Most Obama/Clinton/Edwards Counties in Democratic Primary 2008

[HAnnA MArin County]

Here they are. Some of the most Obama counties in the primaries turned out to be the most Democratic counties in each state, but not all of the Clinton counties turned out to be the most Republican counties in each state in the general election.

Alabama Primary
*Obama: Macon County (O 82.91, C 18.67 = O + 64.24)
*Clinton: Winston County (C 84.72, O 12.08 = C + 72.64)

Alaska Caucus
*Obama won every borough/precinct in the Alaska Democratic Caucuses, but I don't have the exact numbers. If anyone has them, feel free to post them!

Arizona Primary
*Clinton: Yuma County (C 60.67, O 27.19, E 9.15 = C + 33.48)
*Obama: Coconino County (O 53.20, C 40.53, E 2.99 = O + 12.67)

Arkansas Primary
*Clinton: Clay County (C 88.57, O 7.64 = C + 80.93)
*Obama: Crittenden County (O 51.44, C 46.78 = O + 4.66)

California Primary
*Clinton: Imperial County (C 69.33, O 25.10, E 3.41 = C + 44.23)
*Obama: Marin County (O 56.51, C 37.89, E 4.16 = O + 18.62)

Colorado Caucus
*Obama: San Miguel County (O 86.05, C 13.44 = O + 72.61)
*Clinton: Kit Carson County (C 64.20, O 27.16, Uncommitted 8.64 = C + 37.04)

Connecticut Primary
*Obama: Litchfield County (O 51.51, C 45.30 = O + 6.21)
*Clinton: Windham County (C 52.95, O 42.85 = C + 10.10)

Delaware Primary
*Obama: New Castle County (O 56.49, C 39.69, Biden 2.67 = O + 16.80)
*Clinton: Sussex County (C 52.73, O 40.18, Biden 4.08 = C + 12.55)

Florida Primary
*Clinton: Charlotte County (C 60.26, O 20.44, E 16.44 = C + 39.82)
*Obama: Gadsden County (O 55.37, C 25.72, E 15.40 = O + 29.65)
*Edwards: Holmes County (E 49.31, C 30.27, O 10.80, Richardson 4.41 = E + 19.04)

Georgia Primary
*Obama: Clayton County (O 81.97, C 16.82 = O + 65.15)
*Clinton: Murray County (C 81.26, O 13.99, E 3.78 = C + 67.27)

Hawaii Caucus
*Obama: Maui County (O 77.83, C 21.59 = O + 56.24)
*Clinton: None

Idaho - Caucus
*Obama: Clark County (O 100.00, C 0.00 = O + 100.00)
*Clinton: Lewis County (C 58.82, O 41.16 = C + 17.66)

Idaho - Primary
*Obama: Blaine County (O 75.06, C 21.43, Uncommitted 3.13 = O + 53.63)
*Clinton: Oneida County (C 55.41, O 39.19, Uncommitted 4.05 = C + 16.22)

Illinois Primary
*Obama: Champaign County (O 73.73, C 23.87 = O + 49.86)
*Clinton: Hardin County (C 53.79, O 33.09 = C + 20.70)

Indiana Primary
*Clinton: Scott County (C 78.25, O 21.75 = C + 56.50)
*Obama: Marion County (O 67.26, C 32.74 = O + 34.52)

Iowa Caucus
*Obama: Johnson County (O 52.34, E 23.98, C 20.47 = O + 28.36)
*Edwards: Davis County (E 59.20, C 22.40, O 16.80 = E + 36.80)
*Clinton: Mills County (C 42.22, E 28.89, O 26.67 = C + 13.33)

Kansas Caucus
*Although it's not on the site, Hillary won three counties in the Kansas Caucuses: Linn, Miami and Franklin. Sixteen counties tied between Clinton and Obama, while Obama won all the others.

