Why was Pennsylvania closer than New York in 1984?

[MT Treasurer]

I just noticed this. I know NY was a swing state back then, but more Republican than PA? Whoa.

[(Still) muted by Kalwejt until March 31]

Philadelphia was heavily Black (so less flexible than NYC), western Pennsylvania (which actually swung D from 1980); very strong Reagan performance upstate (including Westchester county) and on Long Island. Reagan broke 25% in Manhattan, 45% in Queens.

[blacknwhiterose]

Philadelphia was heavily Black (so less flexible than NYC), western Pennsylvania (which actually swung D from 1980); very strong Reagan performance upstate (including Westchester county) and on Long Island. Reagan broke 25% in Manhattan, 45% in Queens.

I had never noticed that either, but this pretty well nails it.  New York City is larger and more diverse (and hence, politically flexible) than Philly.  The same could perhaps happen today on the west coast with California, particularly Los Angeles and the greater SFBA  being larger and more flexible than Washington (Seattle) and Oregon (Portland).

[Figueira]

IIRC Pennsylvania voted to the left of the national average in every election from 1948 to 2012, fun fact.

[(Still) muted by Kalwejt until March 31]

IIRC Pennsylvania voted to the left of the national average in every election from 1948 to 2012, fun fact.

-From the East Coast (still protectionist) Republicanism of Thomas Dewey to the rust belt Republicanism of Donald Trump.

[SingingAnalyst]

The steel industry was hurting, and IIRC Mondale campaigned really hard in PA, particuarly Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

PA was Mondale's 5th best state; NY was his 7th (IA was 6th). I'm sure IA and PA had their share of Mondale - Trump voters.

[Liberalrocks]

The steel industry was hurting, and IIRC Mondale campaigned really hard in PA, particuarly Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

PA was Mondale's 5th best state; NY was his 7th (IA was 6th). I'm sure IA and PA had their share of Mondale - Trump voters.

This. Mondale heavily target the state. Reagan camp increased spending in Pa to hold it near the end of the campaign. Mondale proably should have campaigned harder in the Philly burbs, they were more GOP solid then, he got wiped out there and lost the state.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

Because a lot of the sorts of people we classify as "Reagan Democrats" never actually voted for Reagan.  The coal and steel lobby was still heavily invested in the Democratic party, even when Reagan made inroads there.  McCain was the first Republican to get Washington County in a presidential election since the Nixon landslide in 1972.