For the final article in this column, we will take a look back at some of the most prime facts from each of our states, territories, and Capital. The objective of this column was to show that through unique, rich history, each state develops its own political and ideological strain that makes it difficult to simply classify them as “red” or “blue.” The United States’ history has made it a true city on a hill for two-and-a-half centuries, a title it so deservedly retains today.
The Original Thirteen Colonies – The Drivers of Independence
Delaware: December 7, 1787 – Delaware is currently home to 65% of Fortune 500 Companies. Delaware last voted Republican for president in 1988.
Pennsylvania: December 12, 1787 – Pennsylvania was the world’s top textile manufacturer during the Revolution, and its manufacturing profile has played a crucial role in its political leanings. In 2016, Donald Trump (R-FL) became the first Republican to carry Pennsylvania since George H.W. Bush (R-TX) in 1988.
New Jersey: December 18, 1787 – New Jersey is credited as the U.S. leader into the Industrial Revolution. New Jersey last backed a Republican for president in 1988.
Georgia: January 2, 1788 – Georgia was the only colony that banned slavery at its formation, as well as lawyers. In 2020, Joe Biden (D-DE) became the first Democrat to carry Georgia since Bill Clinton (D-AR) in 1992. Connecticut: January 9, 1788 – From 1790 to 1930, Connecticut had more patents per capita than any other state. Connecticut last voted for a Republican in 1988.
Massachusetts: February 6, 1788 – Massachusetts was the first state to ban slavery and it has the oldest currently-enacted constitution in the world. Massachusetts last backed a Republican in 1984.
Maryland: April 28, 1788 – The birthplace of the Democratic Party and currently the national leader in median household income. Maryland has not backed a Republican since 1988.
South Carolina: May 23, 1788 – South Carolina hosted the most Civil War battles in the nation and is currently called the “Gold Capital of the World.” Jimmy Carter (D-GA) is the last Democrat to have won South Carolina in 1976.
New Hampshire: June 21, 1788 – The “State of Firsts” – the first free public libraries, statewide traffic lights, and trans-Atlantic communication cable. New Hampshire last voted Republican in 2000.
Virginia: June 25, 1788 – Virginia’s foremost industry since the colonial period was the tobacco industry. Virginia last voted Republican in 2004.
New York: July 26, 1788 – New York supplied the most military armaments during WWII. New York last backed a Republican in 1984.
North Carolina: November 21, 1789 – North Carolina is credited with the first act of independence when the state instructed its delegates to the Continental Congress to vote for independence from Britain. North Carolina last voted for a Democrat in 2008.
Rhode Island: May 29, 1790 – Lyndon Johnson’s (D-TX) 80.9% margin in 1964 is the last victory of such magnitude. Rhode Island last backed a Republican in 1984.
Washington, District of Columbia: July 9, 1790 – The Capital was formed as its own territory to prevent state control of federal affairs. D.C. has backed a Democrat in every election since it gained electoral votes in 1964.
New England to the Mississippi – The Country Takes Shape
Vermont: March 4, 1791 – Vermont has voted Republican more times than any other state: thirty-three times. Vermont last backed a Republican in 1988.
Kentucky: June 1, 1792 – Early reliance on stagecoach travel and horse breeding made Kentucky the home of horse racing, including the Kentucky Derby. Kentucky last backed a Democrat in 1996.
Tennessee: June 1, 1796 – Tennessee earns its nickname “The Volunteer State” from its high number of volunteer troops during the War of 1812 and the Spanish-American War. Tennessee last voted for a Democrat in 1996.
Ohio: March 1, 1803 – Ohio was the nation’s most crucial bellwether, backing every winner of the general election from 1948 to 2016, except for 1960. Ohio last voted Democrat in 2012.
Louisiana: April 30, 1812 – Despite having one of the largest slave populations in the country, Louisiana also had one of the highest freed black populations leading up to the Civil War. Louisiana last voted for a Democrat in 1996.
Indiana: December 11, 1816 – Indiana is home to the country’s first train robbery and outlaw gang. Indiana last backed a Democrat in 2008.
Mississippi: December 10, 1817 – Ruled by a plantation aristocracy, Mississippi was the richest state in the country before the Civil War. Mississippi last backed a Democrat in 1976.
Illinois: December 3, 1818 – Illinois sits atop the largest recoverable coal reserve in the country at 38 million tons. Illinois last backed a Republican in 1988.
Alabama: December 14, 1819 – The tract of fertile soil through the center of the state was home to the bulk of Alabama’s plantations, which has residually turned into the Democratic base of the state’s electorate. Alabama last backed a Democrat in 1976.
Maine: March 15, 1820 – Maine’s elections in September were often bellwethers for what would come in November, prompting the phrase “As goes Maine, so goes the nation.” Maine last backed a Republican fully in 1988, but Trump won its Second Congressional District in 2016 and 2020.
Missouri: August 10, 1821 – Missouri used to be the quintessential “Missouri Bellwether,” backing the winner of each election from 1904 to 2004, except in 1956. Missouri last backed a Democrat in 1996. Arkansas: January 26, 1837 – Arkansas has the distinction of having voted Democratic more times than any other state: thirty-three times. Arkansas last backed a Democrat in 1996.
Coast to Coast – Industrialization Rolls with Full Steam Ahead
Michigan: January 26, 1837 – 20% of Michigan’s workforce is represented by the auto industry in Detroit. Trump’s win here in 2016 was the first time Michigan voted Republican since 1988.
Florida: March 3, 1845 – Florida re-elected Senator Marco Rubio (R) in 2022, making him the only Republican in the state’s history to win three terms to the Senate, a recent turnaround in the state’s history. Florida last backed a Democrat in 2012.
