Ohio vs Pennsylvania

[Starry Eyed Jagaloon]

To start with, metropolitan Philly is 1/3 of the state. Add in Allegheny and over 40% of Pennsylvania is in big, urban and suburban counties.

Second, Philly is culturally and demographically part of the Northeast which means it's just more liberal. Compare the margins the Democrats get on the Main Line against Delaware County or Lorain county. It just isn't the same.

Third, this Northeast-Corridor-ness applies to the whole eastern half of the state. Certainly, places like Berks and Lancaster and York counties vote Republican but not by as much as small metro areas in Ohio where Republicans really rack up votes. Being less than two hours from Philly, DC, and New York affects the political culture of York and Reading and Allentown and so on.

[Starry Eyed Jagaloon]

How similar to the vote share in Ohio is Pennsylvania minus Philadelphia area?

Ohio: R+8
PA-Philly: R+15
PA-Philly and Pittsburgh: R+22
Ohio-Three C's: R+23

[Starry Eyed Jagaloon]

How similar to the vote share in Ohio is Pennsylvania minus Philadelphia area?

Ohio: R+8
PA-Philly: R+15
PA-Philly and Pittsburgh: R+22
Ohio-Three C's: R+23

So the digested version seems to be that the rest of both states is basically the same, but Philly+Pittsburgh are more Dem than the 3Cs combined.

It definitely seems that way, at least in aggregate.

[Starry Eyed Jagaloon]

Cleveland probably has a less working class white population in the metro, has some "liberal elite" or Main Line-esque type suburbs like Shaker Heights and Pepper Pike that I don't think Pittsburgh really has the equivalent of.

I doubt it. Pittsburgh--contrary to it's reputation--has one of the most "white collar" economic bases in the country. It's counterbalanced by a bunch of exurban coal country being in the MSA and a lower AA population.

[Starry Eyed Jagaloon]

Talking about the metro though.  The city of Pittsburgh is more affluent/college-educated than the city of Cleveland but it's what 15% of the MSA?  It quickly gives way to coal country.

You have to include the inner burbs too, which brings it closer to 40% of the MSA. Places like Penn Hills and Mount Lebanon definitely are more "Main Line-esque" than anything in Cleveland,