The Most Liberal County in Conservative States

By Andrea Vale/Stacker

Whether a state is considered red or blue is only one side of the story. In many states, despite majority leanings, there are neighborhoods, towns, or even entire counties that hold steadfast against their neighbors and vote for the party that holds an opposing ideology to a majority of the state's residents.

Whether or not this means those enclaves will see the results they want depends on their state's unique circumstances. In many states, liberal areas are still subject to hyper-conservative policies designed to apply to the state at large. In Florida, for instance, Gov. Ron DeSantis has restricted discussions of gender identity in schools and passed one of the nation's narrowest abortion restrictions—both of which affect residents of the comparatively progressive Miami and Fort Lauderdale. In Ohio, preemption laws bar cities from regulating certain state-mandated issues, meaning that liberal pockets in Columbus and Toledo are still beholden to the conservative-majority gun laws and environmental policies.

Stacker compiled voter turnout data from The New York Times and statewide political ideology data from Gallup to rank states by their share of self-identifying conservatives. Ties were broken by the corresponding percentage of liberals, as able. Voter data was then used to identify counties that voted against this statewide average ideology.

Some "battleground" states that split relatively evenly between conservative and liberal didn't make either list. Detailed county voter turnout data was unavailable for Virginia, Alaska, Louisiana, and Alabama. For Washington D.C., ideological insights came from a study by the Pew Research Institute, rather than the Gallup data.

When looking at why an island of liberalism may exist in an otherwise heavily conservative state, there are typically a few reliable tells. Many of the counties included in this list are home to colleges or universities; this means relatively young and well-educated populations, which almost always equates to liberal leanings. The same is true for dense urban centers, which are usually home to higher concentrations of communities of color and foreign-born migrants—groups that also lean blue.

Native American communities often vote Democrat and are also often isolated within Republican-majority states; unsurprisingly, this is the case for more than a few counties included here. Even ski towns tend to transform a county into a stronghold for liberalism in otherwise conservative areas by attracting mostly upper-class, well-educated transplants as residents.

Read on to discover where liberal strongholds exist in otherwise staunchly conservative states, and what accounts for the unexpected shift from red to blue. Travis County, Texas

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#19. Texas: 20% liberal, 38% conservative (tie)

- Most liberal county: Travis County
--- Democratic votes in 2020: 435,860 (71.4%)
--- Total votes cast: 610,349

Travis County—where the state capital of Austin can be found—represents a larger shift in many Texas counties towards the left, due in large part to a progressively younger population and incoming migration. As of 2022, just 10% of Travis County's population was 65 and older, and a full third of residents identified as Hispanic or Latino. Taos County, New Mexico

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#19. New Mexico: 20% liberal, 38% conservative (tie)

- Most liberal county: Taos County
--- Democratic votes in 2020: 13,121 (76.4%)
--- Total votes cast: 17,181

Taos County comprises several Hispanic and Native American communities, resulting in a staunch Democratic leaning. Additionally, the county is home to the University of New Mexico-Taos, providing a concentration of young, well-educated voters that typically results in liberal tendencies. Durham County, North Carolina

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#18. North Carolina: 21% liberal, 39% conservative

- Most liberal county: Durham County
--- Democratic votes in 2020: 144,364 (80.4%)
--- Total votes cast: 179,594

Durham County's more liberal leaning is possibly due to its large concentration of urban centers and universities. The county holds the cities of Durham and parts of Raleigh, as well as most of the state's most well-known institutes of higher education, including Duke University, North Carolina Central University, and Durham Technical Community College. Jefferson County, Kentucky

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#17. Kentucky: 20% liberal, 39% conservative

- Most liberal county: Jefferson County
--- Democratic votes in 2020: 228,272 (59.1%)
--- Total votes cast: 386,061

Jefferson County is the most heavily populated county in the state—it is home to more than 780,000 residents, while the next-largest, Fayette County, has less than half that count—and includes Louisville, the state's largest city. Besides a dense population, the county is also home to a heavy concentration of universities and colleges, with one college per 11 square miles. Clayton County, Georgia