Texas: December 29, 1845 – Texas is the nation’s leading producer of crude oil and natural gas. Texas last voted for a Democrat in 1976.
Iowa: December 28, 1846 – Iowa’s Howard County saw the largest swing of any county in the nation from 2012 to 2016, flipping from Obama to Trump. Iowa last backed a Democrat in 2012.
Wisconsin: May 29, 1848 – “America’s Dairyland,” Wisconsin is the leading producer of cheese and second-leading producer of milk. Trump’s 2016 win saw Wisconsin vote red for the first time since 1984.
California: September, 1850 – California’s film industry rose in part to laws protecting filmmakers from infringing on Thomas Edison’s film patents. California last voted Republican in 1988.
Minnesota: May 11, 1858 – Home to Dred Scott, for whom the landmark Supreme Court case Scott V. Sanford was named. Minnesota, as well as Pillsbury. Minnesota last backed a Republican in 1972, the longest Democratic voting streak for any state.
Oregon: February 14, 1859 – The “Oregon System” helped pioneer progressive politics, including allowing citizens to pass ballot initiatives. Oregon last backed a Republican in 1984.
Kansas: January 29, 1861 – Kansas suffered the highest amount of fatalities of any other state in the Civil War. Kansas last backed a Democrat in 1964, tied with eight other states for the longest voting streaks in the country.
West Virginia: June 20, 1863 – FDR’s New Deal policy turned 90% of West Virginia’s mining workforce to the United Mine Workers of America, making it a blue state until 2000. West Virginia last backed a Democrat in 1996.
Nevada: October 31, 1864 – Nevada is the world’s fourth-largest producer of gold. Nevada last backed a Republican in 2004.
Nebraska: March 1, 1867 – North Platte is home to Bailey Yard, the largest train yard in the world, managing as many as 10,000 rail cars every day. Nebraska at-large last backed a Democrat in 1964, while Obama won its Second Congressional District in 2008, and Biden would win it in 2020.
Colorado: August 1, 1876 – Colorado’s early population boom was due to mining and tuberculosis patients seeking dry, sunny climates, earning the nickname, “The World’s Sanitarium.” Colorado last voted Republican in 2004.
Great Plains to the Mountains – The Turn of the Century
North Dakota: November 2, 1889 – Vote-splitting between the two parties and the nascent Populist Party resulted in the only time a state’s electoral votes were split evenly between three candidates. North Dakota last voted for a Democrat in 1964.
South Dakota: November 2, 1889 – South Dakota is home to the longest gubernatorial winning streak for either party in the country: Democrats have not won the governorship since 1974. South Dakota last voted Democrat in 1964.
Montana: November 8, 1889 – Montana is the only Republican-leaning Mountain state that lacks right-to-work laws. Montana last backed a Democrat in 1992.
Washington: November 11, 1889 – Great Depression projects saw the Grand Coulee Dam become the largest hydroelectric dam in the country, a title it still retains today. Washington last voted Republican in 1984.
Idaho: July 3, 1890 – Idaho earns its nickname “The Gem State” for having the largest variety of gemstones, behind Africa. Idaho last voted Democrat in 1964.
Wyoming: July 10, 1890 – Wyoming earns its nickname “The Equality State” for being the first to give women the right to vote in 1869. Wyoming last voted Democrat in 1964.
Utah: January 4, 1896 – Now a Republican stronghold, Utah initially backed Democrats since Republicans opposed the Mormon practice of polygamy. Utah last voted for a Democrat in 1964.
Oklahoma: November 16, 1907 – Oklahoma’s fast settlement allowed it to enter the Union with the highest number of electoral votes of any other state at entry: seven. Oklahoma last voted for a Democrat in 1964.
New Mexico: January 6, 1912 – New Mexico lost more servicemen than any other state during WWII and was the site of the world’s first atomic bomb detonation. New Mexico last backed a Republican in 2004.
Arizona: February 14, 1912 – Arizona has the largest copper deposits in the country and the second-largest in the world. Biden’s 2020 win marked the first time Arizona backed a Democrat since 1996, and the second time since 1948.
Alaska: January 3, 1959 – Alaska has the highest percentage of Independent voters of any state, making up 55% of the registered electorate. Alaska has only voted for a Democrat once: 1964.
Hawaii: August 21, 1959 – Republican sugar industries’ importing of Asian immigrants turned Hawaii from a solid red state to a solid blue one. Hawaii has only voted Republican two times, all in landslide elections: 1972 and 1984.
The Territories – America’s Best Kept Secrets
Guam: April 11, 1899 – Guam hosted a portion of the trans-Pacific telegraph line to the Philippines, which the U.S. also owned at the time. The GOP won Guam’s non-voting House Delegate position in 2022, the first time in thirty years.
Puerto Rico: April 11, 1899 – Control of Puerto Rico stemmed from international distrust in the Caribbean during the Spanish-American War.
American Samoa: April 17, 1900 – American Samoa has no Organic Act, which establishes specific forms of government for U.S. Territories.
U.S. Virgin Islands: March 31, 1917 – Countries fought to lose control of the U.S. Virgin Islands as they were unprofitable for the first few centuries of their colonization.
Northern Mariana Islands: November 4, 1986 – The CNMI was the takeoff point for the Enola Gay, the plane that bombed Hiroshima.
Conclusion – Land of the Free, Home of the Brave
The United States has the most distinct history and form of government the world has ever seen. It’s up to us to keep it that way. No two states are truly alike in their political identities and generalizing current political leanings on a red-blue scale simply does not tell the whole story. That was the purpose of this column from February 2023 until now. The Messenger thanks all who read this weekly column routinely. All fifty-eight articles can be found online at messengerpapers.com.
