Holmes County, Florida

[Rob]

Holmes is arguably the most redneck place in Florida, a poor rural area on the Alabama line. As of 2005, it had 18,564 people- 90 percent of them white, 6 percent black, 19 percent of them below the poverty line. The biggest town is county seat Bonifay, with ~2800 people. There are lots of places like this across the South, of course, but Holmes is completely typical of Deep South white conservatism. i.e.,

1960: Kennedy 66%, Nixon 34%
1964: Goldwater 73%, Johnson 27% [Swing: R+78]                                   
1968: Wallace 87%, Nixon 7%, Humphrey 6% [Wallace's fifth-best showing in the nation]
1972: Nixon 93%, McGovern 7% [Nixon's fourth-best showing in the nation]
1976: Carter 63%, Ford 36% [Swing: D+113]
1980: Reagan 52%, Carter 45%
1984: Reagan 79%, Mondale 21%
1988: Bush 72%, Dukakis 28%
1992: Bush 49%, Clinton 29%, Perot 22%
1996: Dole 48%, Clinton 34%, Perot 18%
2000: Bush 68%, Gore 29%
2004: Bush 77%, Kerry 22% [Swing: R+16]
2008: McCain 82%, Obama 17% [Swing: R+10]

Charming. But just to make sure you don't get the wrong impression, here are the 2008 presidential primary results...

D (2,768 votes) Edwards 49%, Clinton 30%, Obama 11%, Richardson 4%
R (1,225 votes) Huckabee 35%, McCain 33%, Romney 20%, Giuliani 7%, Paul 3%

Should we laugh or cry?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Isn't the place where a principal tried some sort of crackdown on anything pro-gay and got to the point of even strip searching students for them until the state forced for him to be fired?

[Holmes]

I hate how all the counties named after me basically suck.

[Husker]

Well, if nothing else we can say that they sure as hell had a change of heart about Nixon in '72! One would have to wonder about locally elected officials in that county....

[Antonio the Sixth]

Holmes is arguably the most redneck place in Florida, a poor rural area on the Alabama line. As of 2005, it had 18,564 people- 90 percent of them white, 6 percent black, 19 percent of them below the poverty line. The biggest town is county seat Bonifay, with ~2800 people. There are lots of places like this across the South, of course, but Holmes is completely typical of Deep South white conservatism. i.e.,

1960: Kennedy 66%, Nixon 34%
1964: Goldwater 73%, Johnson 27% [Swing: R+78]                                   
1968: Wallace 87%, Nixon 7%, Humphrey 6% [Wallace's fifth-best showing in the nation]
1972: Nixon 93%, McGovern 7% [Nixon's fourth-best showing in the nation]
1976: Carter 63%, Ford 36% [Swing: D+113]
1980: Reagan 52%, Carter 45%
1984: Reagan 79%, Mondale 21%
1988: Bush 72%, Dukakis 28%
1992: Bush 49%, Clinton 29%, Perot 22%
1996: Dole 48%, Clinton 34%, Perot 18%
2000: Bush 68%, Gore 29%
2004: Bush 77%, Kerry 22% [Swing: R+16]
2008: McCain 82%, Obama 17% [Swing: R+10]

Charming. But just to make sure you don't get the wrong impression, here are the 2008 presidential primary results...

D (2,768 votes) Edwards 49%, Clinton 30%, Obama 11%, Richardson 4%
R (1,225 votes) Huckabee 35%, McCain 33%, Romney 20%, Giuliani 7%, Paul 3%

Should we laugh or cry?

Depends. If democrats however win Florida, we can laugh thinking that a Republican can win 82% in a county with losing the state. If republicans win Florida by a ridiculous margin as Bush'2000, it will certainly make me cry.

