tn 1984

[WalterMitty]

ive asked this question before but ive never gotten a clear expert.

why did reagan under-perform in tn in 1984?  he did worse than his national number there...and he certainly did worse than the southern average.

im baffled.

[Fuzzy]

Because of the TVA? 

[Vasall des Midas]

Mondale did relatively decent among rural working class Democrats; the "Reagan Democrats" were urban/inner suburban. We mostly think of coal country when we remember that, but it's true of TVA Country as well.

[Progressive Realist]

Mondale did relatively decent among rural working class Democrats; the "Reagan Democrats" were urban/inner suburban. We mostly think of coal country when we remember that, but it's true of TVA Country as well.

And the overhyped "Reagan Democrats" were more upwardly mobile, middle-class or nearly middle-class voters in the cities and suburbs.