'68 Democratic primaries: why did Kennedy win South Dakota and Nebraska?

[Scam of God]

I can understand why he won California (his opposition to the war) and Indiana (minority vote, Indianapolis speech), but what about those two States dallying about the center of the nation? IIRC, Nebraska has a moderately influential Catholic vote, but that doesn't really explain South Dakota, nor should it have been large enough to swing a State for that reason alone.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

South Dakota probably swung on the Indian vote.

[Husker]

I can't speak for South Dakota in 1968, but I know Kennedy campaigned pretty hard in Nebraska and did quite well with the rural Catholic vote. I believe RFK won Omaha, which combined with the rural vote is a guaranteed win in NE. McCarthy won in Lincoln and in a few rural areas and I have no explanation why on the later. FWIW, Ted Kennedy won several counties in the 1980 primary in eastern NE over Carter. I think Ted may actually have won South Dakota that year. 

[Eraserhead]

I can't speak for South Dakota in 1968, but I know Kennedy campaigned pretty hard in Nebraska and did quite well with the rural Catholic vote. I believe RFK won Omaha, which combined with the rural vote is a guaranteed win in NE. McCarthy won in Lincoln and in a few rural areas and I have no explanation why on the later. FWIW, Ted Kennedy won several counties in the 1980 primary in eastern NE over Carter. I think Ted may actually have won South Dakota that year. 

Does anyone have a Kennedy/Carter '80 primary map of the states?

[Eraserhead]

I can't speak for South Dakota in 1968, but I know Kennedy campaigned pretty hard in Nebraska and did quite well with the rural Catholic vote. I believe RFK won Omaha, which combined with the rural vote is a guaranteed win in NE. McCarthy won in Lincoln and in a few rural areas and I have no explanation why on the later. FWIW, Ted Kennedy won several counties in the 1980 primary in eastern NE over Carter. I think Ted may actually have won South Dakota that year. 

Does anyone have a Kennedy/Carter '80 primary map of the states?

Nevermind, wikipedia has everything these days.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party_(United_States)_presidential_primaries,_1980

[RI]

I can't speak for South Dakota in 1968, but I know Kennedy campaigned pretty hard in Nebraska and did quite well with the rural Catholic vote. I believe RFK won Omaha, which combined with the rural vote is a guaranteed win in NE. McCarthy won in Lincoln and in a few rural areas and I have no explanation why on the later. FWIW, Ted Kennedy won several counties in the 1980 primary in eastern NE over Carter. I think Ted may actually have won South Dakota that year. 

Does anyone have a Kennedy/Carter '80 primary map of the states?

You know, there is a thread just a few down that is all about primaries...

[Хahar 🤔]

McGovern is why he won in South Dakota, IIRC.

[President Mitt]

Wasn't George McGovern a big RFK buddy?

[Хahar 🤔]

Wasn't George McGovern a big RFK buddy?

Aye. He called him to report the results in his home state a few minutes before Kennedy died.

[Hash]

Ninities?

[Linus Van Pelt]

On south dakota, black turnout probably made a lot of the difference.

[rbt48]

On South Dakota, black turnout probably made a lot of the difference.

This had me laughing too!

From the 2000 census, South Dakota had a population of 761,063 with 4,685 as black, or 0.6 % of the state total.  I can't imagine that it was a larger slice back in 1980.
 

[Husker]

On south dakota, black turnout probably made a lot of the difference.

I'm sure he was just joking....

[Хahar 🤔]

On south dakota, black turnout probably made a lot of the difference.

I'm sure he was just joking....

I wouldn't be so sure.

[RI]

I just added South Dakota's 1968 Democratic primary to my primary thread, and it appears that Kennedy absolutely dominated among the Native American vote, winning over 90% in Shannon County, plus he won generally in all areas of the state. RFK also won Brown (Aberdeen), Minnehaha (Sioux Falls), and Pennington (Rapid City) Counties, which contain a large chunk of South Dakota's vote.

For the record, RFK won South Dakota by almost 20 points; Kennedy received 49.5% to LBJ's 30% and McCarthy's 20.4%.

[dwkulcsar]

Got to remember, it was a Primary election. The base showed up.

Kennedy had name recognition and McCarthy didn't make much use of being from a neighboring state. In addition Kennedy was a more broader issue candidate. McCarthy was all about the war for the most part, Kennedy talked about rural issues and this likely put him ahead in these two rural states.