The fall of the Republican Party in California.
I'm not totally sure about that. First off, it was a 59/41 win, which was a better margin than Pete Wilson's re-election that year.
I think a lot of the Republican fall had to do with the suburbs going blue in San Francisco and Los Angeles becoming more blue.
The comparisons between 2004 and 1984 in difference between the percentage of the Democrats nationwide and in various California counties.
Overall-
1984: 40.6% nationwide, 41.3% in California
2004: 48.3% nationwide, 54.3% in California
San Mateo-
1984: 46.9%
2004: 69.5%
Marin-
1984: 49.5%
2004: 73.2%
Santa Clara-
1984: 43.6%
2004: 63.9%
Sonoma-
1984: 47.6%
2004: 67.2%
Santa Cruz-
1984: 53.3%
2004: 73%
Los Angeles-
1984: 44.4%
2004: 63.1%
Overall, 16 California counties had shifts of 15% or more from 1984 to 2004.
And almost all the counties that voted no on 187 gave Clinton a majority. Only Santa Clara gave Clinton 49.2%
The only large counties where Mondale outperformed Kerry were Kern, Tulare, and Fresno.
Basically California was going Blue before 187, but only the lack of cohesion with the California Dems has stopped them from getting more power.
Right now, it seems like a Containment strategy is being used by California Dems against Republicans.
