States where African-American candidates have a hard time winning statewide

[politicus]

Wyoming.

How so? Hard to see a white Democrat beat a black Republican in Wyoming.

[politicus]

If we are looking for states where enough racist whites would stay home to swing the election to the Democrats if a black Republican ran what would they be: Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Arkansas, Missouri?

Mississippi might also be an option with the high Democratic floor, but maybe too many black moderates that would vote for a black Repulican?

Arizona would be another option.

[politicus]

If an African-American politician in Kentucky ran on a campaign of being pro-coal and pro-gun I think he or she would win.

Only if he was King Coal:

[politicus]

All states with less than 10% African-Americans. Neither party would be inclined to select an African-American in those.

Massachusetts disagrees.

Oh well, 7%. Thought they were a bit higher. Same with Indiana. More a matter of bad odds than no chance, I guess.

Still a fairly long list:

22    Indiana    591,397    9.07%
23    Nevada    218,626    8.10%
24    Oklahoma    277,644    7.96%
25    Kentucky    337,520    7.71%
26    Massachusetts    434,398    7.02%
27    California    2,299,072    6.67%
28    Rhode Island    60,189    6.36%
29    Kansas    167,864    6.15%
30    Wisconsin    359,148    6.07%

31    Minnesota    274,412    4.57%
32    Nebraska    82,885    4.50%
33    Colorado    201,737    4.28%
34    Alaska    23,263    4.27%
35    Arizona    259,008    4.16%
36    Washington    240,042    3.74%
37    West Virginia    63,124    3.58%
38    Hawaii    21,424    3.08%
39    New Mexico    42,550    2.97%
40    Iowa    89,148    2.68%
41    Oregon    69,206    2.01%
42    Wyoming    4,748    1.29%
43    Utah    29,287    1.27%
44    New Hampshire    15,035    1.22%
45    South Dakota    10,207    1.14%
46    North Dakota    7,960    1.08%
47    Maine    15,707    1.03%
48    Idaho    9,810    0.95%
49    Vermont    6,277    0.87%
50    Montana    4,027    0.67%