Largest swing in each election

[Nym90]

One thing I find very interesting is looking at the changes from one election to the next, specifically trying to explain why some states had such large changes. I compiled a list of the states that had the largest swing in each direction in each election; I was curious if anyone wants to take a crack at explaining the reasons for each one. In some cases of course there are obvious explanations like home states of someone on the ticket, or third party candidates.

2004
To Bush--Alabama
To Kerry--Vermont

2000
To Bush--Wyoming, Arkansas, Montana
To Gore--Maryland

1996
To Dole--Kansas, Alaska, Wyoming
To Clinton--New Jersey

1992
To Bush--Iowa
To Clinton--Arkansas, New Hampshire

1988
To Bush--District of Columbia, Tennessee
To Dukakis--Oklahoma

1984
To Reagan--Georgia, South Carolina
To Mondale--District of Columbia, North Dakota

1980
To Reagan--North Dakota
To Carter--Vermont

1976
To Ford--Alaska, Massachusetts
To Carter--Georgia, Arkansas

1972
To Nixon--Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Hawaii, Lousiana, Rhode Island
To McGovern--South Dakota, Oregon

1968
To Nixon--Vermont
To Humphrey (away from Nixon is probably more accurate)--Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, South Carolina

1964
To Goldwater--Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana
To Johnson--Hawaii, Maine

1960
To Nixon (or away from Kennedy)--Mississippi, South Carolina
To Kennedy--Rhode Island

1956
To Eisenhower--Louisiana
To Stevenson--South Dakota

1952
To Eisenhower--Texas
To Stevenson--Alabama, Mississippi, Pennsylvania

1948
To Dewey (or away from Truman)--Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, Louisiana, Florida
To Truman--Oklahoma

1944
To Dewey--Arkansas
To Roosevelt--Rhode Island

1940
To Willkie--North Dakota
To Roosevelt--Maine

1936
To Landon--South Dakota
To Roosevelt--Utah

1932
To Hoover--Massachusetts
To Roosevelt--Texas, Oklahoma

1928
To Hoover--Texas
To Smith--Massachusetts, North Dakota

1924
To Coolidge--Ohio
To Davis (or away from Coolidge)--Wisconsin, North Dakota

1920
To Harding--North Dakota
To Cox--South Carolina

1916
To Hughes--South Dakota, California, New Jersey
To Wilson--Utah

1912
To Taft--Louisiana
To Wilson (or away from Taft)--South Dakota, California, Georgia

1908
To Taft--Georgia
To Bryan--Nebraska, Minnesota

1904
To Roosevelt--Nevada
To Parker--Alabama

1900
To McKinley--Utah
To Bryan--Massachusetts

1896
To McKinley--Florida
To Bryan--Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Montana

That's as far back as Dave has Swing/Trend as a viewable option for sorting Presidential Election stats.

[Nym90]

1936
To Roosevelt--Utah

This is pretty impressive, given that the LDS leadership was quietly encouraging its members to vote against the "socialist" FDR.

Yeah, he won it by nearly 40 points after having won it by "only" 15 in 1932. Maybe the Mormons had a pro-incumbent bias for some reason.

[Nym90]

1936
To Roosevelt--Utah

This is pretty impressive, given that the LDS leadership was quietly encouraging its members to vote against the "socialist" FDR.

Yeah, he won it by nearly 40 points after having won it by "only" 15 in 1932. Maybe the Mormons had a pro-incumbent bias for some reason.

Considering that Mondale did better here in 1984 than Carter in 1980, I would exclude this possibility.

Well the swings of Mormons could have changed in the 50 years in-between, as well.....

[Nym90]

I'm wondering about the national swing.

The largest national swing? That was 1932, with the largest towards the GOP being 1920.

[Nym90]

Tennessee's swing to Nixon in 1960 should have been included:
Year         Republican  %   Democrat  %

1956   462,288   49.21   456,507   48.60
1960   556,577   52.92   481,453   45.77

The swing in South Carolina was far larger.