Kentucky Primary
*Clinton: Magoffin County (C 92.98, O 5.00 = C + 87.98)
*Obama: Jefferson County (O 52.87, C 44.41 = O + 8.46)

Louisiana Primary
*Obama: Orleans Parish (O 75.36, C 22.49 = O + 52.77)
*Clinton: Cameron Parish (C 69.42, O 18.41, E 7.64, R 2.81 = C + 51.01)

Maine Caucus
*Obama: Hancock County (O 72.29, C 25.90 = O + 46.39)
*Clinton: Aroostook County (C 61.43, O 38.10 = C + 23.33)

Maryland Primary
*Obama: Prince George's County (O 78.89, C 19.73 = O + 59.16)
*Clinton: Cecil County (C 59.09, O 32.78 = C + 26.31)

Massachusetts Primary
*Clinton: Bristol County (C 68.77, O 28.00 = C + 40.77)
*Obama: Nantucket County (O 59.75, C 37.79 = O + 21.96)

Michigan Primary
*Clinton: Menominee County (C 71.32, O/Uncommitted 22.89, Kucinich 3.95 = C + 48.43)
*Obama/Uncommitted: Emmet County (O/Un 48.94, C 45.01, K 4.83 = O/Un + 3.93)

Minnesota Caucus
*Obama: Cook County (O 74.68, C 23.08 = O + 51.60)
*Clinton: Traverse County (C 62.69, O 37.31 = C + 25.38)

Mississippi Primary
*Obama: Jefferson County (O 87.96, C 11.01 = O + 76.95)
*Clinton: Tishomingo County (C 82.44, O 13.06, E 2.98 = C + 69.38)

Missouri Primary
*Obama: St. Louis City (O 71.09, C 27.25 = O + 43.84)
*Clinton: Dunklin County (C 78.44, O 18.31 = C + 60.13)

Montana Primary
*Obama: Big Horn County (O 78.09, C 20.54 = O + 57.55)
*Clinton: Deer Lodge County (C 58.83, O 38.32 = C + 20.51)

Nebraska Caucus
*Obama: Gosper County (O 100.00, C 0.00 = O + 100.00)
*Clinton: Thomas County (C 100.00, O 0.00 = C + 100.00)

Nebraska Primary
*Obama: Loup County (O 65.38, C 30.77, Gravel 3.85 = O + 34.61)
*Clinton: Kimball County (C 71.30, O 26.96 = C + 44.34)

Nevada Caucus
*Clinton: Lincoln County (C 58.57, O 25.71, E 14.29 = C + 32.86)
*Obama: Esmeralda County (O 62.86, C 25.71, Uncommitted 8.57, E 2.86 = O + 37.15)

New Hampshire Primary
*Clinton: Coos County (C 42.30, O 28.69, E 21.61, R 4.67 = C + 13.61)
*Obama: Grafton County (O 45.17, C 31.65, E 15.67, R 4.95 = O + 13.52)

New Jersey Primary
*Clinton: Ocean County (C 63.87, O 32.63, E 2.60 = C + 31.24)
*Obama: Essex County (O 56.51, C 42.39 = O + 14.12)

New Mexico Primary
*Clinton: Harding County (C 76.70, O 20.39 = C + 56.31)
*Obama: Los Alamos County (O 59.40, C 37.43 = O + 21.97)

New York Primary
*Clinton: Jefferson County (C 74.11, O 22.69 = C + 51.42)
*Obama: Tompkins County (O 57.50, C 39.51 = O + 17.99)

North Carolina Primary
*Obama: Durham County (O 75.46, C 23.20 = O + 52.26)
*Clinton: Graham County (C 77.36, O 17.73, Uncommitted 3.22 = C + 59.63)

North Dakota Caucus
*Although it's not on the site, Hillary won two counties - Towner and Rolette - while Obama won every other county.

Ohio Primary
*Clinton: Scioto County (C 81.26, O 16.24, E 2.50 = C + 65.02)
*Obama: Hamilton County (O 63.04, C 36.27 = O + 26.77)

Oklahoma Primary
*Clinton: Mayes County (C 69.53, O 17.82, E 9.61 = C + 51.71)
*Obama: Oklahoma County (O 48.19, C 44.18, E 5.56 = O + 4.01)

Oregon Primary
*Obama: Benton County (O 69.15, C 30.24 = O + 38.91)
*Clinton: Morrow County (C 60.17, O 36.91, Write-ins 2.92 = C + 23.26)

