Why is Indiana a Republican State?

[MyRescueKittehRocks]

We also have one of the strictest anti-abortion laws short of banning it. Pro-Life politics are a strong thing around here.

[MyRescueKittehRocks]

No major cities, which are Democratic, is one of the reasons.

Um, Indianapolis?

But yes, the main reason is that urban areas are outweighed by rural and suburban areas, and said urban areas are whiter than average.

True the state is largely made up of farmers and small businessmen the historic mainstay base of the Republican Party.

That could be another reason. Indianapolis is a swing city because of those busisness intrests. It has a conservative mayor who is doing a solid job.

[MyRescueKittehRocks]

I have a lot of knowledge here, but my steam has been taken by others who posted earlier.

I'm the only active member of this forum (sorry JCL ) who lives in southern Indiana. Southern Indiana is not part of the Rust Belt. I consider Southern Indiana to begin a little above I-70.

In my neck of the words, we'll vote Democratic often at state and local levels, much like Kentucky. But we are very reliable to the GOP in national elections.

Even here, unions are pretty strong, but what gets people going is that they're evangelicals, aka, they're big on social issues. Issues like gay marriage and abortion largely keep IN in the GOP column. Honestly, outside of Marion County (which isn't too Democratic), and up around Chicago (which I honestly don't consider part of Indiana, Indiana is pretty much a bunch of farmers.

As to Obama - he only won in 2008 because he spent money here and McCain hardly did. Obama also visited the state; McCain didn't. I promise you, had McPalin made a couple stops here, he would have won it.

It's ok Tmfth. As you have the southern part I've got the central part.

Because people from Indiana are total dumasses who won't vote for the change America needs under Obama.

Ever thought that most Hoosiers (like myself and Tmfth) just don't want what Obama's offering. If Mitt and whoever his runningmate is come here, Obama will get bodied like Wesker bodys beam assists in UMVC3.

[MyRescueKittehRocks]

You also forget there is a significant contingent of Evangelicals in the state and that is growing. Many of the Tea Party aligned candidates are also Evangelical Christians (Mike Pence, Jackie Walorski, Marlin Stutzman, David McIntoish).

In 2014 we will have a marriage amendment on our ballot

[MyRescueKittehRocks]

Indiana does not act like Illinois without Chicago. What I think we have to look at is that the state is at the center of a corn-heavy swath that votes heavily Republican. This region encompasses simply Southeastern Illinois, most of Indiana, and Western Ohio.

Southwestern Illinois votes much more like Missouri than Indiana. Northwest Illinois votes more like Iowa than Indiana. Illinois' downstate cities are also more liberal than Indiana's micro-cities.

What do you consider as Indiana's micro cities?

[MyRescueKittehRocks]

Indiana does not act like Illinois without Chicago. What I think we have to look at is that the state is at the center of a corn-heavy swath that votes heavily Republican. This region encompasses simply Southeastern Illinois, most of Indiana, and Western Ohio.

Southwestern Illinois votes much more like Missouri than Indiana. Northwest Illinois votes more like Iowa than Indiana. Illinois' downstate cities are also more liberal than Indiana's micro-cities.

What do you consider as Indiana's micro cities?

Probably towns like Bloomington (liberal exception), Terre Haute, Lafayette, Kokomo, and Muncie.

Muncie is somewhat more liberal as well (Ball State) Kokomo is a swing city but when you include the surrounding county it's rather conservative. The city is annexing GOP precincts and I predict it will cost the Dems the mayors office.