Clark County, NV in the 1980s

[OSR stands with Israel]

Why did the GOP do so well here in the 80s , not only has it not voted GOP since then but it also only voted for the GOP 3 times from 1912-1976 and even Harding , And Eisenhower in 1956 failed to win this County .


In the 1980s though Republicans won it easily in all 3 elections

[America Needs a 13-6 Progressive SCOTUS]

Which Clark County are you talking about?

[Some of My Best Friends Are Gay]

Which Clark County are you talking about?

I would assume Clark County, Nevada.

[TDAS04]

Reagan was super popular in the Southwest, and in suburbia in general.  Also, since the county has long grown so fast, it was probably a much different place in the 1980s than it had been a couple decades earlier.

[Wazza [INACTIVE]]

Nevada historically had a very small population, only exceeding 100,000 in 1935. Its economy during the 19th and early 20th centuries was heavily dependent on mining, who historically not only in the US but also in the UK and Australia have strongly favoured left wing parties (and still do in Aus and the UK), thus the Democrats and left wing third parties did well there.

In 1892 the Populist candidate James Weaver got 67% of the vote in Nevada. In 1896, 1900 and 1908 William Jennings Bryan won the state 3 times getting 81%, 62% and 46% of the vote respectively. It was the Socialist Party's 4th best state in 1904, best state in 1908 and 1912, 2nd best state in 1916 and 3rd best state in 1920 getting 8%, 9%, 16%, 9% and 7% of the vote respectively. In 1924 Robert La Follette got 36% of the vote in Nevada making it his 7th best state and won a 49.8% plurality in Clark County.

The rapid population growth in Clark county, Reagan and Bush's suburban sunbelt appeal and their rather large victory margins were what flipped it to the GOP during the 80s.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Reagan was super popular in the Southwest, and in suburbia in general.  Also, since the county has long grown so fast, it was probably a much different place in the 1980s than it had been a couple decades earlier.

Isn’t Clark County more of an Urban County than Suburban though

[Some of My Best Friends Are Gay]

Are we just ignoring the fact that Nevada was R+35 in 1980 and 1984 and R+21 in 1988? of course the Republican was going to win Clark County easily when they were winning statewide by those margins. if a Republican won by that margin today they'd still easily win it, in fact.

So it seems a better question would be why Nevada as a whole was so Republican in the 80s.

[libertpaulian]

Are we just ignoring the fact that Nevada was R+35 in 1980 and 1984 and R+21 in 1988? of course the Republican was going to win Clark County easily when they were winning statewide by those margins. if a Republican won by that margin today they'd still easily win it, in fact.

So it seems a better question would be why Nevada as a whole was so Republican in the 80s.

Suburban sprawl favored Republicans back when Boomers and early Xers were young adults.

Now that suburban sprawl has a late Xer, Millennial, and early Zoomer demographic, it's leaning more Democratic.

[TDAS04]

Reagan was super popular in the Southwest, and in suburbia in general.  Also, since the county has long grown so fast, it was probably a much different place in the 1980s than it had been a couple decades earlier.

Isn’t Clark County more of an Urban County than Suburban though

It contains a lot of suburban area, just like Maricopa County, AZ.  Even places within the main city limits might have a suburban character.

[Podgy the Bear]

The Reagan connection to the West and Jimmy Carter's lack thereof was a major factor on how the Rocky Mountain states swung heavily toward the Republicans in the 1980s.  Plus the migration to these areas at that time was mostly a white population--and Clark was largely white at that time.    Clark went from a 3 point Carter win in 1976 to a 30 point Reagan landslide in 1980.

[Plankton5165]

Are we just ignoring the fact that Nevada was R+35 in 1980 and 1984 and R+21 in 1988? of course the Republican was going to win Clark County easily when they were winning statewide by those margins. if a Republican won by that margin today they'd still easily win it, in fact.

So it seems a better question would be why Nevada as a whole was so Republican in the 80s.

Technically R +26 in '80, R +16 in '84, and R +13 in '88. Then it was R +4 in '92, R +7 in '96, R +4 in '00, even in '04, D +5 in '08. (and also D +2 in '12 and even in '16. John Schneider by the way referred to 1916 when he said '16 in the 1996 CNN coverage. (when Clinton was projected to win IL))

[morgankingsley]

Wasn't Clark county like the only Nevada county Clinton won in 1992 or something?

[lfromnj]

Wasn't Clark county like the only Nevada county Clinton won in 1992 or something?

White pine too in 92, Suprised he didn't carry Mineral although he did 96.

[Plankton5165]

Wasn't Clark county like the only Nevada county Clinton won in 1992 or something?

White pine too in 92, Suprised he didn't carry Mineral although he did 96.

How could you be surprised he didn't win Mineral in 1992?