Pennsylvania Primary
*Clinton: Fayette County (C 78.82, O 21.18 = C + 57.64)
*Obama: Philadelphia County (O 65.20, C 34.80 = O + 30.40)

Rhode Island Primary
*Clinton: Kent County (C 60.90, O 37.80 = C + 23.10)
*Obama: None

South Carolina Primary
*Obama: Marion County (O 72.19, C 14.88, E 12.25 = O + 57.31)
*Clinton: Horry County (C 38.57, O 33.00, E 28.01 = C + 5.57)
*Edwards: Oconee County (E 44.83, C 28.99, O 25.93 = E + 15.84)

South Dakota Primary
*Clinton: Grant County (C 69.77, O 30.23 = C + 39.54)
*Obama: Todd County (O 63.09, C 36.91 = O + 26.18)

Tennessee Primary
*Clinton: Grundy County (C 85.79, O 7.06, E 5.42 = C + 78.73)
*Obama: Shelby County (O 69.91, C 28.48 = O + 34.90)

Texas Primary
*Clinton: Starr County (C 82.63, O 16.32 = C + 66.31)
*Obama: Waller County (O 66.97, C 32.07 = O + 34.90)

Utah Primary
*Obama: Rich County (O 66.15, C 21.54, E 7.69, R 3.08 = O + 44.61)
*Clinton: Beaver County (C 54.51, O 32.71, E 10.53 = C + 21.80)

Vermont Primary
*Obama: Orange County (O 64.31, C 33.62 = O + 30.69)
*Clinton: None

Virginia Primary
*Obama: Petersburg City (O 84.44, C 14.72 = O + 69.72)
*Clinton: Buchanan County (C 89.91, O 9.09 = C + 80.82)

Washington Caucus
*Obama: Garfield County (O 100.00, C 0.00 = O + 100.00)
*Clinton: None

Washington Primary
*Obama: San Juan County (O 67.20, C 27.51 = O + 39.69)
*Clinton: Cowlitz County (C 55.57, O 40.83 = C + 14.74)

West Virginia Primary
*Clinton: Mingo County (C 87.60, O 7.98, E 4.42 = C + 79.62)
*Obama: None

Wisconsin Primary
*Obama: Dane County (O 67.50, C 31.26 = O + 36.24)
*Clinton: Douglas County (C 56.32, O 42.03 = C + 14.29)

Wyoming Caucus
*Obama: Teton County (O 79.91, C 20.09 = O + 59.82)
*Clinton: Converse County (C 58.20, O 39.34 = C + 18.86)

[HAnnA MArin County]

Nice work   Although Obama's best WA county was actually San Juan (67.20-27.51 = +39.69)

Thanks, Alcon it's been changed.

[HAnnA MArin County]

Obama's top Election District in Alaska was District 10, which Obama won 84.81% to 15.19%, which was apparently for Uncommitted. Hillary's best District was #37, which she only lost by 43.93%-56.07%.

Also, in Kansas, there was no true vote by county, the only vote was by state senate district and congressional district, though county votes could be inferred. The only district Hillary won was the 1st CD portion of State Senate District 18, which she took 52.25-47.8% over Obama. Obama's best was State Senate District 4, which he won 93.5%-6.5%.

Thanks for the information! Do you have all the numbers/data for the Alaska and Kansas caucuses? You wouldn't by chance have the data for North Dakota, would you? If so, I'd love to see it!

I don't like caucuses because I feel like they are too disenfranchising to voters, and yes, I would say the same thing had Hillary won all the caucus states and Obama won all the primary states. Not everyone understands how a caucus works (myself included), whereas everyone knows how to go into a polling place, pick up a piece of paper and blacken in a bubble to vote for your candidate in a primary. I'm glad Missouri has a primary because I'm not for sure if I'd want to vote in a caucus. They seem too disorganized and undemocratic for my own personal taste.

[HAnnA MArin County]

Some of the most Obama counties in the primaries turned out to be the most Democratic counties in each state, but not all of the Clinton counties turned out to be the most Republican counties in each state in the general election.
 

Not surprising. The demographics that went solidly for Obama in the primary did so again in the general. However, the counties that went solidly for Clinton tend to still have a good number of Democrats (many of which would still vote Obama in the general) so that the primary was well attended and campaigned. The Clinton list may actually look more similar to the counties with the highest anti-Obama swings in their state.

