I have some connections to that area (Mercer Co.). It's extremely Catholic, and the perceived war on the Catholic Church probably plays a big part there.
Bingo. Catholicism and social issues (abortion) are the reason mercer swung from democratic in the 68 map to the most republican county in the state (the decline of organized labor sine the Huffy bike plant moved to china a couple decades ago is second).
The Catholic church's view on social issues is likly the primary reason for the entire (largely german-catholic) region's republican swing. It's most pronounced in the most heavily Catholic Mercer County.
Interestingly, the Oldenburger Münsterland, from where most of Mercer County German Catholics immigrated, is one the strongest CDU bastions in Germany. In yesterday's state election in Lower Saxony, it voted 57.8% CDU (plus 12.6 / 12.0% FDP), compared to 17.8 % (Vechta) and 18,2% (Cloppenburg) for SPD, which were the highest CDU shares and lowest SPD shares recorded statewide.
In the 2009 German federal election, Cloppenburg-Vechta was the CDU/CSU's strongest district nationwide (54.5%), even surpassing rural Bavaria!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Stein,_Ohiohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldenburg_M%C3%BCnsterlandCatholicism appears to very strongly rooted in the Oldenburger Münsterland population - maybe due to its situation on the protestant / catholic border, and the fact that since the early 19th century it has been a catholic enclave in protestant-dominated and -ruled territories. This goes beyond political lean - the Oldenburger Münsterland also shows the highest fertility rate in all of Germany.