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#16. Georgia: 19% liberal, 39% conservative

- Most liberal county: Clayton County
--- Democratic votes in 2020: 95,476 (85.0%)
--- Total votes cast: 112,344

Clayton County is a particularly diverse area, with 73.4% of its population self-identifying as Black and 13.5% as Hispanic or Latino. This accounts for its uniquely Democratic leaning; though previously a swing county, the increasing number of Black Americans and other people of color relocating to the county has shifted it to staunchly liberal. Douglas County, Kansas

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#13. Kansas: 18% liberal, 39% conservative (tie)

- Most liberal county: Douglas County
--- Democratic votes in 2020: 40,785 (68.6%)
--- Total votes cast: 59,495

Douglas County's blue dominance is owed in large part to encompassing the city of Lawrence, widely perceived as a liberal college town. Lawrence is home to the University of Kansas, which self-describes as "the state's flagship institution." Douglas County is particularly young and upper-middle-class: just 13.5% of the population is over 65, and the median household income is $62,594. Glacier County, Montana

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#13. Montana: 18% liberal, 39% conservative (tie)

- Most liberal county: Glacier County
--- Democratic votes in 2020: 3,610 (64.3%)
--- Total votes cast: 5,617

Home to the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, Glacier County residents are majority Native American, with 64.6% of the county's 13,681 residents self-identifying as American Indian or Alaska Native. Native American communities tend to lean more liberal than conservative, making this county a stronghold for Democrats, even while surrounded by red-voting counties. Sioux County, North Dakota

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#13. North Dakota: 18% liberal, 39% conservative (tie)

- Most liberal county: Sioux County
--- Democratic votes in 2020: 804 (67.8%)
--- Total votes cast: 1,186

Like Glacier County in Montana, Sioux County's large proportion of Native American residents accounts for its liberal skew. Though the tiny area only has 3,711 residents, 83.1% of them are American Indian or Alaska Native. Marion County, Indiana

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#12. Indiana: 17% liberal, 39% conservative

- Most liberal county: Marion County
--- Democratic votes in 2020: 247,772 (63.6%)
--- Total votes cast: 389,618

Marion County is home to the state's most populous city, Indianapolis, as well as several universities. This makes the region comparatively urban and young when measured against surrounding central Indiana counties. Additionally, the county is relatively more diverse than nearby majority-white areas, with a 29.6% Black population, compared to 10.2% in the state in general. Blaine County, Idaho

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#11. Idaho: 17% liberal, 40% conservative

- Most liberal county: Blaine County
--- Democratic votes in 2020: 8,919 (67.1%)
--- Total votes cast: 13,289

Though not home to the state's most populated cities, Blaine County does have one notable locale that is thought to largely account for its reputation as a Democratic stronghold: the Sun Valley ski resort. The county is subsequently home to a large number of out-of-staters who choose to live part-time or retire there, and who are usually upper-class, well-educated, and white. 94.4% of Blaine County residents are white, and the median household income is $71,749. St. Louis city, Missouri

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#10. Missouri: 20% liberal, 41% conservative

- Most liberal county: St. Louis
--- Democratic votes in 2020: 110,089 (82.3%)
--- Total votes cast: 133,793

Home to nearly 1 million residents, St. Louis County (not to be confused with the independent city of St. Louis, which belongs to no county) is diverse, well-educated, urban, and affluent compared to other parts of the state. Only 67.4% of the population is white alone; 25.1% is Black. The median household income is $72,562. Additionally, the county is home to a large concentration of institutes of higher education, including Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis University, and Maryville University. Allendale County, South Carolina

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#9. South Carolina: 16% liberal, 41% conservative

- Most liberal county: Allendale County
--- Democratic votes in 2020: 2,714 (75.7%)
--- Total votes cast: 3,585

