Friday, April 03, 2009

Triangle key to Democrats' hold on federal elections

Triangle the state's important region for Democrats

This will surprise almost no one: The Triangle area of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill is the most influential in helping Democrats win federal office and making the state competitive in presidential politics. Without it, President Obama would not have won North Carolina. So says Public Policy Polling analyst Tom Jensen in this note:

How important is the Triangle to continued Democratic gains in federal elections in North Carolina?

It was the only media market made up mostly of North Carolina counties to vote for Barack Obama last fall.

Obama took the region 56-43, racking up a plurality of 186,000 votes.

His next best performances were in the Triad and greater Charlotte, each of which he lost 52-47. In the Triad his deficit was 43,000 votes and in Charlotte it was 66,000.

He lost 53-46 in Asheville, Greenville, and Wilmington. In Asheville it was a deficit of 22k votes, in Greenville 25k, and in Wilmington 16k.

Add up those losses in all of the other state's media markets and it comes to 172k, allowing that 186k margin in the Triangle to make up for losing everywhere else.

There's not much doubt what region's growth is contributing the most to North Carolina's increased competitiveness in Presidential politics.
This analysis is also available on our blog:

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

There are alot of dumb people in the Triad. I guess that explains why Obama won this state.

Anonymous said...

How many votes did Bob Barr take in the election. No offense to Obama, but McCain sucked as a candidate.

Anonymous said...

I agree McCain really sucked. Basically our choices were Commie or Commie, with the exception of Bob Barr.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

Anon 11:33 what drugs are you smoking?

Anonymous said...

The bigger issue is not left or right, but the massive growing of the state. We the people need a revolution to take back this country before it's to late. The constitution was created for a reason to prevent what the government has become today.

Anonymous said...

10:47 - thanks for pig headed sterotypes. Classic liberal. Liberals are smarter, but just not smart enough to figure out how to pay their taxes on time. Smart like Chris Dodd, Jim Black, Bill Richardson, Blago, Spitzer, Nick Sleasley, Nick Mackey. Yep you sure have the market cornered in the smarts section. Those first time voters who got Acorn Boy elected thing Iraq is a Duran Duran new cover band. Go change your diapers - you are the bigot.

Anonymous said...

Anon 2:24PM When you say, There is a lot of dumb people in the TRIAD, you are not aware that it is in reference to the Greensboro, High Point, Winston-Salem Metro Area! The point of the article is about the Triangle(Raleigh,Durham,Chapel Hill)Metro. You need to do educate yourself about North Carolina Geography.

Anonymous said...

Well there are alot of dumb people in the Triangle.

Anonymous said...
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