Only one way to find out.

Here are the swings in the strongest Hillary counties by state, as listed above, in order from most anti-Obama to most pro-Obama, I guess you could say. Counties won by Edwards are colored in blue. I also included the congressional district each county is in.

1. Grundy Co., TN (R + 26.61) .. TN-04 (Lincoln Davis, D)
2. Cameron Parish, LA (R + 25.99) .. LA-07 (Charles Boustany, R)
3. Mingo Co., WV (R + 24.92) .. WV-03 (Nick Rahall, D)
4. Clay Co., AR (R + 22.58) .. AR-01 (Marion Berry, D)
5. Tishomingo Co., MS (R + 20.54) .. MS-01 (Travis Childers, D)
6. Buchanan Co., VA (R + 13.29) .. VA-09 (Rick Boucher, D)
7. Mayes Co., OK (R + 10.20) .. OK-02 (Dan Boren, D)
8. Holmes Co., FL (R + 9.41) .. FL-01 (Jeff Miller, R)
9. Fayette Co., PA (R + 7.85) .. Mostly PA-12 (John Murtha, D); some PA-09 (Bill Shuster, R)
10. Magoffin Co., KY (R + 7.19) .. KY-05 (Harold Rogers, R)
11. Winston Co., AL (R + 6.71) .. AL-04 (Robert B. Aderholt, R)
12. Linn Co., KS (R + 6.09) .. KS-02 (Lynn Jenkins, R)
13. Dunklin Co., MO (R + 5.71)  .. MO-08 (Jo Ann Emerson, R)
14. Bristol Co., MA (R + 4.88) .. Mostly MA-04 (Barney Frank, D)
15. Scioto Co., OH (R + 2.25) .. Mostly OH-02 (Jean Schmidt, R); some OH-06 (Charlie Wilson, D)
16. Graham Co., NC (R + 1.74) .. NC-11 (Heath Shuler, D)
17. Thomas Co., NE (R + 1.16) .. NE-03 (Adrian M. Smith, R)
- - This is where all the anti-Obama swings ends - -
18. Oconee Co., SC (D + 0.30) .. SC-03 (J. Gresham Barrett, R)
19. Murray Co., GA (D + 0.31) .. GA-09 (Nathan Deal, R)
20. Douglas Co., WI (D + 1.10) .. WI-07 (David Obey, D)
21. Horry Co., SC (D + 1.14) .. SC-01 (Henry E. Brown Jr., R)
22. Davis Co., IA (D + 1.50) .. IA-02 (David Loebsack, D)
23. Converse Co., WY (D + 2.09) .. WY-AL (Cynthia Lummis, R)
24. Yuma Co., AZ (D + 2.24) .. AZ-07 (Raul M. Grijalva, D)
25. Ocean Co., NJ (D + 2.85) .. Mostly NJ-03 (John Adler, D); some NJ-04 (Chris Smith, R)
26. Harding Co., NM (D + 3.13) .. NM-03 (Ben Lujan, D)
27. Aroostook Co., ME (D + 4.27) .. ME-02 (Michael Michaud, D)
28. Hardin Co., IL (D + 4.30) .. IL-19 (John Shimkus, R)
29. Charlotte Co., FL (D + 5.53) .. Mostly FL-16 (Tom Rooney, R)
30. Kent Co., RI (D + 5.69) .. RI-02 (James Langevin, D)
31. Beaver Co., UT (D + 5.93) .. Mostly UT-03 (Jason Chaffetz, R)
32. Murrow Co., OR (D + 5.97) .. OR-02 (Greg Walden, R)
33. Jefferson Co., NY (D + 5.99) .. NY-23 (Bill Owens, D)
34. Miami Co., KS (D + 6.12) .. KS-02 (Lynn Jenkins, R)
35. Cecil Co., MD (D + 6.33) .. MD-01 (Frank M. Kratovil Jr., D)
36. Lewis Co., ID (D + 6.36) .. ID-01 (Walt Minnick, D)
37. Oneida Co., ID (D + 7.50) .. ID-02 (Michael Simpson, R)
38. Traverse Co., MN (D + 7.74) .. MN-07 (Collin Peterson, D)
39. Franklin Co., KS (D + 7.79) .. KS-02 (Lynn Jenkins, R)
40. Cowlitz Co., WA (D + 7.86) .. WA-03 (Brian Baird, D)
41. Windham Co., CT (D + 8.22) .. CT-02 (Joe Courtney, D)
42. Scott Co., IN (D + 9.23) .. IN-09 (Baron Hill, D)
43. Kimball Co., NE (D + 9.86) .. NE-03 (Adrian M. Smith, R)
44. Lincoln Co., NV (D + 10.20) .. NV-02 (Dean Heller, R)
45. Kit Carson Co., CO (D + 12.06) .. CO-04 (Betsy Markey, D)
46. Sussex Co., DE (D + 13.16) .. DE-AL (Michael Castle, R)
47. Menominee Co., MI (D + 15.57) .. MI-01 (Bart Stupak, D)
48. Coos Co., NH (D + 15.59) .. NH-02 (Paul Hodes, D)
49. Mills Co., IA (D + 15.81) .. IA-05 (Steve King, R)
50. Deer Lodge Co., MT (D + 15.99) .. MT-AL (Denny Rehberg, R)
51. Towner Co., ND (D + 17.74) .. ND-AL (Earl Pomeroy, D)
52. Imperial Co., CA (D + 20.11) .. CA-51 (Bob Filner, D)
53. Rolette Co., ND (D + 23.03) .. ND-AL (Earl Pomeroy, D)
54. Starr Co., TX (D + 23.55) .. TX-28 (Henry Cuellar, D)