Though Allendale is the smallest and among the most poor and rural counties in the state, it is also one of the most politically active. Though these superlatives would usually tilt a county towards conservatism, Allendale County is also majority (72.7%) Black, and the region's lack of dependable health care, employment, and transportation has led to widespread support for Democratic initiatives like Medicaid. Pulaski County, Arkansas

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#7. Arkansas: 15% liberal, 41% conservative (tie)

- Most liberal county: Pulaski County
--- Democratic votes in 2020: 101,947 (60.0%)
--- Total votes cast: 169,956

The most populous county in the state and home to the capital city of Little Rock, Pulaski County is relatively diverse and young. Only 50% of residents are white, while 37% are Black; the median age is around 38. Summit County, Utah

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#7. Utah: 15% liberal, 41% conservative (tie)

- Most liberal county: Summit County
--- Democratic votes in 2020: 15,244 (58.0%)
--- Total votes cast: 26,289

Summit County is the most liberal area in the state thanks mostly to the urban center of Park City, which makes up 8,576 of the county's 43,036 residents. While Park City is "staunchly liberal," other areas within the county itself lean more conservative. In the ski resort town of Park City, however, upper-class, well-educated residents have huge sway. With an average income of $91,470, Park City is the country's second-wealthiest small urban area. Cleveland County, Oklahoma

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#6. Oklahoma: 18% liberal, 43% conservative

- Most liberal county: Cleveland County
--- Democratic votes in 2020: 49,827 (41.6%)
--- Total votes cast: 119,778

Cleveland County's urban and educational hubs account for its ranking as the bluest county in the state. The county is part of the state's largest metro area (Oklahoma City) and the state's largest university (the University of Oklahoma). Additionally, the county is slightly more educated (34.98% of adults have bachelor's degrees or higher) and younger (the median age is 37.3) than surrounding areas, which both correlate with higher populations of liberals. Shelby County, Tennessee

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#5. Tennessee: 17% liberal, 43% conservative

- Most liberal county: Shelby County
--- Democratic votes in 2020: 246,105 (64.4%)
--- Total votes cast: 382,055

Shelby County has three standout qualities that place it squarely in the blue. First, it is home to a large urban center (Memphis, with a population of over 600,000). Secondly, its population is majority Black, accounting for 54.6% of residents. Finally, it contains a large concentration of colleges and universities, including the University of Memphis, Rhodes College, Remington College, and the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center. Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota

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#4. South Dakota: 13% liberal, 44% conservative

- Most liberal county: Oglala Lakota County
--- Democratic votes in 2020: 2,829 (88.4%)
--- Total votes cast: 3,200

Like other areas that are predominantly populated by Native Americans, Oglala Lakota is a Democratic stronghold in a Republican state (much like Glacier County, Montana, and Sioux County, North Dakota). 92.3% of the population is American Indian or Native Alaskan, which is unsurprising considering the entire county sits within the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Monongalia County, West Virginia

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#3. West Virginia: 17% liberal, 45% conservative

- Most liberal county: Monongalia County
--- Democratic votes in 2020: 20,282 (48.2%)
--- Total votes cast: 42,072

Monongalia County is home to Morgantown, a city that is growing starkly white-collar and well-educated compared to other areas of the state—and consequently, starkly liberal as well. Like many other college towns, Morgantown—home to West Virginia University—is generally younger, more affluent, and more Democratic than more rural areas. Teton County, Wyoming

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#2. Wyoming: 18% liberal, 46% conservative

- Most liberal county: Teton County
--- Democratic votes in 2020: 9,848 (67.1%)
--- Total votes cast: 14,677

While Wyoming writ large is rural and agricultural, Teton County—which contains the Jackson ski resort—is a "playground for the ultra-rich," largely accounting for its liberal leanings. Like Park City, Utah, and Blaine County, Idaho, ski towns come with wealth, and with wealth comes Democrats: the median income in Teton County is a whopping $94,498. Jefferson County, Mississippi

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#1. Mississippi: 12% liberal, 50% conservative

- Most liberal county: Jefferson County
--- Democratic votes in 2020: 3,327 (86.1%)
--- Total votes cast: 3,863

Though increasingly sparsely populated and mired in poverty, Jefferson County is also diverse. 84.9% of the population is Black, accounting for the region's liberal character.