[Meeker]

Holmes is arguably the most redneck place in Florida, a poor rural area on the Alabama line. As of 2005, it had 18,564 people- 90 percent of them white, 6 percent black, 19 percent of them below the poverty line. The biggest town is county seat Bonifay, with ~2800 people. There are lots of places like this across the South, of course, but Holmes is completely typical of Deep South white conservatism. i.e.,

1960: Kennedy 66%, Nixon 34%
1964: Goldwater 73%, Johnson 27% [Swing: R+78]                                   
1968: Wallace 87%, Nixon 7%, Humphrey 6% [Wallace's fifth-best showing in the nation]
1972: Nixon 93%, McGovern 7% [Nixon's fourth-best showing in the nation]
1976: Carter 63%, Ford 36% [Swing: D+113]
1980: Reagan 52%, Carter 45%
1984: Reagan 79%, Mondale 21%
1988: Bush 72%, Dukakis 28%
1992: Bush 49%, Clinton 29%, Perot 22%
1996: Dole 48%, Clinton 34%, Perot 18%
2000: Bush 68%, Gore 29%
2004: Bush 77%, Kerry 22% [Swing: R+16]
2008: McCain 82%, Obama 17% [Swing: R+10]

Charming. But just to make sure you don't get the wrong impression, here are the 2008 presidential primary results...

D (2,768 votes) Edwards 49%, Clinton 30%, Obama 11%, Richardson 4%
R (1,225 votes) Huckabee 35%, McCain 33%, Romney 20%, Giuliani 7%, Paul 3%

Should we laugh or cry?

Depends. If democrats however win Florida, we can laugh thinking that a Republican can win 82% in a county with losing the state. If republicans win Florida by a ridiculous margin as Bush'2000, it will certainly make me cry.

You missed his point...

[Verily]

I remember how the then-Edwards supporters were so excited to be getting votes and winning counties in North Florida and were then all offended when reminded who was voting for him.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Well, if nothing else we can say that they sure as hell had a change of heart about Nixon in '72!

Not so much.  Humphrey got 6%, and McGovern got 7%.  You can put Nixon's 1968 performance at the feet of George Wallace.

[Franzl]

Well, if nothing else we can say that they sure as hell had a change of heart about Nixon in '72!

Not so much.  Humphrey got 6%, and McGovern got 7%.  You can put Nixon's 1968 performance at the feet of George Wallace.

It's not like that was a serious statement from Husker....

[JoeyJoeJoe]

I hate how all the counties named after me basically suck.

Holmes County, MS is one of the most Democratic in the state.

[DariusNJ]

By the way, what counties were George Wallace's best in the 68 election?

[Hash]

By the way, what counties were George Wallace's best in the 68 election?

Geneva County, Alabama with 91.7%. Crappy racist sh**thole in southern Alabama.

[FloridaRepublican]

By the way, what counties were George Wallace's best in the 68 election?

Geneva County, Alabama with 91.7%. Crappy racist sh**thole in southern Alabama.

Sure.  Generalize.  I think the same about New York City.

[Hyperfast]

I somewhat agree with you floridarepub. But, some people around here are racist. Geneva County and Holmes County aren't that bad.

[FloridaRepublican]

I somewhat agree with you floridarepub. But, some people around here are racist. Geneva County and Holmes County aren't that bad.

Yeah.  Just because someone doesn't vote for a democrat doesn't make them a "crappy racist" person or their county a "sh**thole".

[FloridaRepublican]

By the way, what counties were George Wallace's best in the 68 election?

Geneva County, Alabama with 91.7%. Crappy racist sh**thole in southern Alabama.

And I suppose Macon County, Alabama is much better? 86% for Obama last year.

[Smash255]

By the way, what counties were George Wallace's best in the 68 election?

Geneva County, Alabama with 91.7%. Crappy racist sh**thole in southern Alabama.

And I suppose Macon County, Alabama is much better? 86% for Obama last year.

Yes because voting 86% for Obama for a county that has been staunchly Democratic for some time is the same as a county going for 90% for a candidate running on a racist platform......

[FloridaRepublican]

By the way, what counties were George Wallace's best in the 68 election?

Geneva County, Alabama with 91.7%. Crappy racist sh**thole in southern Alabama.

And I suppose Macon County, Alabama is much better? 86% for Obama last year.

Yes because voting 86% for Obama for a county that has been staunchly Democratic for some time is the same as a county going for 90% for a candidate running on a racist platform......

Yes probably because it has an 84.64% black population, which race has always been overwhelmingly, blindingly democratic.  97% for Obama?  That's not biased at all.

[Hyperfast]

I somewhat agree with you floridarepub. But, some people around here are racist. Geneva County and Holmes County aren't that bad.

Yeah.  Just because someone doesn't vote for a democrat doesn't make them a "crappy racist" person or their county a "sh**thole".

