Illinois had a bigger swing to Romney than any of his home states did.

[Eraserhead]

The votes are still coming in so some of these swings may change a little but probably not enough to change the main point.

Swings to Romney/Ryan (R) vs. 2008:

Illinois 8.41%
Wisconsin 7.19% (Ryan's home state)
Michigan 6.92%
New Hampshire 4.04%
California 3.34%
Massachusetts 2.69%

Massachusetts, where Romney served as governor, actually had one of the smallest pro-Romney swings in the country (while Illinois had one of the bigger swings). Does anyone else find all of this info kind of amusing? Perhaps the whole "home state advantage" thing is becoming less and less of a reality...

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Downstate Illinois really hates their Chicago politicians.

[politicallefty]

That's pretty pathetic. Of course, Obama also really over-performed in the collar counties in 2008 as well. I also wonder if the home state effect for an incumbent also wears down when running for reelection.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

That's pretty pathetic. Of course, Obama also really over-performed in the collar counties in 2008 as well. I also wonder if the home state effect for an incumbent also wears down when running for reelection.

Seems to be the case. The incumbent's home state has trended towards the opposite party for Obama, Bush, Clinton, and Reagan (Bush I in 1992 was the exception, presumably because Bentsen was from Texas in 1988).

[Franzl]

Downstate Illinois really hates their Chicago politicians.

I still have trouble believing my county voted for Romney

[SetonHallPirate]

The votes are still coming in so some of these swings may change a little but probably not enough to change the main point.

Swings to Romney/Ryan (R) vs. 2008:

Illinois 8.41%
Wisconsin 7.19% (Ryan's home state)
Michigan 6.92%
New Hampshire 4.04%
California 3.34%
Massachusetts 2.69%

Massachusetts, where Romney served as governor, actually had one of the smallest pro-Romney swings in the country (while Illinois had one of the bigger swings). Does anyone else find all of this info kind of amusing? Perhaps the whole "home state advantage" thing is becoming less and less of a reality...

Where was Delaware, Joe Biden's home state?

[OAM]

I'm surprised my county was closer, but downstate really is closer to Kentucky/Indiana/Missouri than anything.

[DemPGH]

Yep, in downstate IL you'll hear a lot of talk about moving to one of the neighboring states.

[Holmes]

Probably the same reason why Tennessee didn't go for Gore in 2000 - Obama wasn't seen as being from Illinois anymore, but from DC. Plus, I think, the fact that Obama has always seemed more of a Chicago politician than an Illinois one as well.

[CountryRoads]

Probably the same reason why Tennessee didn't go for Gore in 2000 - Obama wasn't seen as being from Illinois anymore, but from DC. Plus, I think, the fact that Obama has always seemed more of a Chicago politician than an Illinois one as well.

You got it on the money.

He is the epitome of Chicago politics.

[ChrisFromNJ]

Plus, I think, the fact that Obama has always seemed more of a Chicago politician than an Illinois one as well.

Translation: He's black.

[Oakvale]

Probably the same reason why Tennessee didn't go for Gore in 2000 - Obama wasn't seen as being from Illinois anymore, but from DC. Plus, I think, the fact that Obama has always seemed more of a Chicago politician than an Illinois one as well.

You got it on the money.

He is the epitome of Chicago politics.

Really? Was Obama some old ward heeler for 30 years?

[Averroës Nix]

Whenever we start talking about "Chicago style" I assume that the discussion has turned to style guides, pizza, or gangsters.

You wanna know how to get Romney? They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That's the *Chicago* way! And that's how you get Romney. Now do you want to do that? Are you ready to do that? I'm offering you a deal. Do you want this deal?

[Eraserhead]

The votes are still coming in so some of these swings may change a little but probably not enough to change the main point.

Swings to Romney/Ryan (R) vs. 2008:

Illinois 8.41%
Wisconsin 7.19% (Ryan's home state)
Michigan 6.92%
New Hampshire 4.04%
California 3.34%
Massachusetts 2.69%

Massachusetts, where Romney served as governor, actually had one of the smallest pro-Romney swings in the country (while Illinois had one of the bigger swings). Does anyone else find all of this info kind of amusing? Perhaps the whole "home state advantage" thing is becoming less and less of a reality...

Where was Delaware, Joe Biden's home state?

6.36%

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Whenever we start talking about "Chicago style" I assume that the discussion has turned to style guides, pizza, or gangsters.

You wanna know how to get Romney? They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That's the *Chicago* way! And that's how you get Romney. Now do you want to do that? Are you ready to do that? I'm offering you a deal. Do you want this deal?

jmfcst, why are you hacking other people's accounts now?

[nclib]

I'm not sure this is a good comparison. Illinois is the 2nd election for Obama, the other states were Romney's first. IL has actually trended Dem from 2004-2012.

[sg0508]

Outside of Cook and the surrounding burbs, most of the state is "southern".  The movement doesn't surprise me.

[minionofmidas]

Downstate Illinois really hates their Chicago politicians.

I still have trouble believing my county voted for Romney

One of the more painful county switches, to be sure. At least with places like McDowell the writing was on the wall.

Anyways, this is a hilarious premise. Mitt Romney has no home state.

[All Along The Watchtower]

Probably the same reason why Tennessee didn't go for Gore in 2000 - Obama wasn't seen as being from Illinois anymore, but from DC. Plus, I think, the fact that Obama has always seemed more of a Chicago politician than an Illinois one as well.

You got it on the money.

He is the epitome of Chicago politics.

Yeah, you totally didn't regurgitate a Right-Wing Media Bubble (TM) talking point there.

[Franzl]

Downstate Illinois really hates their Chicago politicians.

I still have trouble believing my county voted for Romney

One of the more painful county switches, to be sure. At least with places like McDowell the writing was on the wall.

Anyways, this is a hilarious premise. Mitt Romney has no home state.

Some pretty amazing swings in my area of IL. Jersey Co, right next door, went from McCain 50-48 to Romney 61-37.

[Grumpier Than Thou]

Swings to Romney/Ryan (R) vs. 2008:

Illinois 8.41%
Wisconsin 7.19% (Ryan's home state)
Michigan 6.92%
New Hampshire 4.04%
California 3.34%
Massachusetts 2.69%

[sg0508]

I think some of you are really overstating the GOP movement in IL last week.  Look back at 2000 and 2004.  Gore only won the state by 12 points and Kerry won it by 10. 

Kirk was the "correct" candidate to run in 2010 (the GOP got that one right) and he won in an off year where turnout was down and with bigtime suburban support.  Put him up in a presidential year and he'll have little chance

[Wisconsin+17]

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Yes, he does. It's clearly Utah.

[Vosem]

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Yes, he does. It's clearly Utah.

He is registered to vote in, and a former officeholder in, Massachusetts. That's clearly his home state, whoever it voted for and in whichever direction it trended. For reasons unrelated to home-state status (related to religion), Utah is a state which was extremely favorable to Romney's candidacy. But Arkansas trending heavy to McCain didn't make Arkansas McCain's home state.

[minionofmidas]

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Yes, he does. It's clearly Utah.

In electoral terms (ie the state where he got a home state boost) this is a correct statement.