Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

How the Election Revealed the Divide Between City and Country
The Atlantic ^ | November 16, 2016 | Ronald Brownstein

Posted on 11/17/2016 3:11:50 PM PST by Clintonfatigued

In 2000, Al Gore narrowly won the popular vote, but carried fewer than 700 counties. In 2012, President Obama squeezed even more advantage from the biggest places: He carried 86 of the nation’s 100 largest counties (including the District of Columbia), winning them by nearly 12 million votes combined. That allowed him to win comfortably, although he carried only about 600 of the remaining 3,000 counties, and lost them by nearly 7 million votes combined.

This year, Hillary Clinton pushed that model just past the breaking point. Pending final results, she now leads in 88 of the nation’s 100 largest counties (including D.C.). Suffering a slight decline in African American support, Clinton did not quite match Obama’s vote margins in some crucial metropolitan areas, particularly Detroit, Milwaukee, and Philadelphia.

But overall, she delivered a dominant performance in most urban centers and many affluent white-collar suburbs. She held Trump to less than one-fourth of the vote in such mega-counties as Manhattan, Cook (Chicago), and Los Angeles; expanded on Obama’s margins in growing Sunbelt cities such as Miami, Charlotte, and Houston; and utterly routed Trump in thriving new economy centers like Austin, Silicon Valley, and Seattle. At latest tally, Clinton won the nation’s 100 largest counties by fully 12.6 million votes—an historic lead certain to widen with many more West Coast ballots yet to count.

But Clinton suffered far greater losses than Obama outside of this vibrant urban core. Tom Bonier, the chief executive of the Democratic targeting firm TargetSmart, says that with final results still pending in some states, Clinton has won only about 420 counties total—far fewer than any popular vote winner over the past century. In the roughly 3000 counties beyond the 100 largest, Trump trounced Clinton by about 11.5 million votes.

(Excerpt) Read more at theatlantic.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: city; clinton; country; divide; donaldtrump; election; hillary; hillaryclinton; redstatesvbluestates; rural; trump
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-31 next last

1 posted on 11/17/2016 3:11:50 PM PST by Clintonfatigued
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Clintonfatigued

2 posted on 11/17/2016 3:13:05 PM PST by Travis McGee (EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: fieldmarshaldj; AuH2ORepublican; Impy; GOPsterinMA; randita; Sun; NFHale; ExTexasRedhead; GeronL; ..

Look at the map of counties or without geographical boundaries and you’d never guess that the race was close. There are tiny dots of blue in an ocean of red, but those dots of blue are big, heavily populated cities where Clinton won by huge margins. Trump swept the countryside by huge margins.


3 posted on 11/17/2016 3:13:56 PM PST by Clintonfatigued (The barbarians are inside because there are no gates)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Travis McGee
Two things for proggy libtards to ponder.

1. Who has all the guns?

2. Where does your food come from?


4 posted on 11/17/2016 3:14:26 PM PST by Travis McGee (EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Travis McGee; Clintonfatigued

The difference in political opinion between urban areas and rural areas is not new.
It has always been that way.
I have never been able to understand “why” that is.


5 posted on 11/17/2016 3:22:50 PM PST by Repeal The 17th (I was conceived in liberty, how about you?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Repeal The 17th
"I have never been able to understand “why” that is."

Perhaps it is that rural folks have a need thus a tradition to be self reliant, city folks not so much. Sad thing though, the American demographic time bomb has already been set in motion.

6 posted on 11/17/2016 3:29:05 PM PST by buckalfa (I am deplorable.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Travis McGee

Yep!!!!


7 posted on 11/17/2016 3:33:26 PM PST by RushIsMyTeddyBear (****happy dance****)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Clintonfatigued
Let's put it in terms of current fads:

The districts have revolted and overthrown the Capitol.

8 posted on 11/17/2016 3:53:44 PM PST by Ciaphas Cain
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Travis McGee

Now add the demographic map where the 7.4% of the population with military experience resides.

Just for fun.


9 posted on 11/17/2016 3:55:23 PM PST by MrEdd (MrEdd)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Travis McGee

That’s a scary looking assault rifle AR-15 50 caliber BMG (Big-Monster-Gun)in your graphic. It’s got a fully-automatic trigger in front of that pistol-style grip; probably a bayonet lug, grenade launcher, or even a threaded barrel cropped from the pointy end in your photo; and what looks like a death ray clamped on top. Absolutely deplorable.