[HAnnA MArin County]

It wasn't Hillary's best county in Missouri but it neighbors Dunklin County in the Bootheel, and still went pretty strongly for her (70.83%). Pemiscot County swung the most anti-Obama (R + 13.38) in 2008, and I am more than certain that race played a key part in why this was.

First, you have to examine how strongly Democratic Pemiscot County is. Located in the impoverished Bootheel of Southeast Missouri, the county is the third poorest county in Missouri (median household income was only $26,992 as adjusted for inflation in 2008 dollars) and one of, if not the, most heavily black counties in Missouri (26.23% African American, according to 2000 U.S. Census data). All of the local/county offices in Pemiscot are held by Democrats, and a Democrat represents Pemiscot County in the Missouri House of Representatives.

With a county as heavily Democratic and African American as Pemiscot County, Barack Obama should have easily carried this county, but instead, Pemiscot County swung the farthest away from Obama than did any other county in Missouri. Even the state's more traditionally Republican counties in the socially conservative Southwest Missouri all swung more Democratic.

The data from the election in 2008 in Pemiscot County paints a grim picture of why I think race was the main reason why Barack Obama didn't win Pemiscot County. Pemiscot County was also the only county in Missouri that was won by George Wallace, the pro-segregationist independent candidate, in 1968.

Pemiscot County Results
President: John McCain (R) 56.11 - Barack Obama (D) 42.98 = R + 13.13
Governor: Jay Nixon (D) 60.50 - Kenny Hulshof (R) 37.26 = D + 23.24
Lt. Governor: Sam Page (D) 50.42 - Peter Kinder (R) 47.29 = D + 3.13
Secretary of State: Robin Carnahan (D) 63.76 - Mitch Hubbard (R) 34.06 = D + 29.70
Attorney General: Chris Koster (D) 55.06 - Mike Gibbons (R) 44.94 = D + 10.12
State Treasurer: Clint Zweifel (D) 54.75 - Brad Lager (R) 43.30 = D + 11.45

Pemiscot County also gave Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R) her smallest margin of victory in 2008 over challenger Joe Allen (D), 62.43% to 36.14%.

My main conclusion is that race probably played a factor as to why Dunklin County, as well as the other counties in the Bootheel (Pemiscot, Mississippi and New Madrid) swung away from Obama in 2008. These four counties are heavily Democratic at the local and state levels with substantial African American presences and are among the poorest counties in Missouri that voted more Democratic than many of the other more rural counties in Missouri for state executive offices but less Democratic at the presidential level.