So it looks like Minnesota will be the state closest to the national pop. vote

[Figueira]

And New Hampshire, the most second-most Republican state just 28 years ago, is also very close to the national popular vote.

[Figueira]

Just 32 years? That's an eternity, politically-speaking.

Haha, true. Most people consider it a solid blue state though, so it's still interesting IMO.

People have this weird obsession with how long states have voted for a particular party. I don't get why whether a state voted for Dukakis or not has any bearing on how they would vote today.

One thing I'm wondering though is why northeastern Minnesota still voted for Clinton. I get Duluth, but what about, say, Cook County? Is it a Midwestern version of Vermont or something?

[Figueira]

I'm thinking Hillary was just a bad fit with white Midwestern voters and a different candidate will return it to its norm as a solid blue state.

If they start nominating candidates who are a better fit.

In retrospect, it's crazy that Hillary won the Iowa caucus.

She was up against a 74-year old socialist. The fact that Bernie did as well as he did is only a testament to Hillary's weaknesses.

One thing I'm wondering though is why northeastern Minnesota still voted for Clinton. I get Duluth, but what about, say, Cook County? Is it a Midwestern version of Vermont or something?

That's the "Iron Range" part of the state. There are tons of iron deposits in this area, so the main industry is mining, which results in it being heavily unionized. That iron is shipped out of a port in Duluth at the western tip of Lake Superior in Saint Louis County. But Trump made a massive improvement over Mitt Romney here - Obama crushed Romney here while Trump was competitive.

Cook County, MN, barely swung towards Trump. The results there were almost the same as 2012.

[Figueira]

How did Tom Emmer's district vote?

[Figueira]

I'm thinking Hillary was just a bad fit with white Midwestern voters and a different candidate will return it to its norm as a solid blue state.

If they start nominating candidates who are a better fit.

In retrospect, it's crazy that Hillary won the Iowa caucus.

She was up against a 74-year old socialist. The fact that Bernie did as well as he did is only a testament to Hillary's weaknesses.

One thing I'm wondering though is why northeastern Minnesota still voted for Clinton. I get Duluth, but what about, say, Cook County? Is it a Midwestern version of Vermont or something?

That's the "Iron Range" part of the state. There are tons of iron deposits in this area, so the main industry is mining, which results in it being heavily unionized. That iron is shipped out of a port in Duluth at the western tip of Lake Superior in Saint Louis County. But Trump made a massive improvement over Mitt Romney here - Obama crushed Romney here while Trump was competitive.

Cook County, MN, barely swung towards Trump. The results there were almost the same as 2012.

Cook county is very nearly empty... and the few people who do live there tend to be baby boomer granola grazers.

There's not much there... except woods... and the lake.  It's absolutely gorgeous in the fall.



As for the state going GOP:  If economic populist/socially ambiguous is the new norm for the GOP, then maybe it will.  But if the "gut it, cut it, drown it in a tub" wing continues, as it will, then it probably won't.

Ah, so it is a Midwestern version of Vermont, then.