I've always assumed that ethnic whites from Southern and Eastern Europe were heavily Democratic historically. Yet there were obviously large numbers who were Republican, like many Italians for example. Also, I read that Cicero, Illinois was an ethnic white Republican stronghold-not sure if that's true or not.
Were ethnic whites often Republican locally, but Democratic in national elections? Did region or machine politics play a big role?
Cicero was known to support Rs at all levels, and it had its own machine. As recently as 1992, a plurality voted for Bush I over Clinton and Perot. Cicero is the blue rectangle tucked along the west side of Chicago.
