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Why does the press and pundits only point out that the Democrats are in trouble in the South. There are four regions of the country (well more specific ones but for the purpose of this post I will stick to four regions: East, South, Midwest, and West). Since 1984, The GOP has only one region of the country they can really depend on: the South.
Lets compare the 1976 election with that of 2000 and how the GOP did outside the south.
The East President Ford the GOP nominee in '76 won Connecticut Maine New Hampshire Vermont New Jersey
GW Bush won the following Eastern states in '00 New Hampshire (and only narrowly)
Prior to '92 the last time New Jersey, Connecticut and Vermont went Democratic was in the Johnson landslide of '64. Maine went Democratic in '68, but probably only because of Ed Muskie's presence on the Dem ticket as VP.
The Midwest: Ford carried the following states: Indiana Michigan Illinois Iowa North Dakota South Dakota Nebraska Kansas
Bush carried: Indiana Ohio North Dakota South Dakota Nebraska Kansas
**Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa have not gone GOP for president since '88, prior to '88 the last time Illinois and Iowa voted Democratic for president was in the Johnson landslide of '64. Wisconsin used to be a classic swing state but voted Republican in '60, '68, '72, '80, and '88.
The West: In '76 Ford carried every Western state except Hawaii.
In '00 Bush carried: Idaho Wyoming Montana Colorado Utah Arizona Nevada Alaska
Prior to '92 the last time the Democrats in 40 years was in the '64 Johnson landslide--same thing with Oregon.
Believe it or not these states either used to be dependable GOP states in presidential races or swing states, but now solidly democratic or lean democratic in presidential elections:
California New Jersey Connecticut Maine Vermont Illinois Michigan Wisconsin Iowa Oregon Washington
But yet the pundits only stress that the Democrats continue to lose strength in the South--overlooking the fact that the GOP has lost considerable strength in every region of the country outside of the south since the late 80's.
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