margin . Clinton , however , did far better among the three primary populations , trouncing Trump among Black voters ( 88 to ) voters ( 66 to 28 ) and Asian voters ( 79 to 17 ) These numbers do not bode well for Republicans . The percentage of voters in the United States is steadily increasing , and it stands to shift the political map significantly if party loyalties remain the same . Nowhere is this more apparent than the Interior West . The region has traditionally been a Republican stronghold , and some of Trump biggest margins of victory came in states like Wyoming , Idaho , Montana , and Utah he won each of those states by more than ten percentage points . They are also predominantly white . 78 of Utah population is white , and in Wyoming , Idaho , and Montana , that number tops 80 . Hillary Clinton , however , won states where the white population was smaller , including Colorado ( 68 white ) Nevada ( 48 white ) and New Mexico ( 37 white ) Trump won four points in Arizona , which is 54 white . Arizona , usually solid red , might turn blue in 2020 . Voters are Trending Democratic . For years , the Republican Party policies have favored business owners and managers , while the Democrats were largely the party of the working class . As a result , Republicans have traditionally fared better among voters with a college degree . That pattern has been reversing for several years , and in 2016 , Hillary Clinton defeated Donald Trump among voters , 52 to 43 . This trend explains North Carolina shift from a state to a swing state . As cities like Charlotte and have morphed into major centers and research , North Carolina has experienced a significant increase in the number who are college graduates . This trend was also reflected in 2016 national electoral map . The ten states with the highest percentage of college graduates are Massachusetts , Colorado , Maryland , Connecticut , New jersey , Virginia , Vermont , New , New York , and Minnesota . All ten of those states were won by Hillary Clinton . The ten states with the lowest percentage of college graduates are Mississippi , Arkansas , Kentucky , Louisiana , Nevada , Alabama , Oklahoma , Indiana , Tennessee , and Wyoming . All but one of those states were won by Donald Trump . Democrats Do Well in Cities Cities are big , complex places , often requiring big , complex government programs . Compared to rural areas and small towns , cities also tend to be younger , more ethnically diverse , and better educated . Urban populations tend to be progressive on social and cultural issues , like race , gender , and sexuality . City dwellers are also likely to recognize the societal required of living in a densely populated area . All of these traits strongly favor Democrats . This is why Democrats usually do well in places like the Northeast , the West Coast , and the Steel Belt , all home to large urban . State by state , large and urban areas tend to be blue . In 2016 , Hillary Clinton won in just twelve of Illinois 102 counties , but they were all densely populated counties , allowing her to carry the state comfortably Six of them were in the Chicago metro area , one was in the Louis metro area , and the remaining five contained the cities of , Moline , and Rockford . Cities lean Democratic even in states . In Utah , which was easily won by Donald Trump , Clinton still won in Salt Lake County , home of the state largest city . Republicans Do Well in Rural Areas Democrats do well in some rural areas . County , Mississippi , mentioned at the top of this chapter , is a very rural area of only about people . In 2016 , Hillary Clinton received 87 of the votes in County ,
160 QUAM AND SCOTT CAMPBELL which is , not coincidentally , 84 . Similarly , County , Texas , home to just people , delivered 66 of the vote to Hillary Clinton . County is 85 . Most rural counties in the United States , however , are predominantly white , and lean heavily Republican . Wayne County , Illinois , where Donald Trump received 84 of the vote , is 98 white . As mentioned above , Wayne is one of the ninety Illinois counties , mainly rural and white , won by Trump . In California , Donald Trump failed to receive even a third of the statewide vote , but cruised with 72 of the vote in County , which is located in the remote , rural northeastern corner of the state . In addition to being whiter than the national average , rural areas also tend to be older and have a lower percentage of college graduates . They also tend to adhere to traditional views of cultural , religious , and social issues , all of which favor Republicans . Unlike big and complex cities that highlight societal , life in rural areas often features a good deal of personal independence . State and federal governments are often seen as a distant nuisance , at best . Many rural voters prefer that problems be solved by families , churches , or local government . This also very much favors Republicans . Created by Andre from Noun . The Suburbs are Increasingly Competitive Like North Carolina , Virginia used to be a solidly conservative , but it has drifted toward the political center in recent years . It now leans Democratic in presidential elections , and a major part of that shift has come from northern Virginia , in the suburbs of Washington , The suburbs have traditionally been white and middle or . As a result , they have also traditionally been predominantly Republican . That is changing . Suburban Republicans often do not share some of the deeply conservative values of rural Republicans . On cultural , environmental , and social issues , as well as on the issue of immigration , suburban voters tend to be relatively moderate . The suburbs are also becoming more ethnically diverse . Most importantly , suburbs tend to have very high concentrations of voters . All of these trends favor Democrats . While suburban voters are unlikely to flock to extremely liberal candidates anytime soon , they are increasingly turned off by extremely conservative candidates as well . Donald Trump , in particular , has become deeply unpopular in the suburbs , particularly among women . In 2016 , Donald Trump won the suburban vote , 49 to 45 . Polls in have him losing 60 to 35 , a massive collapse . Suburban counties will be among the most closely watched in the 2020 election .
NORTH AMERICA POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY I 161 Did You Know ?
Missouri , now a reliably red state , was once the ultimate swing state . In the Century , Missouri voted for the winner in all but one presidential election . In 1956 , Missouri was won by Illinois Governor , who lost the general election to President Dwight Eisenhower .