Why did Humphrey win Michigan in 1968?

[King of Kensington]

...when the rest of the East North Central or rust belt states went for Nixon?

[AtorBoltox]

Unions

[Don Vito Corleone]

Unions

Yeah, that's pretty much it right there.

[The Govanah Jake]

The Unions™, Industrial Workers, the New Deal Coalition of Industrial workers and urban minorities around Detroit coming out for a New Deal Democrat which Humphrey was. Plus Humphrey was from the Midwest (Minnesota) and his message of Economic New Deal Liberalism played fine here.

[Hydera]

http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/02/23/385843576/50-years-of-shrinking-union-membership-in-one-map

Funfact: Indiana had more union workers as percentage of the labor force in 1968 but it went for Nixon.

So probably Michigan union workers have a more democratic voting tradition that allowed for him to win.

[SamTilden2020]

Unions

... and that the Detroit/Wayne area worked it's (Turnout) magic to keep Michigan Blue. MI in those days (1928-1968) had the dems depend on Wayne Co to give them wins, and 1968 is a case where it worked. See also: '60.

[King of Kensington]

http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/02/23/385843576/50-years-of-shrinking-union-membership-in-one-map

Funfact: Indiana had more union workers as percentage of the labor force in 1968 but it went for Nixon.

So probably Michigan union workers have a more democratic voting tradition that allowed for him to win.

Fascinating.  Never would have thought Indiana would have been so high. 

Also it may explain Washington State going for Humphrey as well.

[King of Kensington]

Plus Humphrey was from the Midwest (Minnesota) and his message of Economic New Deal Liberalism played fine here.

Don't think that made any difference in Michigan.  Humphrey couldn't even win Wisconsin, the rust belt state most culturally similar to Minnesota.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

Probably union strength, especially the UAW, which probably had far more power in Michigan than any union in the surrounding states.

[Obama-Biden Democrat]

Back then, Republicans were the party of middle managers and the fat cats. Democrats were the party of the working class. If you were a UAW member in Macomb county, why vote for the party of your boss?