Weirdly R for an urban county. Still Safe D though.
Yeah. Along with San Diego and Indy, it's always been one of the most conservative metro areas outside the South.
A couple of things:
1. In 1970, Indianapolis merged with almost all of Marion County, including some very white, suburban areas.
2. The wealthier white areas in Indy have shifted dramatically to the left. In last year's city-county council elections, Republicans were absolutely slaughtered. Other than the WWC parts of the county (Parts of Speedway and Beech Grove), Marion is solidly liberal.
2008: +28.4% Obama
2012: +22.2% Obama
2016: +22.5% Clinton
I wouldn't be shocked if Biden wins Marion by 30 points. It's still to the right of comparable midwestern urban counties like Cuyahoga, OH and Milwaukee, WI, but to the left of St. Louis, MO.
San Diego County, by comparison:
2008: +10.2% Obama
2012: +7.6% Obama
2016: +19.7% Clinton (trending left for similar reasons Marion, IN is trending left)
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