what are some of the traditional political divides within states

[cope1989]

Here's a cool map of metro Atlanta in 2008



As you can see, there's a core base of democratic support in the city of Atlanta and the inner southern suburbs. This is where there's a ton of black voters and hipster liberals. Then it gets interesting as that blue sort of fans out in all directions from the city along the interstates- this is also where a lot of minority voters live. Then, as you get farther out into the outer suburbs it becomes almost blood red. These areas are white and conservative, and people there only go into the city for Braves games and concerts. And god forbid MARTA tries to expand into their communities.

In terms of areas outside ATL that are white and liberal, you'll really only find that in areas of Dekalb county like Decatur and a few scattered areas of North Fulton where a lot of wealthy northeastern transplants have put down roots.

For the most part, there aren't really any swingy regions in the metro area. The Democratic regions are super, super democrat, and the Republican regions are almost maniacally loyal to the GOP.

[ModerateCoward]

Here's a cool map of metro Atlanta in 2008



As you can see, there's a core base of democratic support in the city of Atlanta and the inner southern suburbs. This is where there's a ton of black voters and hipster liberals. Then it gets interesting as that blue sort of fans out in all directions from the city along the interstates- this is also where a lot of minority voters live. Then, as you get farther out into the outer suburbs it becomes almost blood red. These areas are white and conservative, and people there only go into the city for Braves games and concerts. And god forbid MARTA tries to expand into their communities.

In terms of areas outside ATL that are white and liberal, you'll really only find that in areas of Dekalb county like Decatur and a few scattered areas of North Fulton where a lot of wealthy northeastern transplants have put down roots.

For the most part, there aren't really any swingy regions in the metro area. The Democratic regions are super, super democrat, and the Republican regions are almost maniacally loyal to the GOP.

as is tradition (in the South).

[GM Griffin]

I assumed this was more of a national/Presidential discussion on state divides. There are levels to how the regions in Georgia vote depending on whether it's local, state or national. For example, Chattooga County, Georgia still hasn't had a Republican elected to local office. They continue to support Democrats at the state and national level by larger margins despite being surrounded by staunch Republicanism, but the area will probably never vote for a Democratic president again. It's an isolated, older community. This would be a more accurate display of local/state trends:

Wow, are there any other counties like this? Even more remarkable as a 67% McCain county.

The general area surrounding it is similar, but I'm not sure as to whether or not Republicans have been elected in other surrounding counties. Polk, Haralson and Floyd Counties all have much stronger Democratic tendencies at the local and state levels than the surrounding areas. If you look back a few decades - especially across the state line into Alabama - you can see where there was once a large, rural Democratic voting bloc that still somewhat retains its characteristics.

[nclib]

NC and VA also have somewhat of an east-west divide with a heavily black and democrat tidewater area and a more republican mountainous western area

In NC, this has more to do with race than ideology. There are very few white liberals east of I-95 except right on the coast. Next week, it will be interesting to see the anti-gay marriage (and civil union, etc., but I digress) map, I bet the anti-gay support will be stronger east of the Triangle than in the mouintains.

[freepcrusher]

Here's a cool map of metro Atlanta in 2008




In terms of areas outside ATL that are white and liberal, you'll really only find that in areas of Dekalb county like Decatur and a few scattered areas of North Fulton where a lot of wealthy northeastern transplants have put down roots.

yep that area has probably the largest concentration of jews in the south (except for the tri county area).

[Chaddyr23]

Woah that Meto Atlanta pic was pretty cool. I had to save it to my desktop.

[Joe Republic]

It is a nice map, but a shame the colors are all wrong.

[BaldEagle1991]

Cook, Carbondale, and East St. Louis Democratic

According to this map Obama is in trouble on his home turf.

[Is JCL in mushy sappy love]

Indiana just has the Democratic enclaves of Gary-Hammond-East Chicago, Indianapolis, and Bloomington. The most Republicn is CD's 2-6 which include everything from Fort Wayne in the northeast to Kokomo, Frankfort, Montecello, in the central and Carmel-Westfield in the south. As for southern Indiana Terre Haute and Bloomington are the Democrat enclaves with most of the rest as lean to solid R. This could change (and not in Obama's favor after yesterday's support of gay marriage)

[Californian Tony]

Cook, Carbondale, and East St. Louis Democratic

According to this map Obama is in trouble on his home turf.

Not necessarily : Pat Quinn did win with roughly this map.

[cope1989]

Here's a cool map of metro Atlanta in 2008



As you can see, there's a core base of democratic support in the city of Atlanta and the inner southern suburbs. This is where there's a ton of black voters and hipster liberals. Then it gets interesting as that blue sort of fans out in all directions from the city along the interstates- this is also where a lot of minority voters live. Then, as you get farther out into the outer suburbs it becomes almost blood red. These areas are white and conservative, and people there only go into the city for Braves games and concerts. And god forbid MARTA tries to expand into their communities.

In terms of areas outside ATL that are white and liberal, you'll really only find that in areas of Dekalb county like Decatur and a few scattered areas of North Fulton where a lot of wealthy northeastern transplants have put down roots.

