Oklahoma

[Joe Biden 2020]

Every election since 1988 has had a Republican from a nearby state who was popular here. Oklahoma unquestionably is a Republican state, since Clinton was from a nearby state too but didn't do well here, but I wonder how Pataki or McCain would do, or someone else from not so close. We do have a democrat governor.

I agree, although I've said this many times before, Oklahoma has more Democrats than Republicans in registered voters.  I've lived here for all 23 years of my life and we have been trending to the right since 1988.  I think that may change, though, with candidates that are not close to Oklahoma in their home states.  I also think just the right Democratic candidate could take several of the eastern counties.  He may lose the state, but he could set the stage for 2012 or more likely 2016 where the Republicans have to spend money in Oklahoma to protect their safespot.  That would happen quicker if Brad Henry retained his governors seat, and if Mary Fallin lost her Lt Governors seat to the Democrats (she would probably have to give it up to run for Governor), and the Democrats take back the State House.  All three of which are very likely.

So, I stick by my previous claims that Oklahoma is starting to trend back to the center, because there's frankly no more room for us to move right, unless Mike Huckabee ran (Ark Gov).  Even that would be a stretch

[Joe Biden 2020]

Bush even got 28% of the black vote in Oklahoma according to the exit polls.

J.C. must have some sway there

You bet he does, don't forget he is the highest ranking politician (under Carl Albert) in either party.  He was ranked 4th in the House Republicans before he gave up his seat.

If he wins the GOP nomination, it will be a very good fight between him and Gov. Brad Henry.

As I've said before, he would be in a dog fight for the GOP nomination with popular Lt Governor Mary Fallin, then another dog fight (assuming he is the dog that eats the other dog),  pardon the expression, with Brad Henry.

[Joe Biden 2020]

BTW, just for some useless information to those of you in the other 49 states, I work 1 1/2 blocks north of the State Capitol at the Oklahoma Tax Commission, so I could possibly have some contact with my state's leaders.

[Joe Biden 2020]

That kind of depends on where you draw your boundaries for the different regions of the country:

Here are the states that I associate with each region:

Northeast: New England, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, Ohio

Mid-Atlantic: West Virginia, Virginia

Southeast: North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana

Midwest:  Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas

Northwest: Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Alaska

Southwest: Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, California, Hawaii.

To me Oklahoma and Texas are not in the traditional "southeast", but I can see why some would classify them as such.  The term "south" has to include everything from Arizona to the Atlantic and the I-40 corridor south.

Oklahoma is one of those states that is in a whole bunch of different regions.  It is in the south, southeast, southwest (western Oklahoma), west (panhandle and NW Oklahoma), midwest (especially northeast Oklahoma), central plains (especially northern Oklahoma).  The only regions we don't qualify for are anything in the northern US.