Election Mysteries: The Big Blue Driftless Area

What Mitt Romney and a glacier have in common.

Jesse Walker | 11.13.2012 10:27 AM

Scott Sumner spots something fascinating in the election results.

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The Late P Brooks 14 years ago

I grew up in Madison, but I don't have a clue as to why those counties further west are blue.

Agrarian populist socialism?
Jerry on the road 14 years ago

Clearly the water in the Mississippi is tainted.
1. Almanian_ 14 years ago
  
  Did you read the comments? That was indeed one of the theories - as were immigration patterns, religion, locations of small colleges...I think they missed moon phases, but maybe that was in the later comments I didn't read.
  1. robc 14 years ago
    
    I would go with the higher Norwegian ancestry argument.
    1. sarcasmic 14 years ago
      
      Damn square-heads gave the election to Obama.
      1. Almanian_ 14 years ago
        
        "Husband - what is the matter?"
        
        /Boarwalk Empire
Almanian_ 14 years ago

take a peak at this picture

The cement dragon is kind of cool, but I'll just take a "peek", thanks.

/pedant

PS On the whole "why is this little area weird"? I just don't care. But thanks
Warty 14 years ago

There's a ton of good hiking in the Driftless Area. Some amazing sandstone cliffs, stuff like that. Cool place.
Invisible Finger 14 years ago

If he knew American migration history, he'd know that the "Driftless Area" was mostly settled by Northeastern puritans.
Lisa 14 years ago

It's not called the Democratic-FARMER-labor party for nothing
HazelMeade 14 years ago

I'm thinking that the geographic nature of the area - lots of deep ravines - means that it's out of the way of major highways and not very well suited to commercial agriculture, which makes it a relatively poor area with a lot of small farmers. Many of whom probably specialize in organic food production to find a niche market they cna compete in.
Corning 14 years ago

I blame the Cornish immigrants who settled there mine the area at the turn of the century.

Seriously...fuck the Cornish.

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Election Mysteries: The Big Blue Driftless Area

What Mitt Romney and a glacier have in common.

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