Have there been other pairs of elections in which only two states flipped?

[Mr. Morden]

Looks like between 2008 and 2012, only IN and NC flipped parties.  Have there been other pairs of elections (not necessarily consecutive) in which the number of states flipping parties was so low?

[Yelnoc]

Didn't Virginia also flip?

[limac333]

Didn't Virginia also flip?

Obama won VA in 2008

[SUSAN CRUSHBONE]

If you mean 'only' two as in ≤2, then 1789 and 1792 would fit...

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Not really.  Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and South Carolina all flipped from others to John Adams while Georgia and Virginia flipped to George Clinton.

[FloridaRepublican]

From 1884 to 1888 only Indiana and New York flipped.

[memphis]

From 1952 to 1956, only 3 states flipped. WV and LA from Stevenson to Ike and MO, vice versa.

[Mr. Morden]

So 1884 and 1888 is the only other case in which two or fewer states flipped?

[Miles]

From 1940 to 1944 FDR narrowly lost OH and WI.

[Bacon King]

1808 and 1812
1796 and 1800

[© tweed]

I was gonna say '04 but that was three.

[old timey villain]

I just realized that between 1988 and 1992, 22 states flipped- all of them from Bush to Clinton. I really wish I was old enough back then to remember the election. It truly was a realignment.

Something else to think about: In 1992, an unemployment rate in the high 7's prompted a huge electoral shift. In 2012, an unemployment rate at about the same level produced a status quo election.

[Benj]

I just realized that between 1988 and 1992, 22 states flipped- all of them from Bush to Clinton. I really wish I was old enough back then to remember the election. It truly was a realignment.

Something else to think about: In 1992, an unemployment rate in the high 7's prompted a huge electoral shift. In 2012, an unemployment rate at about the same level produced a status quo election.

As was pointed out a few times during the campaign, it's not the unemployment rate that matters (politically). It's the direction unemployment is moving.