Posted on 06/04/2004 9:02:47 PM PDT by stainlessbanner
Most analysts say Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts could have a hard time carrying Southern states, with the possible exception of Florida. Here's a look at the region's political landscape:
NORTH CAROLINA
(15 ELECTORAL VOTES)
The most recent Democrat to carry the Tar Heel State was Jimmy Carter of Georgia who beat President Gerald Ford by 11 percentage points in 1976. The only Democrat to come close since then was Bill Clinton, who in 1992 lost to the elder President Bush, 43.4 percent to 42.7 percent. In 2000, George W. Bush easily defeated Vice President Al Gore, 56 percent to 43 percent. In the most recent statewide race, in 2002, voters put Republican Elizabeth Dole in the U.S. Senate.
FLORIDA
(27 ELECTORAL VOTES)
The state is considered part of the South by virtue of location, not culture. Clinton carried it in 1996, 48 percent to 43 percent. Bush won the fiercely contested battle in 2000. Both senators are Democrats, but Republican Jeb Bush, the president's brother, occupies the Governor's Mansion.
GEORGIA
(15 ELECTORAL VOTES)
Clinton won narrowly in 1992 but lost a close race to Republican Bob Dole in 1996. In 2000, Bush bested Gore, 55 percent to 43 percent. In 2002, Republican Saxby Chambliss was elected to the Senate and Sonny Perdue became the state's first Republican governor since Reconstruction.
VIRGINIA
(13 ELECTORAL VOTES)
In the 1980s, the state was solidly Republican, but it is more competitive now. Clinton lost by 2 percentage points in 1996. In 2000, Bush won 52 percent to 44 percent. In 2001, the state elected Democrat Mark Warner as governor.
TENNESSEE
(11 ELECTORAL VOTES)
The state had been competitive in recent cycles, with Clinton beating Dole by 2 percentage points in 1996. But in 2000, Gore lost his home state to Bush, 51 percent to 47 percent. In 2002, Republican Lamar Alexander was elected to the Senate, while Democrat Phil Bredesen was elected governor.
LOUISIANA
(9 ELECTORAL VOTES)
Clinton easily carried the state in 1996. But in 2000, Bush defeated Gore, 53 percent to 45 percent. Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu narrowly won re-election in 2002, and in 2003, voters elected another Democrat, Kathleen Blanco, as governor.
SOUTH CAROLINA
(8 ELECTORAL VOTES)
In 1968, South Carolina was the only Deep South state to vote for Republican Richard Nixon over Alabama Gov. George Wallace, who ran as an independent. Since then, South Carolina has voted for only one Democrat: Carter in 1976. In 2000, Bush beat Gore, 57 percent to 41 percent. In 2002, Republican Lindsey Graham was elected to the Senate, and Republican Mark Sanford was elected governor.
ARKANSAS
(6 ELECTORAL VOTES)
The state voted for Clinton, its native son, in 1992 and 1996, by comfortable margins. But in 2000, Bush won 51 percent to 46 percent. In 2002, Democrat Mark Pryor was elected to the Senate.
MISSISSIPPI, ALABAMA, TEXAS
(6, 9 AND 34 ELECTORAL VOTES)
Carter, in 1976, was the most recent Democrat to win these three states, which all went decisively for Bush in 2000. Republicans occupy both Senate seats and the governor's mansions in all three states.
I only live here but maybe ineffectual was mean...."not terribly exciting" might be better.
I would not quibble with his conservative credentials.
Bredesen while hardly my favorite has turned out less bad than I feared...so far.
(I donated $$ and campaigned for Van)
Yeah - me, too. Even though I don't live there anymore. I'm still betting he's gonna shoot for the State Income Tax someday.
Fingers crossed....he did well with monuments here but left a fat tab.
Purcell is much much much much worse than Phil. Cretin raised appraisals and the property tax rate at the same time....cost me bad commercially.
Phil sort of voodoo balanced the state budget and now we have the stupid lottery and still they are talking about raising college tuition.
They will never learn...the lottery just funded more freebies. TN has yet to have the Conservative "real life wake up call" my home state of Miss has had over the years....lots of upwardly mobile non-minorities here vote Dem.....Thank God for East Tennessee.
my father is a dairy farmer and a very humble man.
he listened to john kerry on tv and said, "i don't like that guy, and i'm not voting for him".
it's a matter of values. and john kerry is an elitist.
Hmm. Well - I guess I could make it up to plaza a few more times - just for old times sake, dontcha know. ;-)
Me and you both, it was warm last time around.
btt
Yes it was. What a great time I had.
Bredesen had a lot more money than Van Hilleary. He was able to run ads non-stop in East TN. As a result, Bredesen held down the GOP margins in East TN and the Nashville suburbs, while winning the RAT cities of Nashville and Memphis. Plus he also carried McWherter County (rural West TN) as well. If Bredesen could maintain this coalition, the media will touting him as a possible future Presidential candidate.
Mt wife went to book club here in Forest Hills area of Nashville.....professional class folks, mostly housewives.
Two blurted out they love Michael Moore....ugh.
Nashville has really been transformed by the migration here. They still have huge Pubbie donors here but the coaltion of blacks, indig yellow dogs, northern and la-la land libs (not all are libs btw) and now the big Mexican influx have sealed Nashville's fate...sadly.
Now the surrounding affluent counties are another story completely.
Yeah - wait 'til it's their turn in the barrel.
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