What Did We Learn (Prelude to Part Two)? The Great Divide

Here are some statistics to chew on while I prepare a narrative on "What Did We Learn (Part Two)? The Great Divide." I think you'll see where I'm going.

For pleasurable reading, go to CNNs web site and look at their election map. You can see results by state and by county. The Great Divide will leap out at you, and you will see a significant correlation between population density and voting preference.

I have a post planned for this next week, but I need to spend the weekend trying to think of ways to make my point without being inflammatory or offensive. I think I can do it.

Richest Counties (Adjusted Household Gross Income, 2002 Statistics)

1. Teton Co., WY (SS)
2. Fairfield Co., CT (SS)
3. Marin Co., CA (K)
4. Sommerset Co., NJ (SS)
5. Morris Co., NJ (B)
6. Clear Creek Co., CO (SS)
7. Douglas Co., CO (B)
8. Hunterdon Co., NJ (B)
9. Westchester Co., NY (K)
10. Manhattan Co., NY (K)

Bush = 3
Kerry = 3
Statistically Split = 4

Believe it or not, I'm not surprised by the result there. Essentially what this means is that income is not a strict predictor of voting preference (at least not in those 10 counties).


Largest Counties (in population)

1. Los Angeles County, CA (K)
2. Cook County, IL (K)
3. Harris County, TX (B)
4. Maricopa County, AZ (B)
5. Orange County, CA (B)
6. San Diego County, CA (SS)
7. Kings County, NY (K)
8. Miami-Dade County, FL (SS)
9. Queens County, NY (K)
10. Dallas County, TX (SS)
11. Wayne County, MI (K)
12. King County, WA (K)
13. San Bernardino County, CA (B)
14. Santa Clara County, CA (K)
15. Broward County, FL (K)

Bush = 4
Kerry = 8
Statistically Split = 3

If you go to the most populated counties, things start to skew blue. But just wait.

Smallest Counties (in population)

1. Loving Co., TX (B)
2. Kalawoo Co., HI (K)
3. King Co., TX (B)
4. Kenedy Co., TX (B)
5. Arthur Co., NE (B)
6. Petroleum Co., MT (B)
7. McPherson Co., NE (B)
8. San Juan, Co., CO (SS)
9. Blaine Co., NE (B)
10. Loup Co., NE (B)
11. Thomas Co., NE (B)
12. Borden Co., TX (B)
13. Grant Co., NE (B)
14. Slope Co., ND (B)
15. Logan Co., NE (B)

Bush = 13
Kerry = 1
Statistically Split = 1

Discounting anomalous Hawaii, here, the results are impressive, but not surprising. Rural is redder than communist Russia....er...um...wait there...oh, never mind.


Largest Metropolitan Areas (in population)

New York – Northern New Jersey – Long Island
21,199,865
(K)

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County
16,373,645
(K)

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha
9,157,540
(K)

Washington-Baltimore
7,608,070
(K)

San Francisco-Oakland- San Jose
7,039,362
(K)

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City
6,188,463
(K)

Boston-Worcester-Lawrence
5,819,100
(K)

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint
5,456,428
(K)

Dallas-Fort Worth
5,221,801
(SS)

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria
4,669,571
(SS)

Atlanta
4,122,198
(K)

Miami-Fort Lauderdale
3,876,380
(SS)

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton
3,554,760
(K)

Phoenix-Mesa
3,251,876
(B)

Minneapolis-St. Paul
2,968,806
(K)

Bush = 1
Kerry = 11
Statistically Split = 3

My brother-in-law made an excellent point here. You would think that of all people swayed by terrorism, New Yorkers would be number one on the list. Why is it that they broke rank from fear voters? What is it that New Yorkers and other city dwellers know that our rural cousins don't know? Are city slickers (like yours truly) amoral and unpatriotic?

I will seek to answer these and other questions related to The Great Divide next week.

Enjoy your weekend, and now, if you'll excuse me, I have some leaves to rake.