Data reporting by Sam Larson. Story editing by Brian Budzynski. Copy editing by Tim Bruns.

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Relearning American Humanity

By Michelle Naranjo

In a small community on the steps of Pennsylvania coal country, there is a rumor being spread via social media that an empty decommissioned hospital slated for destruction due to the presence of asbestos and black mold is being kitted out with new beds and will soon become housing for immigrants making their way into the U.S.

The initial report of this came from someone who claims a cousin delivering the beds to said hospital enquired about the activity, and a worker allegedly told him of the plan. The comments on posts about this range from residents ranting about Biden "opening the border," to those who believe that the migrants will bring the "China virus" with them, to a few who find the less-than-kind reactions racist and cruel.

To be clear, migrants reaching the border tested for Covid-19 have a less than 6% positive rate. Legal residents in the border states, save California, are not faring as well. Texas is at 9%, New Mexico is at 8%, and Arizona is at 11%.

Sadly, rumors of this kind are in every state of the U.S. and are just a sign of the poor communication around the growing migration from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.

Meanwhile, Biden and senior staff members are gunfire-at-the-feet dancing to avoid referring to the surge of migrants at the border as a crisis, and Republican critics are taking the opportunity to use the rising numbers to slam the nascent administration as a failure. The administration isn't doing itself any favors by rallying around the narrative that the growing crisis is the previous administration's fault.

Democratic Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, following a visit to the El Paso, Texas U.S. Customs and Border Protection processing center as part of a bipartisan congressional tour, has called on the Biden administration to be more transparent with Americans about what is happening at the border.

While there is much to be gained by being honest with the media and citizens, it would also be an opportune time for Biden et. al. to reiterate America's humanitarian tradition and take a giant step towards reviving it.

Biden has only been in office long enough for one month of border statistics to come to light, but setting the tone now is imperative. Allowing a humanitarian crisis to dissolve into disinformation and rumors amid the ongoing turmoil of over 500,000 deaths from COVID-19, a year of massive unemployment, and a timbre that is no longer keeping the racist undertones of the U.S. quiet.

Rescinding the policy of returning migrant children traveling alone encountered to the other side of the border was the right thing for Biden to do. So is sending assistance to the countries losing their citizens to migration because of strained economies, weather-related disasters, political corruption, and drug and gang-related violence. Biden needs to give the press and American citizens an ongoing and clear explanation of why it is in our best interest to protect migrants at risk since so many of us seem to have gone dark on what it means to have the U.S. act a leader in human rights.

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Dawn or Dusk for Pennsylvania

By Michelle Naranjo

Consider me a reluctant Pennsylvania tourist who owns a home here in Lehigh County. It's okay. I know that I will never belong.

I moved to Pennsylvania with a sound understanding of risk. I moved for love. Sue me.

From being born in New Mexico into biracial parents -- let's just say that my family has been in what is now the U.S. since my great x17 grandfather -- I think it's cute when people tell me their great-grandfather came to this country. My parents were pretty sedentary but never accepted.

Flash forward: Parents are gone, and I own a house in rural Pennsylvania, and there are days when I drive for glue, or something odd, at one of the local Dollar General stores -- I live precisely three miles between two of the franchises -- and I catch a view of the "blue mountain."

They call everything Blue Mountain everywhere here. There is a road I can drive up and stop to look north or south and hope to see someone crossing as they trek the Appalachian Trail. I yearn to connect with another tourist.

Those hikers probably won’t stay long enough to see the darkness here that you can also find in England, Wales, Texas, Arizona, California, New Mexico, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. That may look like an odd list of places, but it is everywhere I have lived as a tourist.

As an outsider, here is what I see:

Between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, there is wealth. Those people have "green" properties, so pay one-third or less than the people who have homes on hillsides and cannot claim the same environmental tax write-offs. Farmers also get a similar tax benefit, even if they let their land go fallow because they can't sell corn or soy to China.

