(Statistics from here)
This is a map showing which party is dominant in what towns, and by what percentage. Towns where Democrats outnumber Republicans by a higher percentage are a deeper blue, where Republicans outnumber Democrats is a deeper red, and so on.
I found some surprises. For example, Democrats dominate in Stafford. Also, a full fifth of the state's minor party members live in Norwalk. Who knew? But for the most part, the map shows what we knew already. Republicans dominate in the west. Democrats dominate the Connecticut Valley and the east. You can start to discern voting patterns, to a degree. The presidential map from 2004 bore a passing resemblance to this one.
Of course, what the map doesn't show is Connecticut's huge wild card: independents. They outnumber the members of the dominant party in every town but 19 (there are more Democrats than independents in Berlin, Bloomfield, Bridgeport, Derby, East Hartford, Hartford, Middletown, New Britain, New Haven, Stamford and Union; and more Republicans than independents in Darien, Greenwich, Hartland, Morris, New Canaan, Ridgefield, Weston and Wilton). Independents dominate in every congressional district, and in every county.
What the map also doesn't show is the great variation within the parties themselves. The primary between Ned Lamont and Joe Lieberman showed that the Democrats who dominate Naugatuck are very different from those who dominate Cornwall. The Republicans of Greenwich are not the same sort as the Republicans who dwell in Ledyard. The independents of Hartford are a far cry from those in Darien or Somers.
Party divides us. Except, of course, that it doesn't--not really. Party means different things depending on where you are. I don't buy that we need to be partisan all the time. We have too much in common. We can be smarter than that.
18 comments:
The culture clash has become so bound up in parties at the national and even to a degree at the state level that it's sometimes hard to separate the two out.
But no, there's a lot more than just lines on a map, or a party, dividing us.
There are things that transcend party, though. Opposition to Bush in Connecticut is extra-partisan, it's beyond just Democrats. It even includes some Republicans.
Party can force those who belong to it to support and defend positions they might not otherwise take, because if they let up the other guys might get the upper hand. That's part of what divides us.
I think Kos is wrong. The solution to blind partisanship is not more blind partisanship. Fighting fire with fire is stupid. It burns the whole place down. You fight fire with water.
If people trusted Democrats to govern intelligently, they'd elect them. But they don't.
Look, I don't like Lieberman either. I made that pretty clear. He annoys the heck out of me. But his message, as odd and hypocritical as it may be coming out of his mouth, is right. Toning down partisanship will help save this country.
folks, if you think folks like Colin McEnroe et al don't cause even tepid Republicans to react in seething anger at the contempt we are subjected to, well, cut down on the lattes
Genghis... great job again.
One minor change though... double check your figures on Prospect. There's about 1100 Dems and 1700 Rs. So it should be colored dark red, not dark blue.
As for whether your data source is wrong, that's possible. But Prospect is definitely heavily Republican. I'm running for the 89th GA seat... Bethany, Cheshire & Prospect... I know the voter registrations.
Having spent over 20 years "on the field" I don't think we're anywhere near as divided as special interest groups would have us believe.
Aside from a handful of true partisans in every camp; it's those with a specific agenda that exacerbate every little thing, causing much discord - very little of it necessary.
Another interesting map, if you could get the data and make the map... would be of post-primary registrations... see if there were geographic trends where people switched registrations.
Did any towns actually flip party registrations because of Joe/Ned?
Naugatuck Valley towns may be Democratic in registration, but are Republican at heart. They are Reagan Democrats, and represent what the Democratic Party used to stand for. As their clout is diminished in the blue collar valley towns, Democratic registration is increasing in $$ Greenwich. It doesn't take much thought to figure out who is steering the party these days, and where the newfangled support is coming from.
TrueBlueCT said...
Let's keep this simple. The last Democratic agenda item that you agreed with???
Do you think I'm going to hand you a straight line like that 40 days out?
Nice try.
TrueBlueCT said...
Let's keep this simple. The last Democratic agenda item that you agreed with???
Do you think I'm going to hand you a straight line like that 40 days out?
Nice try.
Tim,
The SOTS stats say the opposite. They're probably wrong. I was surprised by that one, too, especially given the way the town votes.
New stats seem to be released in late October. When they come out, I'll be sure to let you know if any towns saw major shifts.
The map is useful, but I wonder if there is another way we can demonstrate the contours and nuances of the voters who register independent, and how they impact the red and the blue domination.
Not only that, this got me thinking about how and why certain places evolved the way they did.
It's wierd that the farm country in Eastern CT is all blue and the farm country in Western CT is all red. What is the difference between Warren and Bozrah?
Both were founded in May 1786, and both list agriculture as their principal industry. Bozrah has some additional cement mixing and manufacturing capabilities. Warren has the likes of Phillip Roth.
Bozrah has about 2,423 people, while Warren keeps it small with 1,317. Warren is 27 square miles, Bozrah is 20. Bozrah a bit more dense, and maybe that is why it registers Dem.
Warren had a grand list of $186 million, Bozrah $177 million. More people, less money, another tick for the blue in Bozrah.
Bozrah's "indebtedness" according to the 2005 CT Blue book, is almost $3 million, while Warren's is $1.3 million. Warren's tax rate is 18.72 mills, while Bozrah's is 22. Sounds like tax and spend to me.
Their forms of government are the same: selectmen, board of finance, town meeting.
While one is blue and one is red, could we say there is really any difference between the people who live in both places? They all eat, sleep, have toilets and children. So they're much more similar than different, but I bet if we looked at all the towns, the numbers would probably read out like those.
In the end, though, it comes down to money. Where people have it, they think the Republicans will protect it. Where they don't, they think the Democrats will help them get it.
And the truth comes out.
As Ken K says, In the end, though, it comes down to money. Where people have it, they think the Republicans will protect it. Where they don't, they think the Democrats will help them get it.
Isn't that what it is all about? Money.
working on my first campaign, and yes, it does all come down to money. i've had my eyes opened and i'm disgusted by both parties.
"Republicans are all alike - white Christians who never worked a day in their lives."
Howard Dean has an anger management problem.
A new low for you bluecoat. For you to agree with this pathetic comment is remarkable.
Are you sure you got the quote right, because it sounds like Dean was talking about Teddy Kennedy and Jay Rockefeller.
Let's examine Howard Dean's remarks a little closer:
Has Chris Dodd ever had a job in his adult life other than that of a member of congress?
Answer: NO.
When George H.W. Bush signed up to fight in WWII as a 17 year old; when Bob Dole almost died in WWII; or when John McCain was a POW for 5 years does it really matter what jobs they held? Aren't they all heroes? What the hell did Howard Dean ever do to make our country a better place?
Shame on you for this post bc.
I have now officially decided that bluecoat is senile.
Hey Anonymous 11:19
come work for Thornton for Governor. We don't have any money. That's not to say we're not as human and flawed as the rest, we're just not corrupted by moneyed corporate influence, so we can actually speak our minds.
Yet, the two parties still suppress us. Such is life.
ken,
would love to come work for you guys, but i can't jump ship with six weeks to go. i wouldn't get a good reccomendation for my next soul-sucking job. (which i'll be rewarded handsomely for the scummy thing i must do. isn't that sick?)
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