FiveThirtyEight.com

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

Oh, it's not just South Florida that makes Florida "barely Democratic," it looks like only the far west and the North-Central Area are committed GOP all the time...between Alachua County and Tampa, it's pretty purple. Around Tallahassee, it's more blue (because of the predominantly AA areas just west and north of Tally).

The same thing happens with NY State, to some extent. NYC and the southern tier (and maybe some of the areas around Buffalo) make it a blue state, while most of upstate NY is pretty conservative.

This is all a moo point for me, 'cause I sent in my ballot last week.

Ah, a "moo point;" a point only a cow would make.

It's crazy how there can be such a division within a state; NY state is especially stark, in my experience. Going from the city to upstate is like night and day.

[AGDee]

We have the same division in Michigan. You have Detroit and you have the rest of the state. It's primarily the county that Detroit is in that wins out because of it's higher population. And, when you think about people's life experience and how it shapes their political opinions, it makes a lot of sense.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by AGDee

We have the same division in Michigan. You have Detroit and you have the rest of the state. It's primarily the county that Detroit is in that wins out because of it's higher population. And, when you think about people's life experience and how it shapes their political opinions, it makes a lot of sense.

Are you talking about a wealth-party affiliation correlation? That may be the case in Michigan, but I think, at times, people are too quick to make that connection.

As someone from a lower middle-class, Democrat background who is a registered Republican, I'm probably a bit more sensitive to that issue than I should be. But, I also think people tend to make too many assumptions when trying to draw those parallels.

[CrackerBarrel]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

Are you talking about a wealth-party affiliation correlation? That may be the case in Michigan, but I think, at times, people are too quick to make that connection.

As someone from a lower middle-class, Democrat background who is a registered Republican, I'm probably a bit more sensitive to that issue than I should be. But, I also think people tend to make too many assumptions when trying to draw those parallels.

That connection only works in some regions. There are a lot of lower-income Republicans in the South and very wealthy Democrats in New England.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

Are you talking about a wealth-party affiliation correlation? That may be the case in Michigan, but I think, at times, people are too quick to make that connection.

As someone from a lower middle-class, Democrat background who is a registered Republican, I'm probably a bit more sensitive to that issue than I should be. But, I also think people tend to make too many assumptions when trying to draw those parallels.

Nope, not wealth necessarily. Wayne County, in addition to Detroit also has Grosse Pointe (old money city). It's more about urban lifestyle, union/autoworker focus, more eclectic culture, ethnicity, and religion, and exposure to both the infrastructure issues and poverty issues within the city.

Outstate they are more conservative, rural, agricultural, right wing, conservative Christians. I don't think they necessarily have more money. The exception is Ann Arbor, liberal land of the universe, thanks to the University of Michigan..lol.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

Ah, a "moo point;" a point only a cow would make.

It's crazy how there can be such a division within a state; NY state is especially stark, in my experience. Going from the city to upstate is like night and day.

I think the FL divide is even more stark than the NY divide, but it's very similar--an agricultural north primarily made up of natives, with a more cosmopolitan south primarily made up of people who aren't from the area. Florida is funny too because of all of the out-of-state retirees, both military and civilian, who make up a good percentage of the senior citizens in the state.

I don't think it's a wealth-party affiliation in Florida, but it's weird and someone should write a book on it for sure.