What is the most recent election where a Democrat won most counties in a state while losing?

[Anti-Trump Truth Socialite JD Vance Enjoying Juror]

This was more common way back in the day when Souther Dixiecrats were still a thing, but I'm curious what the most recent example was. Discuss with maps.

[Boobs]

Alaska doesn't have counties, but Trump won 13 boroughs and census areas to Biden's 16. After the election the Valdez-Cordova CA was split into the Chugach CA and Copper River CAs, both of which would've voted Trump - although the former by only 8% (a margin of 309 votes) - but Biden would still have won more county-equivalents 16:14.

[Roll Roons]

In 1992, Clinton carried 10 out of 15 counties in Arizona even though Bush won statewide by 2 points.

He also carried 41 out of 77 counties in Oklahoma while Bush won by 8.

[Tartarus Sauce]

2004 South Dakota Senate:

Thune: 50.6%
Daschle: 49.4%

Thune counties: 30
Daschle Counties: 36

[TheElectoralBoobyPrize]

Outside of Alaska, I don't think it's happened in any state in any presidential election this century. South Carolina 1996, I believe, was the last time (that is, Clinton won more counties, but Dole won the state).

[The Invincible Brent Boggs]

I can't find any recent examples. The closest I've found is that Coakley and Brown each won the same number of counties in the 2010 MA Senate special election.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

2004 South Dakota Senate:

Thune: 50.6%
Daschle: 49.4%

Thune counties: 30
Daschle Counties: 36

This seems to be the correct answer (until proven otherwise), buuut:

I count 32 counties for Thune, and 34 for Daschle.

[RI]

The only example I can find where this has ever happened in Washington was the 1968 AG race won narrowly by Slade Gorton, his first statewide run.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

I found an election that misses the criteria set by the OP by a hair’s breadth:
the 2012 Attorney General General Election in West Virginia.



Patrick Morrisey (GOP): 51.24%
Darrell McGraw (DEM):  48.76%

Morrisey: 27 counties
McGraw:  27 counties
tie:            1 county

[RI]

Most recent example I could find from California was the 1970 AG race won by Evelle Younger.



It also happened in the 1966 State Treasurer race AND the 1966 State Controller race.

Treasurer:



Controller:



These were the only examples I could find post-New Deal.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

In 1992, Clinton carried 10 out of 15 counties in Arizona even though Bush won statewide by 2 points.

He also carried 41 out of 77 counties in Oklahoma while Bush won by 8.

In 1996, Clinton won 24 counties in South Carolina (in contrast to Dole's 22 counties) while losing that state.



Bob Dole: 49.89%
Bill Clinton: 43.85%

Moreover, in the 2010 governor election in South Carolina, Republican Nikki Haley won with a 4.5% margin over her Democratic opponent Vincent Sheheen, but Sheheen won more counties.



25 counties Democrat
21 counties Republican

So, South Carolina seems to be the "winner" both for presidential elections and for any statewide election for the purpose of the question of this thread? Interesting... 🤔