Counties that have gone for the GOP since its founding.

[super6646]

So far, I've only found one, and that is Cocke County, Tennessee. Even when the progressives wiped the GOP from most of the nation, this county was red. When Roosevelt swept the GOP from its feet for 4 straight elections, this county remained red. When Barry Goldwater, a man who wanted segregation, and allowed Vermont to defect to the democrats for the first time in history, this county remained red. When Clinton and Carter came along, both southern democrats, and changed the entire dynamics of the electoral map, the county remained red. In fact, it hasn't gone democratic since 1832, and has gone republican since its founding in 1856 (except for the civil-war, in which it didn't participate due to obvious reasons). Are there any other counties that have remained with the GOP since its founding, or is this the exception? Party platforms have changed radically overtime, so I'm sure there are very few counties that have remained with the GOP for so long.

[rhody]

I just looked at an 1856 map and it appears to me that Cocke County voted for third party Millard Fillmore that year. Fremont wasn't on the ballot in Tennessee (or any southern state for that matter). And in 1860 it voted for John Bell.

[super6646]

I just looked at an 1856 map and it appears to me that Cocke County voted for third party Millard Fillmore that year. Fremont wasn't on the ballot in Tennessee (or any southern state for that matter). And in 1860 it voted for John Bell.

I seem to have made a mistake. I was looking at the 1868 map for whatever reason.

[sinngael]

Think there was a thread on this before, off the top of my head I remember counties like Doniphan KS and Grant WV were mentioned and the two northern Illinois Counties that stayed Blue in 2008.

[PragmaticPopulist]

Asides from the ones already mentioned, I can name off the top of my head Garrett County, MD. Has gone GOP since the county was founded except for 1912 when Theodore Roosevelt won it on the Progressive "Bull Moose" ticket.

[SingingAnalyst]

Sanilac County, MI, in the "Thumb". Voted GOP each election beginning with 1856, except for 1912 (Bull Moose).

[mianfei]

There are actually no counties that have gone for the GOP since its founding.

Carroll County, Illinois has the longest streak dating from 1856, which was ended by Barack Obama in 2008.

Porter County, Indiana – politically one of the “collar counties” surrounding Chicago – voted Republican in every election between 1856 and 1992.

The longest unbroken sequences of voting Republican are:

• Gasconade County, Missouri (1860 onwards)
• Doniphan County, Kansas (1864 onwards)
• Putnam County, Missouri (1864 onwards)
• Taney County, Missouri (1864 onwards)
• Clay County, Kentucky (1864 onwards)
• Owsley County, Kentucky (1864 onwards)
• Morgan County, West Virginia (1864 onwards)
• Yadkin County, North Carolina (1868 onwards)
• Cocke County, Tennessee (1868 onwards)
• Hancock County, Tennessee (1868 onwards)
• Butler County, Kentucky (1868 onwards)
• Monroe County, Kentucky (1868 onwards)
• Clinton County, Kentucky (1872 onwards)
• Cumberland County, Kentucky (1872 onwards)
• Wayne County, Tennessee (1880 onwards)
• Lewis County, Kentucky (1880 onwards)

The following counties have voted Republican in every election with a GOP candidate on the ballot:

• Gasconade, Missouri
• Cocke, Tennessee
• Hancock, Tennessee
• Yadkin, North Carolina
• Leslie, Kentucky
• Doniphan, Kansas

Of these, Cocke and Hancock, Tennessee have been the most consistently overwhelmingly Republican. The best by a Democrat in both counties is around 40 percent – in Cocke County FDR received slightly less than 40 percent in 1932 and in Hancock County, Tennessee Bill Clinton received this amount in 1996. In Gasconade County the best by a Democrat since 1860 is 43 percent by FDR in 1932, followed oddly by Barack Obama with 37 percent in 2008.

In Yadkin County the best by any Democrat since the county was founded in 1850 (of course the GOP did not contest North Carolina until 1868) is 47 percent by FDR against Wendell Willkie in 1940. In Leslie County the best by any Democrat is 47 percent in 1964 – though this stands as remarkable as anything LBJ did when one realises the previous best by a Democrat had been 24 percent – and in Doniphan County the best Democratic performance is 48 percent, also by LBJ in 1964.