So why did they choose Obama in 2008 and 2012 and then chose to revert back to voting for the GOP? The 31 point deficit in favor of GOP congressional candidates is quite stunning.
This could mean that the Obama Coalition, especially in the Midwest and some parts of the Northeast, were heavily reliant on cross over voters who hailed from the decades long Reagan coalition. If that is the case then 2020 could very well be a victory for the GOP if these voters stay in their column and the Democrats fail at bringing the youth and minorities out to vote.
Yeah, the Driftless Area, probably the region of the country with the most Obama-Trump voters, has never really been a longstanding Democratic stronghold the same way the Iron Range is. Just take a look at this
1980-2016 swing map (courtesy of Adam Griffin) and see how, indeed, Democrats have lost strength in many parts of the Midwest and the Northeast, but not nearly at the same magnitude as the absolute annihilation in the South and Appalachia.
Obama's performance in the Midwest speaks to his strength as a campaigner, which is something Democrats should be looking to replicate with a charismatic, culturally palatable candidate rather than particular policy positions.
