Bannock County, ID

[I'm Not a Witch]

What's up with this county? It seems to be somewhat of an anomaly in how unusually Democratic is it (in Idaho standards). It is in no way a Democratic stronghold like Blaine County, or one of the other top-tier Democratic-leaning counties like Teton and Latah, but it does seem to be one of the most Democratic friendly counties in Eastern Idaho. Here are some recent election results in Bannock County.

Governor - 2010
Butch Otter (R) 48.01
Keith Allred (D) 45.06
Jana M. Kemp (I) 4.83

President - 2008
John McCain (R) 54.62
Barack Obama (D) 41.74
Ralph Nader (I) 1.37

Governor - 2006
Jerry Brady (D) 52.72
Butch Otter (R) 43.30

In the heavily GOP-dominated Idaho state legislature, Bannock County is completed represented by Democrats.

Idaho House
District 30: Roy Lacey (D-Pocatello)
Elaine Smith (D-Pocatello)

Idaho Senate
District 29: Diane Bilyeu (D-Pocatello)
District 30: Edgar Malepeai (D-Pocatello)

Analyzing the county even more, I found this on the Wikipedia page, which may explain it:

Like other Eastern Idaho counties, Bannock County has a significant Mormon population which strongly tends to vote Republican. However, a substantial trade union presence in the county - as well as the Idaho State University community - often gives Democrats an overall advantage, especially in local races. Bannock County routinely elects more Democrats than Republicans to county-level offices. The last Democratic candidate for President to win the county was Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, although subsequent Republican victories have been by smaller margins than those in neighboring counties.


Any Idaho residents on here familiar with the politics of Pocatello/Bannock County to give us some home-field insight into why this county is so unlike the other staunchly red counties it borders?

[SvenssonRS]

That whole circle of the country seems to be like that. It's very near Teton County, Wyoming, which is an anomaly by the state's standard's in that it's liberal central.

[Invisible Obama]

I think the bit about trade unions and Idaho State about sums up why Democrats run well there.

[Verily]

I would assume it's a lot like Salt Lake County or the smaller Grand and Carbon Counties. Once you're in Mormon country, every single non-Mormon votes Democratic, and Bannock has a lot of non-Mormons.

[TheDeadFlagBlues]

It's all about its working class nature and unionism. The university is the main reason why Democrats haven't completely collapsed in the county since the passage of Right to Work laws and the death of Idaho's union tradition. Even still I'd expect that it'd be slightly more Democratic than the surrounding counties.

The main reason why Allred did so well in Bannock County has to do with his Mormonism and his southern Idaho origins.

Other fun fact: Idaho Mormons are the most Republican of Mormons and have been stalwart GOPers since the early 1900s. Until fairly recently they have had near total domination within the Republican Party here.

[Californian Tony]

Governor - 2010
Butch Otter (R) 48.01
Keith Allred (D) 45.06
Jana M. Kemp (I) 4.83

President - 2008
John McCain (R) 54.62
Barack Obama (D) 41.74
Ralph Nader (I) 1.37

Governor - 2006
Jerry Brady (D) 52.72
Butch Otter (R) 43.30

Use the right colors please.

[Hashemite]

That whole circle of the country seems to be like that. It's very near Teton County, Wyoming, which is an anomaly by the state's standard's in that it's liberal central.

Counties directly surrounding Bannock voted McCain with anywhere from 61 to 84%. And the whole of eastern Idaho save Teton is the most solidly Republican area in the state.

[realisticidealist]

Bannock County, ID is nothing like Teton County, WY. Teton County, ID and especially Blaine County, ID are, but not Bannock. Bannock is more like Shoshone County, ID plus Mormons.

[bgwah]

Eh, EMD mostly covered it. A old union county that has some lingering remnants of the Democratic Party thanks to Idaho State University. Locally, the area was dominated by Democrats until the mid-90s, IIRC.