Here is the map of what I consider to be Historically Republican Counties. I know I must be missing some from Kentucky and Tennessee. I excluded many that most would put on the list. Again, I am excluding many counties from MO, KY, and TN until I get a better reading on their voting in the elections of 1856 and 1860. That does not mean I will not put them on eventually. I excluded counties such as Potter, PA, due to strong liberal third party showings. So this is just a starting map. Anyone notice any areas of interest? I am intrigued by West Central Ohio, I wonder why that area has consistently voted Republican.
A thought that comes to mind is that a lot of these counties are former Yankee belt counties that were subsequently Germanified but done so at just the right times so that almost always voted Republican, meaning this demographic transition occurred or perhaps better stated as "got serious enough to effect the outcome" after 1896 (or maybe even after WWI in some cases) and before 1964, and thus avoided a potential Democratic trend from the Germans before or the Yankees after that time range. Heavily rural without a unionized presence (which is why a large part of NE OH and NW PA is not on the map) and also a strong religious tradition that was either maintained or replaced at just the right time and thus likewise avoided a Democratic trend.
