Indiana, why isn't it a swing state?

[mot78]

Recently I looked at electorial maps from the last 50 years and I noticed that Indiana hasn't gone Democrat since LBJ ran against Goldwater. I thought Indiana, being part of the Midwest, would be more Moderate than that. I mean come on, Clinton didn't carry Indiana in either '92 or '96, and yet in '92 he carried states like California and Illinois (now solid blue states), which, like Indiana, hadn't gone Democrat since LBJ.

[jsw_81]

1. Indiana is a very conservative state

This is a state that sent Dan Quayle to the Senate by a landslide. Twice. Our only hope of carrying Indiana this year is to put Evan Bayh on the ticket, but even then we still might lose.

[Nlighten1]

2. Mostly because...

this is an agrarian state and fairly conservative.

[mot78]

3. Very strange

It's weired IMO that they can be right next door to moderate-liberal states, and yet they follow the South electorally.

[LiberalFighter]

22. More than just conservative

There is something in the water. There are too many nuts in this state!

[ButterflyBlood]

4. basically because

it's much different than it's neighbors. Illinois has Chicago, so there's a huge voting block keeping it blue. It also has their half of the Quad Cities, the part bordering St. Louis and some blue collar communities to pad that. Ohio has Cleveland and a bunch of organized labor upstate, so it's a swing. Indiana doesn't have much organized labor, and Indianapolis is pretty conservative for a city of it's size, it's much more like Cincinatti than Cleveland or Chicago, and the suburbs are total freeperville. I heard two neighboring counties gave Bush over 70%. Gore did carry the actual city of Indianapolis, but lost Marion county due to the suburbs. The only truly liberal spots are Bloomington and the northwest corner, which can't overtake the rest of the state.

[LiberalFighter]

23. Indianapolis did elect a Democrat for mayor twice now

The reasoning given was the doughnut theory. Being that many of the repugs moved out to the surrounding counties.

In addition, for the first time in a long while the city/county council has a Democratic majority. Next election they should be able to increase their majority.

[kcwayne]

5. Indiana was the birthplace of the modern Klan

The southern part of the state is very southern in its demographics.
The major population center (Indianapolis) is very Republican or apathetic.

The rest of Indiana (other than Gary which is really more like Illinois) consists of small towns that tend to be very conservative.

Although manufacturing is being decimated, the core of its economy was manufacturing, but there were no really large union shops. Most of the manufacturers were/are small parts operations for the automotive industry. These operations are not heavily influenced by unions.

Indiana's minority population is much lower than Illinois or California.

I have lived in Indiana for 9 years. I have also lived in Illinois, California, Virgina, Wisconsin, New York, and Texas. I don't know a single liberal here other than my family members. I can't say that about anyplace else I have lived. I know there are some, but my life/work pattern just doesn't take me anywhere where they hang out.

[mot78]

7. Yeah, but Illinois and Ohio also have Southerners near their borders

PA even has some as you get towards West VA and the Cumberland area of MD.

[kcwayne]

8. But Southern Indiana starts on the Southern side of Indianapolis

which is in the dead center of the state.

[ButterflyBlood]

9. a large part of southern Illinois is basically a ghetto

East St. Louis and Washington Park have two of the highest crime rates in the country. It is much more like St. Louis and large industrial cities of the midwest than the south. Ohio may be fairly southern near the border, but that part is far different than the deep south (remember WV is still a pretty Democratic state) and the southern part of Indiana which borders Kentucky is actually far less conservative than the central rural parts of the state and Indianapolis suburbs. I believe Clinton carried the southern most congressional district both times, which isn't a suprise since he also carried Kentucky. However Gore carried nothing but the district in northwest corner and inner city Indianapolis. He got less than 30% in a neighboring district.

[LiberalFighter]

24. You need to attend County Democratic Party meetings

if they are held in your county... or see if there is a District meeting.

[LiberalFighter]

26. Another factor besides small towns that tend to be conservative

is that they are isolated and do not receive the same type of news as those in the bigger cities.

Smaller papers mean reduced coverage.
Even combined with USA Today is not enough.

Unless they have the time and interest they are not going to be anywhere up to speed about what is happening. It would be more gossip news than anything else.

[daveskilt]

6. Klan state

while the KKK was founded (all three times) in Georgia at stone mountain - they really did their most organized and efficient hatemongering HQ'ed in Indiana. Of course Indiana votes republican.

[BlueJazz]

10. One of my Friends (who is from Indiana) tells me...

that Indiana is the "Alabama of the north"
He left after college because he was afraid he'd never get married
'cause every woman he went out with on a date with was a repug...eeewww...Scary!

[RetroLounge]

11. Indiana is a very conservative state

and they don't allow Swing Dancing...

