The State of the Election- 2020.

On election night, when millions of Americans turn on their TVs to watch the results unfold, the first thing they often see is Kentucky being called for the Republican candidate. Even Barack Obama, with his indomitable strength in the midwest, could barely make a dent in the Republican dominance in Kentucky in 2008; the state was called for McCain almost immediately. Although Hillary Clinton was shown to be competitive with John McCain here in 2008, Trump won all but 2 counties against her in 2016. While it's hard to imagine Joe Biden winning only 2 counties, he is not likely to improve on her margins much, if at all. How has Kentucky voted in the past, and how do the different counties/regions of (this state) vote? Kentucky, in America's modern political history, as been a predominantly Republican-leaning state in presidential elections. Although southern Democrats like Lyndon Johnson, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton were able to carry the state, Kentucky has since shifted ...

Deep in the heart of liberal New England, the Bay State has been the most resolutely Democratic state in the past 30 years. No Republican since George H.W. Bush has won a single county in a presidential election. Massachusetts is also famous for being the only state to support George McGovern in Nixon's 49 state landslide in 1972. Even in colonial times, Massachusetts has been known for its progressivism- the first shots of the American Revolution were fired here, Massachusetts was one of the first states to ban slavery, and the state is home to the most elite and prestigious colleges in the country. Massachusetts has produced numerous families who have created political dynasties- from the Adams (Samuel, John and John Quincy) family in the 1800s, to the Kennedy's and the Bush's in the 20th century. Although many Massachusetts politicians have attempted to become president, few have been successful. Perhaps curiously, no president from Massachusetts has ever been reelected...

Idaho is another state that is best known for its scenery, rather than its cities or its people. If the measure of how conservative a state is is conducted by looking at when the last time a Democrat won a statewide race, then Idaho is the most conservative state in America. North Dakota, has always had at least one Democratic Senator up until 2018. South Dakota also had a Democrat serving as Senator until 2014. Oklahoma elected and reelected a Democratic governor in 2002 and 2006, as did Wyoming. Meanwhile, it's been so long since that happened in Idaho that they have no living former Democratic governors or Senators. They are part of the midwestern bloc of states that have not voted Democratic in a presidential election since 1964, and even then, Barry Goldwater came extremely close to winning Idaho and was Johnson's smallest win. Idaho has always been called for the Republican candidate at the same time that California is declared to be in the blue column: At 11 P.M. EST, as...

West Virginia provided Trump with a 42 point win 4 years ago- his second highest margin of victory in 2016 (Wyoming was first). The impact of COVID-19 has been very mild in West Virginia, unlike most of the other states on or near the east coast. Although winning by over 40 points again would be surprising, Trump is in a good position to win every county in the state once more- something Mitt Romney accomplished in 2012 as well. Perhaps the most populist state in the union, West Virginians clearly vote on which presidential candidate is specifically better for West Virginia, more than they vote for which candidate they feel is best for America. As such, Trump's strong populist message and his "Make America Great Again" slogan reverberated deeply through the West Virginia mountains.  How has West Virginia voted in the past, and how do the different regions of West Virginia vote? Throughout the 20th century, West Virginia could be counted on to give their electoral vote...

When people hear about New York, they immediately think of the Empire State Building, or the Statue of Liberty, or the George Washington Bridge, or Times Square. However, there is a whole state located to the north, rich with forests, mountains, and lakes. New York has 62 counties, including the 5 boroughs of New York City.  How has New York voted in the past, and how do the different regions of (this state) vote? New York has been safely in the Democratic column since 1988. The growth of immigrants and minorities in the state make it among the safest states for Joe Biden, and for every Democratic nominee in the future. New York's electoral votes are declared for the Democrat as soon as the polls close. It would take too long to talk about all 62 counties individually, but there are some noteworthy counties that should be talked about. Here are the regions- And for comparison, here is the county map- New York City is the smallest region by area but the largest by populati...