Did I say that just because someone doesn't vote for a democrat that makes them a  "crappy racist". No I did not. There are some people around here that are racist. I don't think that Geneva County or Holmes County are sh**tholes. Besides I like Geneva County...nice place. Holmes on the other hand I don't care much for.

[FloridaRepublican]

I somewhat agree with you floridarepub. But, some people around here are racist. Geneva County and Holmes County aren't that bad.

Yeah.  Just because someone doesn't vote for a democrat doesn't make them a "crappy racist" person or their county a "sh**thole".

Did I say that just because someone doesn't vote for a democrat that makes them a  "crappy racist". No I did not. There are some people around here that are racist. I don't think that Geneva County or Holmes County are sh**tholes. Besides I like Geneva County...nice place. Holmes on the other hand I don't care much for.

I was agreeing with you.

[Hyperfast]

Oh...I see. I misunderstood. Racism plays some role. But, a lot of the reason that the Panhandle and the wiregrass region of Alabama is so republican is because of the military and this region is very conservative. The republican party is seen to be the big military spenders.

[Smash255]

By the way, what counties were George Wallace's best in the 68 election?

Geneva County, Alabama with 91.7%. Crappy racist sh**thole in southern Alabama.

And I suppose Macon County, Alabama is much better? 86% for Obama last year.

Yes because voting 86% for Obama for a county that has been staunchly Democratic for some time is the same as a county going for 90% for a candidate running on a racist platform......

Yes probably because it has an 84.64% black population, which race has always been overwhelmingly, blindingly democratic.  97% for Obama?  That's not biased at all.

Once the GOP decided to play to the "angry white southener" crowd and used the "Southern Strategy" it pretty much demolished any chance of them getting anything other than a sliver of the African American vote.  When LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act he stated the Democrats would lose the south for a generation as a result.   And with a few exceptions that is what basically happened, and the GOP heavily targeted white southeners angry over Civil Rights because of it.  As a result they angered African Americans and they became staunchly Democratic and have been since.  The fact that the GOP does absolutely nothing to try and appeal to the African American vote and has become more of the party of the "angry white southener" does more harm than good.  

Regardless its a silly and stupid comparison between Geneva 1960 to Macon 2008.  Only one of them voted for a candidate who ran on a racist platform, and well that wasn't Macon....

[FloridaRepublican]

Oh...I see. I misunderstood. Racism plays some role. But, a lot of the reason that the Panhandle and the wiregrass region of Alabama is so republican is because of the military and this region is very conservative. The republican party is seen to be the big military spenders.

Yes.  Very conservative in the Panhandle due to Eglin and all the other AFB's.  Lots of military here.

[FloridaRepublican]

By the way, what counties were George Wallace's best in the 68 election?

Geneva County, Alabama with 91.7%. Crappy racist sh**thole in southern Alabama.

And I suppose Macon County, Alabama is much better? 86% for Obama last year.

Yes because voting 86% for Obama for a county that has been staunchly Democratic for some time is the same as a county going for 90% for a candidate running on a racist platform......

Yes probably because it has an 84.64% black population, which race has always been overwhelmingly, blindingly democratic.  97% for Obama?  That's not biased at all.

Once the GOP decided to play to the "angry white southener" crowd and used the "Southern Strategy" it pretty much demolished any chance of them getting anything other than a sliver of the African American vote.  When LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act he stated the Democrats would lose the south for a generation as a result.   And with a few exceptions that is what basically happened, and the GOP heavily targeted white southeners angry over Civil Rights because of it.  As a result they angered African Americans and they became staunchly Democratic and have been since.  The fact that the GOP does absolutely nothing to try and appeal to the African American vote and has become more of the party of the "angry white southener" does more harm than good.  

Regardless its a silly and stupid comparison between Geneva 1960 to Macon 2008.  Only one of them voted for a candidate who ran on a racist platform, and well that wasn't Macon....

Nearly all blacks have conservative core values, they're just stuck in Democratic bodies because they want to stick with the general conformity that all blacks are democratic for no good reason.

[Ebowed]

Nearly all blacks have conservative core values, they're just stuck in Democratic bodies because they want to stick with the general conformity that all blacks are democratic for no good reason.

I guess conservatives tend to present this urban myth as a fact because it makes them feel better about their party being conspicuously free of blacks.