The urban/rural divide increased pretty notably in 2000. That's why densely populated states in the Northeast and California trended Democratic the most. (Maryland was the one state that swung Gore's way).
Guns had something to do with that, and up against Bush, Gore looked fine in the urban Northeast.
I disagree on this. If gun control was such an important factor into why all those states swung R, why wouldn't this have happened in 1996 when it was on the minds of more voters? And even in 2000, Bush was hardly the most
pro-gun candidate to ever run.