And there are more people here without any path to wealth. The current jobs are in the distribution warehouses popping up. Forty hours at $15 an hour is a promise that means two or even three jobs for people trying to have a family. Property taxes have disenfranchised homeownership. Landlords are making bank. The worse the school district is, the higher the taxes.

The best of the public schools between the big cities are impressive with sports and labs, but the lucky from them get to attend any one of the plethora of small, liberal-arts colleges, while poorer districts might get wrestlers into a state Pennsylvania school. Yay, team.

And these are proud people who do not leave where they grew up. Coal is dead. Fracking is dying. They can’t let go.

The 1970s and ‘80s efforts to diversify the workforce here ended in an elevated racist culture. Puerto Rican restaurants struggle to identify themselves as "Spanish" to appeal to the euro-centric Penn Dutch descendants. Imagine what it is like for anyone speaking Spanish at a warehouse. Or, for those who don’t?

Like several of my neighbors, I was too scared to put out my Biden signs. We live in a mix of manicured and aging neighborhoods where yard signs say, “Not a Gun Free Zone” all year long. Our homes are all sent The Epoch Times newspaper unsolicited. The latest issue was about the evils of marijuana and Hunter Biden.

All of that is to say that Pennsylvania may have been the deciding factor for our new president-elect, but we have a lot to heal here in the hinterlands. Or, as I learned in Welsh, y gwyll, meaning “the dusk.”

I say "we" like I might stay. There is work to do.

Naranjo is a freelance writer living in rural Pennsylvania.

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View of Election Night from the Right

Nov. 5 UPDATE: Andy Boyd is 2-2 in his election night picks for House races to watch. In the race for Minnesota's 7th District, Republican candidate Michelle Fischbach has defeated veteran Rep. Collin Peterson (D). With 91 percent of the vote in for Iowa's 1st District, Republican challenger Ashley Hinson leads Democratic freshman Rep. Abbey Finkenauer, 51.3 percent to 48.7 percent. But in Utah's 4th, Democratic incumbent Rep. Ben McAdams leads Republican Ben Owens, 48.2 percent to 47.1 percent, with just 73 percent of the ballots reported, and in Pennsylvania's 8th District, freshman Democratic Rep. Matt Cartwright leads Republican challenger Jim Bognet, 51.1 percent to 48.9 percent, with 90 percent of the ballots counted. (All results via The New York Times.) In his Nov. 3 post, Boyd hoped President Trump's coattails would raise the count of Republican House members above 200. Instead, Biden leads the race for president with no coattails, and the Republican Party looks to gain six House members, to 190.

The Hustings asked contributing conservative pundits to tell us their thoughts of the presidential election just before turning in for the night. Whether because they were still watching well into Wednesday as we went to post, or because they fell asleep trying to wait out the results, our responses have been rather limited. Here’s what we heard back:

In an October 17 conservative commentary explaining why he thought President Trump will win the election by a close margin, Bryan Williams pointed to two small counties in the U.S. that have been near-perfect in predicting the way the rest of the nation would go.

“I said to watch Vigo County, Indiana, and Valencia County, New Mexico as bellwethers for the election,” Williams says. “Vigo must be having issues reporting because as of 9:30 p.m. Central time, no results have been reported still. But...but...! Valencia County has reported partial results (approximately 35 percent of ballots counted) and Trump is leading 67 percent to 31 percent. This bodes well for Trump...and the track record of my prediction.”

Some three hours later, it should be noted, vote counts for neither rural county could be found immediately online. Trump has been declared the winner in the state of Indiana, while Biden has won New Mexico.

Henry Payne defends the incumbent (in commentary submitted before the president’s White House appearance Wednesday morning), saying, “Trump’s policies, like his rhetoric, are often blunt and ill-conceived. But middle-class Americans sense someone in leadership fighting for them against corporate, media, and government elites.”

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