North Dakota vs. Minnesota

[FerrisBueller86]

In the early 20th century, both North Dakota and Minnesota were heavily Republican.  In the 2nd half of the 20th century, North Dakota remained heavily Republican while Minnesota became one of the most heavily Democratic states.  The Democratic presidential nominee has carried Minnesota in every election starting with 1960 except for 1972.  Minnesota is the only state never carried by Reagan.  During this same period, the Republican presidential nominee has carried North Dakota in every election except for 1964.

What made North Dakota and Minnesota vote together for most elections from the late 1800s to the 1930s?  What made these two states diverge?  One would expect both states to be similar.  Both are very cold places (not good states for starting a nudist colony), and both have a large Scandinavian American population.

[WI_Dem]

I think it has something to do with the urbanization of MN versus ND and also a general shift in political philosophy as a result of the Great Depression. The same is true to a lesser extent in other Great Lakes states that voted heavily Republican earlier and then became at least swing states as a result of the Great Depression. For whatever reason, even though ND and some of the other plains states voted for FDR in '32 and '36, they flipped on him and almost never came back to the Democratic Party until '64 and haven't voted Democratic since then either.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

The two states are NOT similar. Parts of them are. But the states on a whole definately aren't.

Western Minnesota and eastern North Dakota are similar. Interestingly Fargo is considered a fairly liberal city in ND, and Moorhead right across the river is considered conservative. However they vote about the same. Things are all relative. Most of the counties along the border are similar. However, eastern Minnesota is nothing like North Dakota. ND has nothing like St. Louis county and the northeastern part of the state. And then obviously there is the Twin Cities, that being the biggest difference.

Meanwhile western North Dakota is far far more conservative than any part of Minnesota or eastern North Dakota. If you made them into one state, it'd be pretty consistent, it gets more conservative the further west you go, with some exceptions (most notably Reservations). And like said above, having the Twin Cities makes a huge difference.

[WI_Dem]

They are nothing alike now, but the original poster's point was what made them change from their similar voting patterns in the early part of the 20th century to the later part.

[memphis]

Minnesota is both a Mississippi River state and a Great Lakes state, both of which carry industry, cities, and Democratic politics. North Dakota is little more than a barren icebox that is nearly devoid of people. My hometown of Memphis, even ignoring the suburbs, has more people than the entire state of North Dakota, and I'd hardly call Memphis a big city.

[Inverted Things]

Probably the only reason MN didn't go Reagan was because of a local candidate (Mondale).

[TB]

Minnesota is both a Mississippi River state and a Great Lakes state, both of which carry industry, cities, and Democratic politics. North Dakota is little more than a barren icebox that is nearly devoid of people. My hometown of Memphis, even ignoring the suburbs, has more people than the entire state of North Dakota, and I'd hardly call Memphis a big city.

I think you guys are right. Minnesota and North Dakota are quiet different. I find the Scandinavians quiet interesting. Do they tend to be more conservative? Most of the immigrants from here were poor farmers or fishermen who had no future here. Do you have some statistics that could suggest which party the Scandinavians support? I know that there are quiet a few Danes in NE and UT as well, so I assume that they are Republicans, but I believe that the Danes in WI, MN, and IO are more likely to vote for the Democrats.

[muon2]

I agree with BRTD. The northwestern edge of MN in the Red River valley is similar in views with ND, much as southwestern MN in the upper Minnesota valley shares many similarities to eastern SD. The south and southeastern areas share a lot with IA (my family has roots in both). The Twin Cities tend to take a view of the state that ties them to the lakes of the north and northeast, even if the metro region is very different in many ways.