TN-2: Duncan retiring

[Ye We Can]

The quintessential Solid R district. Likely Burchett, Titanium R otherwise.

[Ye We Can]

I always found it strange that these ancestrally GOP districts that would elect progressive Republicans from the 1850s to the early 1900s continued to elect Republicans even as the national party became increasingly right-wing. Are voters in these kinds of areas (Western Maryland, Southeastern Kentucky, and Northwestern Arkansas, to give a few other examples) simply reflecting partisan loyalty? Or is it something else?

Previous partisan loyalty and current geographical/political trends essentially-Eastern Tennessee is a better fit for Southern Strategy GOP then say Upstate New York.

 Eastern Tennessee's conservatism also seems to be different than the rest of the South; more of a rugged individualism than populism more in line with the plains states.

[Ye We Can]

I always found it strange that these ancestrally GOP districts that would elect progressive Republicans from the 1850s to the early 1900s continued to elect Republicans even as the national party became increasingly right-wing. Are voters in these kinds of areas (Western Maryland, Southeastern Kentucky, and Northwestern Arkansas, to give a few other examples) simply reflecting partisan loyalty? Or is it something else?

Previous partisan loyalty and current geographical/political trends essentially-Eastern Tennessee is a better fit for Southern Strategy GOP then say Upstate New York.

 Eastern Tennessee's conservatism also seems to be different than the rest of the South; more of a rugged individualism than populism more in line with the plains states.

very interesting. thanks for sharing

Welcome