Marion County Went Sharply Blue

[liberalpragmatist]

Marion County was historically a Republican stronghold, despite the City of Indianapolis.

During the Clinton years, it appears the gap narrowed, such that in 2000, Gore came within a couple points of Bush. Still, Bush won Marion County in 2000, 49-48.

Two years later, matching the national trend of inner suburbs trending Dem, Kerry actually won Marion County, despite the state as a whole going sharply more for Bush than it had for Gore. Though Bush won Indiana 59-39, Kerry actually won Marion County 51-49.

This year, however, Obama obliterated McCain in Marion County. The onetime GOP stronghold went 64-35 Obama. That's incredible.

If that level of support for Dems continues, Indiana will be a swing state for a long time.

[Indiana_Dem]

1. Yes and look at this map of shifts from IndyStar:

http://www.indystar.com/article/20081109/NEWS0502/811090375/1324/NEWS0502

Even though my county still lost, we were in the top 20 counties that shifted more than 25% Dem! And I'm in a small town surrounded by rural voters!