I'll believe it when I see it, but I'd have to believe the SUBURBS of Chicago are more GOP-friendly than the suburbs of Baltimore...
I was thinking the same thing; Chicago's suburbs are not like they were 20-30 years ago in friendliness to the GOP, but I definitely think they're a lot more friendly to the GOP than Baltimore's surrounding environs.
The Baltimore suburbs are not exactly Democratic, especially not at the federal level. Carroll and Howard are more Republican than any of the collar counties, and my impression from a distance is that they are still kinda "Southern" in many ways, moreso than the DC suburbs..
I think you meant to say Harford.
Howard County is the most Democratic county in the Baltimore metro area; Romney at least broke 40% in Baltimore County. Last time a Republican won Howard County was in 1988; same time when the suburbs of Baltimore last went Republican. I agree that Carroll and Harford are extremely Republican on every level and way more Republican than any county in Chicagoland currently.
Compare that with Chicagoland which, until 2008, Republicans were winning every county in the metro area (save Cook and Lake, Indiana).
And are now not expected to win any of the collar counties sub McHenry and possibly DuPage. Things change.
Not to mention that Lake and Will Counties have ALWAYS been swing counties. Voting for Bush twice does not mean that they were solid GOP counties before 2008, especially since it was razor thin in 2000.