10 posted on 11/17/2016 4:01:14 PM PST by Pollster1 ("Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Clintonfatigued

It is not just guns they need to think about. Where is the power produced and what area do the big tower lines cross? Where is the food grown that the big cities need to survive? Where does the water come from that they need to drink and flush their toilets with?
What shape would the concentration of dems be in if all of these things failed to get to the cities for a week or two?

Hmmmmmm

And I have been hearing about some kind of revolt coming from the dems? That might not be the smartest thing for them to be thinking about.


11 posted on 11/17/2016 4:03:14 PM PST by oldenuff35
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: buckalfa; Repeal The 17th

People who desire hedonism flock to where the fleshpots are.

The left never tried to institute legal abortion at the state level. They prefered no abortion to regional abortion. The reason for that was obvious. All the people who desired a lifestyle of carousing and acting like bunnies would have flocked to those enclaves, vastly reducing the overall possibility for leftwing presence in the Senate.

We will probably see this acted out with drug use. I know people (not really friends) who are planning to move to Colorado for marijuana use. We will likely see enough of that to shift the representatives from many districts solidly in a social conservative direction while miring Colorado in a laconic buzz state from which it’s new voting demographic will not let it escape.


12 posted on 11/17/2016 4:07:12 PM PST by MrEdd (MrEdd)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Clintonfatigued
Over half of America's population is localized to a mere 146 of the 3,144 U.S. counties
and county-equivalents. How accurate I don't know. But it is an interesting presentation.
Not sure this would be representive of this current election but I bet it comes close.
Data from back in 2013
13 posted on 11/17/2016 4:08:15 PM PST by deport
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Clintonfatigued

“But Clinton suffered far greater losses than Obama outside of this vibrant urban core.”

You mean, out here in the REAL world? ;)


14 posted on 11/17/2016 4:14:01 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Clintonfatigued

I love all the oped pieces posted by the leftist know-nothing media. Who GAF what they have to say. Besides this has always been this way.

There has ALWAYS been a divide in cities vs the suburbs and counties. DUH
Cities are usually made up of singles in college or just out of college professionals in their 20s and the others are state workers and leeches living off the system. It’s the perfect combination for socialism.


15 posted on 11/17/2016 4:39:44 PM PST by snarkytart
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pollster1

Yep, the gun grabbers are afraid of the wrong rifles.


16 posted on 11/17/2016 4:42:18 PM PST by Travis McGee (EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Clintonfatigued

Wake up and smell the coffee. 250 years ago, the Founders warned us that city people vote to give away their rights and sovereignty to a powerful central government.

One of the biggest reasons for the severe shift of America to the Marxist left is because of the huge swell of city populations since WWII. Prior to WWII, most people lived on family farms in the country. Now it is very few and most people live in relatively large cities, mostly coastal cities.

The founders warned us of this 250 years ago. It is yet another reason the New World Order globalist are pushing for Agenda 21 with its dense housing, transit, and bike lanes, while trying to eliminate private car ownership and kick people out of rural homes.

Once everybody lives in big cities and rural America is empty except for corporate farms and ranches, people will all vote for socialism.


17 posted on 11/17/2016 4:53:57 PM PST by Freedom_Is_Not_Free (The GOP will see the light, because Trump will make them feel the heat.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Travis McGee

where is their fuel refined. Cities can’t make it on their own at all without getting everything shipped into them.


18 posted on 11/17/2016 5:00:23 PM PST by snarkytart
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Freedom_Is_Not_Free

Cities are useless. Sure they have great tourist attractions and art. Yes, I love art. However, even their upper scale restaurants depend on food from farms.


19 posted on 11/17/2016 5:02:12 PM PST by snarkytart
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Clintonfatigued

Urban areas are full of people who take responsibility for nothing. As such, they expect Government to do everything.

Rural people are more self-reliant, and expect the Government to simply leave them alone.

Urban people - something broken in your apartment - not your problem, call the building. Transportation - take a cab, uber, bus - a car is not your problem. Food - at the store or restaurant. Employment? You are just an employee, not responsible. Nothing is ever their responsibility, so they expect Government to force others to do what they demand.


20 posted on 11/17/2016 5:17:17 PM PST by rigelkentaurus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-31 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson