Why is southern New Mexico so conservative?

[publicunofficial]

New Mexico's 2nd is the only district bordering the Mexican border that's held by a Republican incumbent, and a white one at that.

Hispanics outnumber whites in the district, so I'm guessing it's because turnout is very low or the hispanics in the area are conservative enough for a Republican to win enough to carry the district.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

That district includes the bulk of 'Little Texas'.

[Sol]

It's essentially an extension of the TX panhandle. So, lots of Latinos, but awful turnout.

[nclib]

The only other non-white VAP CD's to go for Romney were:

CA-22, CA-39, FL-25, TX-22, TX-23, TX-27

[ElectionsGuy]

In Southeast New Mexico, whites are VERY conservative, essentially like Texas, and it has very low Hispanic turnout (but not uniquely low or anything). Southwestern New Mexico whites are liberal enough and there's enough Hispanics to make it slightly liberal. When the two combine together, you get a decently republican district. In Northern New Mexico, whites actually vote pretty liberal, and there's a large amount of Hispanics and Native Americans its explainable. Southeast and Eastern New Mexico though, is essentially the last extension of the South and the very conservative demographics that come with Texas and Oklahoma. The rest of the state is pretty liberal.

Another question I would like to ask is, why are whites so liberal in New Mexico when compared to Texas and Arizona? And why are they similar to Colorado whites voting patterns? Because its essentially why they voted D in the last 10 years. If New Mexico whites where more similar to Arizona whites, it would probably be a Lean R state.

[minionofmidas]

A lot of oil and gas and (modern era) coal and uranium country in New Mexico. And yeah, that does affect what party local Hispanics vote for quite apart from the massive turnout and citizenship issues (the latter an issue in Dona Ana or Little Texas but not in Northern New Mexico, whose Hispanics have pretty much all been there since before any Anglos alighted on that land.) That said, the interesting thing about Little Texas is how it's still able to swing Democratic [/i]en masse[/i], even congressionally with Harry Teague, an ability that similar areas further east have now lost. That's a prime example of how the context of state politics shapes electoral behavior.

[Sol]

In Southeast New Mexico, whites are VERY conservative, essentially like Texas, and it has very low Hispanic turnout (but not uniquely low or anything). Southwestern New Mexico whites are liberal enough and there's enough Hispanics to make it slightly liberal. When the two combine together, you get a decently republican district. In Northern New Mexico, whites actually vote pretty liberal, and there's a large amount of Hispanics and Native Americans its explainable. Southeast and Eastern New Mexico though, is essentially the last extension of the South and the very conservative demographics that come with Texas and Oklahoma. The rest of the state is pretty liberal.

Another question I would like to ask is, why are whites so liberal in New Mexico when compared to Texas and Arizona? And why are they similar to Colorado whites voting patterns? Because its essentially why they voted D in the last 10 years. If New Mexico whites where more similar to Arizona whites, it would probably be a Lean R state.

NM whites, in the northern part of the shape, are often quite liberal. I believe that Santa Fe and Taos are quite hippyish.

[minionofmidas]

Of course, and parts of Albuquerque as well. (Fitting for a metropolis in the middle of the state, Albuquerque has both North New Mexico type and Arizona type Whites, and both North New Mexico descendant and "normal" Mexican Hispanics.)

Oh and see that D county in the Southwest on the 2004 map? Silver City.