For the most part, there aren't really any swingy regions in the metro area. The Democratic regions are super, super democrat, and the Republican regions are almost maniacally loyal to the GOP.

as is tradition (in the South).

There aren't many swing voters in the deep south because of racially polarized voting. It exists in GA and it's even worse in Alabama and Mississippi. Black voters feel a strong allegiance to the Democratic party, which is true in the rest of the US. But down here, the white voters also feel a strong allegiance the the Republican party. It transcends class, income, gender and even ideology sometimes. You may hear plenty of white people down here expressing doubts about Mitt Romney, but I can almost guarantee that they will vote for him in November, simply because he's the GOP nominee.

Among a lot of whites, I think that still, even in this day and age, there is the perception that a stealth race war being fought, and with rising black population and prominence, a lot of white people are freaked out. The GOP tapped into this fear years ago and now they have a lock on this vote.

And just an FYI, I am white and was born and raised in Georgia, so I hear these sentiments a lot from white people that they might not say among mixed company.

[Ѕenator Αverroës]

Don't Democrats always win that one southeast county in IL?

I had also thought that they tend to do at least moderately well around Peoria and in Champaign County.

[Nym90]

In Michigan, the LP is roughly divided into the Democratic east and the Republican west; this holds pretty much throughout the entire peninsula. Of course, the eastern half is far more populous and so the Republicans need to win big in the Detroit suburbs to help negate this in order to win the state.

In the UP, traditionally it has been the opposite, though this is more evident in local results than national ones nowadays.

[freepcrusher]

Here's a cool map of metro Atlanta in 2008



As you can see, there's a core base of democratic support in the city of Atlanta and the inner southern suburbs. This is where there's a ton of black voters and hipster liberals. Then it gets interesting as that blue sort of fans out in all directions from the city along the interstates- this is also where a lot of minority voters live. Then, as you get farther out into the outer suburbs it becomes almost blood red. These areas are white and conservative, and people there only go into the city for Braves games and concerts. And god forbid MARTA tries to expand into their communities.

In terms of areas outside ATL that are white and liberal, you'll really only find that in areas of Dekalb county like Decatur and a few scattered areas of North Fulton where a lot of wealthy northeastern transplants have put down roots.

For the most part, there aren't really any swingy regions in the metro area. The Democratic regions are super, super democrat, and the Republican regions are almost maniacally loyal to the GOP.

as is tradition (in the South).

There aren't many swing voters in the deep south because of racially polarized voting. It exists in GA and it's even worse in Alabama and Mississippi. Black voters feel a strong allegiance to the Democratic party, which is true in the rest of the US. But down here, the white voters also feel a strong allegiance the the Republican party. It transcends class, income, gender and even ideology sometimes. You may hear plenty of white people down here expressing doubts about Mitt Romney, but I can almost guarantee that they will vote for him in November, simply because he's the GOP nominee.

Among a lot of whites, I think that still, even in this day and age, there is the perception that a stealth race war being fought, and with rising black population and prominence, a lot of white people are freaked out. The GOP tapped into this fear years ago and now they have a lock on this vote.

And just an FYI, I am white and was born and raised in Georgia, so I hear these sentiments a lot from white people that they might not say among mixed company.

the reason why Georgia whites are 3/4 republican has more to do with the type of white that is living there. Within the white community there are fewer gays, catholics, jews, seculars, singles etc who would be willing vote democratic and disproportionately straight protestant married people.

[hopper]

Here's a cool map of metro Atlanta in 2008



As you can see, there's a core base of democratic support in the city of Atlanta and the inner southern suburbs. This is where there's a ton of black voters and hipster liberals. Then it gets interesting as that blue sort of fans out in all directions from the city along the interstates- this is also where a lot of minority voters live. Then, as you get farther out into the outer suburbs it becomes almost blood red. These areas are white and conservative, and people there only go into the city for Braves games and concerts. And god forbid MARTA tries to expand into their communities.

In terms of areas outside ATL that are white and liberal, you'll really only find that in areas of Dekalb county like Decatur and a few scattered areas of North Fulton where a lot of wealthy northeastern transplants have put down roots.

For the most part, there aren't really any swingy regions in the metro area. The Democratic regions are super, super democrat, and the Republican regions are almost maniacally loyal to the GOP.

as is tradition (in the South).

There aren't many swing voters in the deep south because of racially polarized voting. It exists in GA and it's even worse in Alabama and Mississippi. Black voters feel a strong allegiance to the Democratic party, which is true in the rest of the US. But down here, the white voters also feel a strong allegiance the the Republican party. It transcends class, income, gender and even ideology sometimes. You may hear plenty of white people down here expressing doubts about Mitt Romney, but I can almost guarantee that they will vote for him in November, simply because he's the GOP nominee.

Among a lot of whites, I think that still, even in this day and age, there is the perception that a stealth race war being fought, and with rising black population and prominence, a lot of white people are freaked out. The GOP tapped into this fear years ago and now they have a lock on this vote.

And just an FYI, I am white and was born and raised in Georgia, so I hear these sentiments a lot from white people that they might not say among mixed company.

Rising Black Population? The Hispanic Population is bigger than the Black Population in the US. I agree if you want to say there is a rising Black Population in Georgia.