http://uselectionatlas.org/TOOLS/evcalc.php
Check out that link from Dave Leip’s Political Atlas, you can make your own maps (it seems to be down as I type this cause of too many people trying to use the site). Note they use the proper color scheme which is red for DEMOCRAT. Red is the color of socialist parties the world over. This red blue thing happened by accident cause they used to rotate the colors on the map and the first time anyone cared about the map was 2000 but the media was all too eager to roll with it for future elections so as not to associate the democrats with the color of socialism. It would be easy to go along with the media and say “red” for Republican but I for one ain’t gonna. When I feel lazy I just type “GOP”, three letters just like “red”.
Anyway, Minnesota has gone the longest without voting GOP for President (72, Nixon) but losing streak aside it is NO WHERE NEAR the worst state. I fact I think 1984 was the last (and possibly only) time it was the state that gave the poorest percentage to the Republican nominee and that was only cause it was Mondale’s home state, it was not the most democrat state then nor has it ever been. Aside from “losing” (fraud) the Gubernatorial election 2010 was a good year for the MN GOP, took over both Houses of the legislature for the first time in decades.
Bush only lost it by about 4 points in 2004. If Romney is up by a decent margin it will be close and in play. There are at least a dozen states safer for Obama than Minnesota.
The most pro-Bama democrat states are in no particular order
Hawaii, his real home state which makes Illinois let alone Minnesota look Republican in comparison (there is ONE Republican left in the State Senate, ONE). Bush didn’t do too bad in 2004 but that’s cause they like incumbents. Obama got over 70% last time and will get over 60% this time. He could kill Michelle on live tv and he wouldn’t lose Hawaii.
Maryland, union dominated, lots of Black people, one of the most democrat states and showing signs of getting worse. It’s amazing to me that Bush 41 carried the state in 1988, the last time it’s gone Republican, the next time might be never.
Rhode Island, heavily democrat since they stole control of the statehouse in the 30’s (Fieldmarshaldj could tell you this story, I forget). From 1928 (it was still GOP then but heavily Catholic and the democrat Al Smith was a Catholic and he narrowly won) until now it’s voted GOP 3 times, all 3 landslide reelections of GOP incumbents (1956, 1972, 1984)
Vermont, White, rural, and historically THE most Republican state but increasingly liberal since being invaded by hippies in the 60’s. Obama won 2-1 over McCain, it was his second best state. It was also one of only 3 states where Bush did worse in 2004 than he did in 2000 when he got 40%. It’s small and less predicable than most of these other states and the local GOP is beaten down but still competitive but this is safe Obama and a good candidate to give him over 60% again.
Massachusetts, with HI and RI one of the most heavily democrat states. Romney’s “home” state (one of them anyway). It will be closer with him that it would have been with another Republican but he even comes within 10 points that means Obama is going down HARD.
New York, ‘nuff said.
Cali, see above. A couple locals told me they think Romney could win there, I think they are on the pipe. 2010 results were poor.
Illinois, more likely to go against him than Cali I’d say but it would have to be a hell of a landslide. One freeper insists it will be close cause 2010 was close, I disagree.
Is that really true? An accident? Nah, I think the media planned it that way.
BTW, what did they do for the color scheme of the electoral map in the days of black-and-white TV? I was around then, but I can't recall.
Thanks Impy (for both msgs).