Why is Maryland such a blue state?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lots of poor people. Democrats promise poor people things they don’t usually deliver on.

Hm.. that doesn't explain why the more educated you are (and around here, more educated means higher income), the more you tend to vote blue.

[Anonymous]

It is simply numbers. The most heavily Democratic parts of the state have the largest populations- Montgomery County (heavily educated, wealthy, and Progressive county); Prince George’s County (large African American population), and Baltimore City (large urban city). These populations vote Democratic. They don’t all like the new crazy progressive movement going on in the Democratic Party but they would never vote for anyone in Trump world.

Montgomery County is very Progressive but would vote Republican if the candidate checks certain boxes (Larry Hogan is the perfect example). I’m a life long Democrat that has only voted Republican when Hogan was Governor. I will never vote for anyone who supports Trump.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Demographically, I would think Maryland should be a swing state or maybe fall into a D+5 category more like Virginia. What is keeping MD in the extreme partisan column, third behind Vermont and Massachusetts?

Maryland's demographics IMHO point more center-right:

- Very conservative western MD, Eastern shore, southern MD
- Baltimore county suburbs very culturally conservatives, especially the old-timey, "hon," "crabs and Old Bay," Americana type culture
- Socially conservative Black population
- Fiscally conservative new immigrant wealth in places like Potomac
- Religious conservative Latino immigrants
- Pro-Israel Jews
- pro-Business Howard County
- wealthy retirees in Calvert County
- Annapolis isn't very progressive either, lots of wealthy lawyers with yachts

So who is driving Maryland so heavily to the left?

The overwhelmingly majority of black people vote for Democrats, socially conservative or not. Maryland is the 5th blackest state, even counting DC. Add in enough liberal white voters, unlike the other very black states like Mississippi, and you've got a solidly Democrat state.

This. Baltimore drags down the whole state.

Baltimore is a former “machine town” or democrat political machine town, built by the D’Alesandro family, beginning in 1947.

Nancy Pelosi is a D’Alesandro family member.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You seem to incorrectly think that wealthy = republican. And maybe the 10 yachts in Annapolis are owned by republicans, but they are only 10 votes. A majority of people making over $100,000 are democrats in Maryland.

Also, Eastern shore is not "very conservative". It leans republican.

https://www.pewresearch.org/religious-landscape-study/database/state/maryland/party-affiliation/

Sorry, that map is of the 2020 presidential election.

My sense in Montgomery County is that people are Democrats for tribal reasons like being Ravens fans or Orioles fans. It's the hometeam. Team Blue, with all the fan swag they can get their hands on. But when you press them issue by issue they are more conservative than people realize. The typical Montgomery County voter wants lower taxes, more private sector job growth, is begrudgingly pro-marijuana legalization but hates the smell, is anti-upzoning, anti- government handout, pro-police, and doesn't want open borders. The main Democratic issue that dominates here is being pro-choice. That and just hating Trump, because he's an embarrassment and a wannabe dictator. But I think MoCo is more Larry Hogan-aligned than people realize.

This is pretty much correct for western Moco. The politics in eastern Moco are a lot different and frankly bizarre, where it seems like people use left wing politics as a form of social capital.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Second most educated state in the country

Are these people all transplants?

Maryland is not exactly known for their colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Demographically, I would think Maryland should be a swing state or maybe fall into a D+5 category more like Virginia. What is keeping MD in the extreme partisan column, third behind Vermont and Massachusetts?

Maryland's demographics IMHO point more center-right:

- Very conservative western MD, Eastern shore, southern MD
- Baltimore county suburbs very culturally conservatives, especially the old-timey, "hon," "crabs and Old Bay," Americana type culture
- Socially conservative Black population
- Fiscally conservative new immigrant wealth in places like Potomac
- Religious conservative Latino immigrants
- Pro-Israel Jews
- pro-Business Howard County
- wealthy retirees in Calvert County
- Annapolis isn't very progressive either, lots of wealthy lawyers with yachts

So who is driving Maryland so heavily to the left?

The overwhelmingly majority of black people vote for Democrats, socially conservative or not. Maryland is the 5th blackest state, even counting DC. Add in enough liberal white voters, unlike the other very black states like Mississippi, and you've got a solidly Democrat state.

This is it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is simply numbers. The most heavily Democratic parts of the state have the largest populations- Montgomery County (heavily educated, wealthy, and Progressive county); Prince George’s County (large African American population), and Baltimore City (large urban city). These populations vote Democratic. They don’t all like the new crazy progressive movement going on in the Democratic Party but they would never vote for anyone in Trump world.

Montgomery County is very Progressive but would vote Republican if the candidate checks certain boxes (Larry Hogan is the perfect example). I’m a life long Democrat that has only voted Republican when Hogan was Governor. I will never vote for anyone who supports Trump.

Larry Hogan is not the perfect example because even while winning a landslide re-election he didn’t win Montgomery County.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Maryland_gubernatorial_election

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Second most educated state in the country

Are these people all transplants?

Maryland is not exactly known for their colleges.

In Maryland people make enough money to be able to afford colleges in other states.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Demographically, I would think Maryland should be a swing state or maybe fall into a D+5 category more like Virginia. What is keeping MD in the extreme partisan column, third behind Vermont and Massachusetts?

