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What's interesting about Arkansas (at least I find it interesting) is that Little Rock and Fayetteville in the Northwest area, the most urban areas of the state, are the most Republican areas. Fayetteville was the Republican stronghold; John Paul Hammerschmidt became the first Republican that Arkansas elected to Congress since Reconstruction, and he held that office for 26 years, and has been succeeded by Republicans ever since. While the state has been getting redder, it's interesting that the urban areas have led in that trend.
Little Rock itself is liberal and Democratic. If you live in Arkansas and are liberal, chances are you end up in Little Rock. I lived there for a while and while small, its pretty progressive. Because it's so small though, it doesn't quite feel like a liberal oasis in the same way Austin does in Texas. It's surrounding suburbs are very Republican and churchgoing. The NW Arkansas area is basically one big suburb so its no surprise that its a Republican stronghold. I'm surprised Fayetteville isn't a little more liberal though being a college town.
The real urban area bucking the trend is Oklahoma City. It's very, very conservative (socially, not just fiscally) despite nearly every other large city in the country leaning Democratic. Because of OKC, Oklahoma will remain the reddest state in the union for the foreseeable future.
I think Hillary Clinton certainly has a realistic path to the presidency, but it runs through the 26 states that Obama won in 2012 - plus possibly North Carolina. Expanding the map into Arkansas wouldn't be an efficient use of her campaign's time and money when she may need to keep Florida, Ohio, Iowa, Colorado, etc. from switching over to the Republicans. Maybe she will win a couple more Arkansas counties than Obama did, but the state as a whole is out of reach for Democrats in federal elections as long as liberal and conservative voters are aligned so strongly with opposing parties.
What's interesting about Arkansas (at least I find it interesting) is that Little Rock and Fayetteville in the Northwest area, the most urban areas of the state, are the most Republican areas. Fayetteville was the Republican stronghold; John Paul Hammerschmidt became the first Republican that Arkansas elected to Congress since Reconstruction, and he held that office for 26 years, and has been succeeded by Republicans ever since. While the state has been getting redder, it's interesting that the urban areas have led in that trend.
Little Rock itself is fairly Democratic, but keep in mind the Little Rock metro area makes up less than 25% of the state. The Atlanta metro anywhere makes up anywhere between 45% of the metro area to upward of 60% with a looser definition on metro area.
Little Rock itself is liberal and Democratic. If you live in Arkansas and are liberal, chances are you end up in Little Rock. I lived there for a while and while small, its pretty progressive. Because it's so small though, it doesn't quite feel like a liberal oasis in the same way Austin does in Texas. It's surrounding suburbs are very Republican and churchgoing. The NW Arkansas area is basically one big suburb so its no surprise that its a Republican stronghold. I'm surprised Fayetteville isn't a little more liberal though being a college town.
The real urban area bucking the trend is Oklahoma City. It's very, very conservative (socially, not just fiscally) despite nearly every other large city in the country leaning Democratic. Because of OKC, Oklahoma will remain the reddest state in the union for the foreseeable future.
I am liberal, and I live in Arkansas. In Northwest Arkansas.
And back when John Paul Hammerschmidt was first elected in the 1960's, Northwest Arkansas and Little Rock were where Republicans could be found. The rest of the state was completely Democratic, albeit Southern Democratic. Southern Democrats were very conservative. It was the urban areas that led the state in turning Republican. And the eastern part of Arkansas is not liberal in any way. They are probably more conservative than Northwest Arkansas. The bluest counties in Arkansas are not liberal, they just have more black people. Who tend to vote Democratic, but the local politics in those blue counties are conservative.
Oklahoma is simply the reddest state in the United States.
I think it probably depends on how well Hillary gets along with Bill's extended family. I'm sure there are enough of them in the state to swing the election either way.
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Originally Posted by bawac34618
Little Rock itself is liberal and Democratic. If you live in Arkansas and are liberal, chances are you end up in Little Rock. I lived there for a while and while small, its pretty progressive. Because it's so small though, it doesn't quite feel like a liberal oasis in the same way Austin does in Texas. It's surrounding suburbs are very Republican and churchgoing. The NW Arkansas area is basically one big suburb so its no surprise that its a Republican stronghold. I'm surprised Fayetteville isn't a little more liberal though being a college town.
The real urban area bucking the trend is Oklahoma City. It's very, very conservative (socially, not just fiscally) despite nearly every other large city in the country leaning Democratic. Because of OKC, Oklahoma will remain the reddest state in the union for the foreseeable future.
I put Oklahoma in the same category as I do Utah and Tennessee. Republicans, but not conservative. All of those states seem to lean more liberal when it comes to economic governance.
For example, OKC has economic development zones, not really a conservative policy.
It really is interesting how Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri have turned more conservative over the past couple of decades while the rest of the country has become much more liberal. Even other classic red states like Georgia and Texas are becoming more liberal, at least on social issues. Why do you think that is the case in AR, OK, and MO? Millennials fleeing those states? Lower minority voter turnout?
There are other states/regions that have become more conservative. West Virginia is now solidly Republican on the national level and is rapidly being transformed on the state level too. Republicans are also making inroads in Kentucky and Pennsylvania because of the Democrats war on the coal and natural gas industries that employ many people. Granted, North Carolina and Virginia are now more purple due to the influx of Yankees and illegal aliens. But native Southerners have always been conservative and always will be. Same with Texans.
New York will be in play if Donald Trump is the nominee, and perhaps New Hampshire and Pennsylvania too. If Trump wins New York State then he can afford to lose several other places and still win. This makes me hopeful as while deep blue New York is in play, all the conservative states will remain conservative. I don't see Georgia, Tennessee, Kansas, Montana, or Wyoming ever voting Democrat. Even Iowa, most of the Democrats are just young college students. The majority of Iowa is conservative and Republican. Iowa Democrats only matter in the primary season.
I am afraid that she has acquired the "New York values." If Ted wins the Republican nomination, he can recycle that line of attack against Hillary, too.
There are other states/regions that have become more conservative. West Virginia is now solidly Republican on the national level and is rapidly being transformed on the state level too. Republicans are also making inroads in Kentucky and Pennsylvania because of the Democrats war on the coal and natural gas industries that employ many people. Granted, North Carolina and Virginia are now more purple due to the influx of Yankees and illegal aliens. But native Southerners have always been conservative and always will be. Same with Texans.
New York will be in play if Donald Trump is the nominee, and perhaps New Hampshire and Pennsylvania too. If Trump wins New York State then he can afford to lose several other places and still win. This makes me hopeful as while deep blue New York is in play, all the conservative states will remain conservative. I don't see Georgia, Tennessee, Kansas, Montana, or Wyoming ever voting Democrat. Even Iowa, most of the Democrats are just young college students. The majority of Iowa is conservative and Republican. Iowa Democrats only matter in the primary season.
Trump isn't winning NY, he would get destroyed here in a General just like every other Republican. Where do these asinine predictions come from??
I put Oklahoma in the same category as I do Utah and Tennessee. Republicans, but not conservative. All of those states seem to lean more liberal when it comes to economic governance.
It depends on what you mean by conservative. Oklahoma is very socially conservative. There are few places where more people believe its the government's job to legislate fundamentalist Christian morality. Most states moved beyond that in the mid 20th century. Utah is in many ways similar. I thought Tennessee was a little more diverse. From my experience in the state, eastern Tennessee has a lot more of the thou-shalt-not social conservatism than the Nashville or Memphis areas do.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dsjj251
For example, OKC has economic development zones, not really a conservative policy.
True, but ask anybody here how they feel about gay marriage or marijuana legalization.
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