Posted on 11/28/2016 9:02:08 AM PST by pa_dweller
Donald Trump managed to pull off victories in several key states that had been considered strongholds for Democratic candidates - one of the more important shifts that helped drive his improbable win in this year's presidential election. And to score success in those states, the real estate mogul relied on building support in suburban counties that had voted for President Barack Obama in 2012. In total, according to a Washington Post analysis, Trump flipped 217 counties that had voted Democratic in the last election. Hillary Clinton flipped only 30 counties that voted for Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney in 2012.
Election results at the state level show that Trump was able to swing the Keystone State back to the GOP column by turning Erie, Luzerne and Northampton counties from blue to red. It was the first time since 1988 that Pennsylvania backed a Republican presidential candidate, when Pennsylvanians chose George H.W. Bush over Michael Dukakis. While Berks County was not among those that flipped for Trump - having gone for Romney in 2012 - it is clear the reality TV star energized conservative voters in rural areas and motivated more moderate voters in the suburbs. While Romney won Berks by a narrow margin four years ago, Trump took the county by a comfortable margin. An analysis found that Trump flipped 40 precincts that had voted for Obama in the last election, while Clinton flipped only two precincts that voted Republican in 2012.
Berks county precinct statistics and 2012 vs. 2016 maps available at the link.
Is Reading a Philly suburb? I was there this summer. Nice area to visit.
Trump was able to swing the Keystone State back to the GOP column by turning Erie, Luzerne and Northampton counties
When I saw Luzerne painted Red on CNN’s Magic Wall, I knew Trump won PA.
It went Red late in the night and with it, shut the door on a Clinton presidency.
Best result ever! You could see the famous middle T of PA was a sea of red.
It would be interesting to know how the demographics of those thirty counties have changed over the last four years, vs. the 217.
Luzerne is Wilkes-Barre. It does not include Scranton.
No. Reading's a little over sixty miles northwest of Philadelphia.
So satisfying to read this. I am a Berks Co resident, and Trump supporter!
There was a poll out there, that just looked at several counties in various states throught the country(forget the name of it). Luzerne Co was one of them. This poll had Luzerne going Trump almost all the way through there polling cycle.
Reading is a toilet. Are you sure you were visiting Reading?
2016
Clinton 32.9% 67,428
Trump 61.9% 126,933
McMullin 0.0% 0
Other 5.3% 10,839
vs. 2012
Obama 38.5% 73,191
Romney 59.6% 113,304
Other 1.8% 3,510
A dysfunctional toilet. Seems there's always some money-draining squabble going on.
Trump won Pennsylvania fair and square.
He could have even won Centre County (Penn State University) if not for all the foreign students voting for Clinton.
Thanks. What county is Scranton?
I was at Trump's Scranton rally on the Monday before the election. Rowdy crowd.
Reading is a toilet. Are you sure you were visiting Reading?
It was a pleasant drive down from upstate NY. Beautiful coutryside. I had some business there in a nice area on the outskirts and didn’t tour central Reading itself. FRegards.
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