Maryland's demographics IMHO point more center-right:

- Very conservative western MD, Eastern shore, southern MD
- Baltimore county suburbs very culturally conservatives, especially the old-timey, "hon," "crabs and Old Bay," Americana type culture
- Socially conservative Black population
- Fiscally conservative new immigrant wealth in places like Potomac
- Religious conservative Latino immigrants
- Pro-Israel Jews
- pro-Business Howard County
- wealthy retirees in Calvert County
- Annapolis isn't very progressive either, lots of wealthy lawyers with yachts

So who is driving Maryland so heavily to the left?

The fact that Maryland is one of the most educated and richest states in the country. They're not stupid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Second most educated state in the country

Are these people all transplants?

Maryland is not exactly known for their colleges.

In Maryland people make enough money to be able to afford colleges in other states.

higher ed elsewhere. Come to work in DC, MD or VA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is simply numbers. The most heavily Democratic parts of the state have the largest populations- Montgomery County (heavily educated, wealthy, and Progressive county); Prince George’s County (large African American population), and Baltimore City (large urban city). These populations vote Democratic. They don’t all like the new crazy progressive movement going on in the Democratic Party but they would never vote for anyone in Trump world.

Montgomery County is very Progressive but would vote Republican if the candidate checks certain boxes (Larry Hogan is the perfect example). I’m a life long Democrat that has only voted Republican when Hogan was Governor. I will never vote for anyone who supports Trump.

Larry Hogan is not the perfect example because even while winning a landslide re-election he didn’t win Montgomery County.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Maryland_gubernatorial_election

Because MoCo knows, they just do!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Demographically, I would think Maryland should be a swing state or maybe fall into a D+5 category more like Virginia. What is keeping MD in the extreme partisan column, third behind Vermont and Massachusetts?

Maryland's demographics IMHO point more center-right:

- Very conservative western MD, Eastern shore, southern MD
- Baltimore county suburbs very culturally conservatives, especially the old-timey, "hon," "crabs and Old Bay," Americana type culture
- Socially conservative Black population
- Fiscally conservative new immigrant wealth in places like Potomac
- Religious conservative Latino immigrants
- Pro-Israel Jews
- pro-Business Howard County
- wealthy retirees in Calvert County
- Annapolis isn't very progressive either, lots of wealthy lawyers with yachts

So who is driving Maryland so heavily to the left?

The overwhelmingly majority of black people vote for Democrats, socially conservative or not. Maryland is the 5th blackest state, even counting DC. Add in enough liberal white voters, unlike the other very black states like Mississippi, and you've got a solidly Democrat state.

This. Baltimore drags down the whole state.

Baltimore is a former “machine town” or democrat political machine town, built by the D’Alesandro family, beginning in 1947.

Nancy Pelosi is a D’Alesandro family member.

This is the answer. Baltimore used to have a lot of union factory jobs. The Union factory jobs have melted away but the population remains Democrat. It was a big "machine town."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is simply numbers. The most heavily Democratic parts of the state have the largest populations- Montgomery County (heavily educated, wealthy, and Progressive county); Prince George’s County (large African American population), and Baltimore City (large urban city). These populations vote Democratic. They don’t all like the new crazy progressive movement going on in the Democratic Party but they would never vote for anyone in Trump world.

Montgomery County is very Progressive but would vote Republican if the candidate checks certain boxes (Larry Hogan is the perfect example). I’m a life long Democrat that has only voted Republican when Hogan was Governor. I will never vote for anyone who supports Trump.

Larry Hogan is not the perfect example because even while winning a landslide re-election he didn’t win Montgomery County.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Maryland_gubernatorial_election

He won a lot of precincts in Chevy Chase, Bethesda, Potomac and upcounty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is simply numbers. The most heavily Democratic parts of the state have the largest populations- Montgomery County (heavily educated, wealthy, and Progressive county); Prince George’s County (large African American population), and Baltimore City (large urban city). These populations vote Democratic. They don’t all like the new crazy progressive movement going on in the Democratic Party but they would never vote for anyone in Trump world.

Montgomery County is very Progressive but would vote Republican if the candidate checks certain boxes (Larry Hogan is the perfect example). I’m a life long Democrat that has only voted Republican when Hogan was Governor. I will never vote for anyone who supports Trump.

Larry Hogan is not the perfect example because even while winning a landslide re-election he didn’t win Montgomery County.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Maryland_gubernatorial_election

He won a lot of precincts in Chevy Chase, Bethesda, Potomac and upcounty.

He underperformed his statewide popularity by 20 points. Even when you had a popular incumbent governor and a challenger going nowhere he wasn’t close to winning MoCo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is simply numbers. The most heavily Democratic parts of the state have the largest populations- Montgomery County (heavily educated, wealthy, and Progressive county); Prince George’s County (large African American population), and Baltimore City (large urban city). These populations vote Democratic. They don’t all like the new crazy progressive movement going on in the Democratic Party but they would never vote for anyone in Trump world.

Montgomery County is very Progressive but would vote Republican if the candidate checks certain boxes (Larry Hogan is the perfect example). I’m a life long Democrat that has only voted Republican when Hogan was Governor. I will never vote for anyone who supports Trump.

Larry Hogan is not the perfect example because even while winning a landslide re-election he didn’t win Montgomery County.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Maryland_gubernatorial_election

He won a lot of precincts in Chevy Chase, Bethesda, Potomac and upcounty.

He underperformed his statewide popularity by 20 points. Even when you had a popular incumbent governor and a challenger going nowhere he wasn’t close to winning MoCo.

Yawn. No surprise he was unpopular with the Takoma Park/Silver Soring crowd. But he was surprisingly very popular in other parts of the county that are otherwise normally strongly democratic.