[mot78]

13. I'm suprised they didn't go off and become part of the Confederacy then

Even leading up to the Civil War, Indiana was Conservative (had a lot of Stephen Douglas-like pols)

[ButterflyBlood]

14. I doubt it was a state with slavery though

n/t

[Metatron]

15. Correct

Indiana was part of the Underground Railroad

[mot78]

17. It wasn't but it was pretty Conservative for the North

So were parts of the lower Midwest. One of the reasons Lincoln lost to Douglas for the Senate in 1856 was that southern Illinois had mostly Democratic, pro-sectional compromise state legislators who chose Douglas

[AntiCoup2K4]

12. Because even the "Democrats" are Republicans in Indiana

Evan Bayh, for example.

No offense to Indiana Green, John Mellencamp, or David Lee Roth :)

[liberalpragmatist]

18. Or Jane Pauley

Married to Gary Trudeau.

Most of Indiana's liberals get out as soon as the can. It's like Alabama (Ani Difranco, par exemple), although I suppose it isn't AS drastic. And there are more liberal pockets than in Alabama. But the comparison is apt.

[ButterflyBlood]

21. like North Dakota

having used to live in North Dakota, I've held to the theory that one of the reasons Minnesota became so liberal is all the liberals from the Dakotas moved out there. I think that might also happen to some extent in Illinois, with it absorbing all the Indiana liberals.

[jsw_81]

19. Don't conservative Indiana Dems have a nickname?

Aren't they called "Butternut" Democrats or something like that? Maybe I'm thinking of Kentucky.

[liberalpragmatist]

16. Having Lived In Indiana For Many Years, There's a Lot to say

Many of the views posted here are right on target. Basically, the only liberal section of the state, geographically, is the northwest corner, bordering Chicago, which consists of a number of upscale, educated-professional-rich suburbs like Munster, and Gary, very poor, very Black, and heavily Democratic.

The rest of the state is largely conservative. The southern part of the state is heavily influenced by the South. I'm not as familiar with the area, but ButterflyBlood's comments, specifically hers in #9 are likely accurate. We have a swing district in the state that's in the southwest corner. Central Indiana, however, is VERY conservative. The Indianapolis suburbs, where my family lived for many years, are EXTREMELY Republican -- this is Dan Burton's district after all (the scary part was, he was MY congressman :puke:).

There are liberal or moderate pockets. South Bend, anchored by Notre Dame University is pretty liberal. Kokomo, an industrial town, is pretty Democratic. Bloomington is VERY liberal. Indianapolis itself, is, like ButterflyBlood pointed out, like Cincinnati. It's somewhat liberal, but relatively conservative for a city, with a Democratic mayor, Bart Peterson, and a fairly large population of Blacks, Hispanics, and many educated professionals who work for Eli Lilly. The Western suburbs are pretty diverse and more liberal, and the area is represented by Julia Carson, a liberal Black woman.

It's certainly not true that there are NO liberals in Indiana - I know plenty, mainly the more educated variety, many of the scientists, doctors, lawyers, etc. And there's the excellent artistic hamlet of Broad Ripple, where there are tons of artists, gadflies, restaurants, theaters, and hippies. Most of my teachers in High School when I was there were firmly liberal or, at least, moderate, especially my history and english teachers, some of my science teachers (the Bio teacher in particular), and one of the French teachers.

I, of course, knew many liberals, mainly youth. I'm only 18, and most of my friends were pretty liberal (I find that smart youth generally are). But by and large the state is VERY conservative. It's really part of the Bible Belt, and the state's large rural segment shows that. Central Indiana, despite its liberal pockets and its educated scientists and others, is overwhelmingly Republican - probably 60 or 70%. Democratic demographics just can't overcome that in a national race unless its a landslide.

People are willing to elect Conservative or Centrist Dems to state offices, and the State Democratic Party is very strong, which is why there are so many elected Democratic officials. But in Presidential races, it's not shown an ability to be competitive, with the exc. of '96, in which Clinton did compete in the state, but ultimately STILL lost by 5%.

It's an argument against the electoral college for sure. The liberal pockets of the state - the northwester, parts of the South, the college towns, Indianapolis and its Western suburbs, could be rich voting pools for a Democratic candidate if it were viable for him or her to campaign here. But since the state as a whole is not going to go Dem, there's no incentive to compete where there could be votes.

[AntiCoup2K4]

20. Are all the Pukes in Indiana named "Dan"?

Dan Burton, Dan Coates, Dan "potato-e head" Quayle.... you gotta wonder?

[John_H]

25. Have you ever driven through indiana? A few miles on I-70 and

you'll say, "Oh. I see why Indiana isn't a swing state."

[Crunchy Frog]

27. I have/had family in Indiana

and have lived there for brief periods in the past. The things that I would have to say about that state would probably get my post deleted for being inflammatory.

Let's just say that I'm not at all surpised that it goes Republican.

The biggest surprise to me is that they still have someone like Richard Lugar as a Senator.