is there some reason why Broward County used to be republican

[freepcrusher]

from about 1945-1975? Right now, I'd say it is probably the most left wing county in the state.

[TDAS04]

Probably wealthy settlers from the Northeast and Midwest, similar to Palm Beach and many of the other South Florida counties that Dewey won in 1948.  Possibly similar to other suburban areas of the sunbelt, such as Arizona and SoCal, which were also staunchly Republican during that era.

[Donerail]

Because George Smathers wasn't exactly a liberal either.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Midwest and Northeast transplants helped form the basis for the Sunbelt GOP and they went first to areas of population and then moved out in a delayed white flight situation like other cities and thus the present results in many of these southern cities now, that were once heavily Republican just twenty or thirty years ago.

Also a lot of your commerically oriented Southerners, who had been Democrats since the Civil War began to vote more on economic issues during this period now that neither party could be trusted on race thus removing it as a means of retaining their support for the party that was mostly contrary to their economic interests post New Deal.

These two factors were the driving force behind the GOP support in Southern cities and suburban areas in the power war period. Transplanted Republicans and disaffected Bourbon Democrats.

[freepcrusher]

and they went first to areas of population and then moved out in a delayed white flight situation like other cities and thus the present results in many of these southern cities now, that were once heavily Republican just twenty or thirty years ago.

The county is only 44 percent white but that is not the reason for the county being so dem leaning. Looking at the heavily white precincts in Broward County, Obama won about 57 percent of the vote. So a change in the attitudes of the white voters is also a major factor.

[Mr.Phips]

Also weird that Dade county used to be the most Democratic county in the state outside of a few black majority counties around Tallahassee.  Even McGovern got around 42% in Dade while getting below 30% most everywhere else.

[soniquemd21921]

The large Jewish population would explain McGovern's strength in Dade County.

It can be surprising to see that Broward County was once a GOP stronghold in that era considering that it's now arguably the most liberal county in the state: it voted Republican in every presidential election from 1948 through 1972, and was typically second only to Pinellas or Sarasota as the leading GOP county in the state.

[RandomWonder]

Maybe the huge population increase in the county that took place in the 60's-70's had something to do with it:

Historical populations
Census   Pop.      %±
1920         5,135      
—
1930        20,094      291.3%
1940        39,794      98.0%
1950        83,933      110.9%
1960        333,946      297.9%
1970        620,100      85.7%
1980     1,018,200      64.2%
1990     1,255,488      23.3%
2000     1,623,018      29.3%
2010     1,748,066      7.7%
Est. 2012   1,815,137   3.8%

Sources: Wikipedia

An increase in minorities might of also been a factor.

[memphis]

Suburbia used to be more Republican than it is now. In 1960, Kennedy lost lots of suburban counties that now lean solidly Democratic. Westchester, NY. Montgomery, PA. Marin, CA, Baltimore County, MD. It would have been strange if Broward hadn't been a GOP county back then.

[Mr.Phips]

Suburbia used to be more Republican than it is now. In 1960, Kennedy lost lots of suburban counties that now lean solidly Democratic. Westchester, NY. Montgomery, PA. Marin, CA, Baltimore County, MD. It would have been strange if Broward hadn't been a GOP county back then.

But it was a Southern suburban county.  Kennedy won other southern suburban counties like Cobb and Gwinnett in Georgia, Shelby in Alabama, Wake in North Carolina, etc.  Most southern suburban counties remained Dem for a long time.

[memphis]

Suburbia used to be more Republican than it is now. In 1960, Kennedy lost lots of suburban counties that now lean solidly Democratic. Westchester, NY. Montgomery, PA. Marin, CA, Baltimore County, MD. It would have been strange if Broward hadn't been a GOP county back then.

But it was a Southern suburban county.

Not really. South Florida has always been its own seperate thing. You could probably make a stronger case for Baltimore being Southern

[barfbag]

The parties were half different and half the same in the mid-late 20th century. It wasn't until Reagan that the GOP was what we consider to be conservative. More and more retired seniors have been moving to Florida which includes seniors dependent on social security and Medicare. Another thing I'll add though is that southern Florida is light blue but not as blue as the country thinks it is. It's only about as blue as Connecticut, California, or even Illinois but not like Massachusetts or Vermont.

[memphis]

The parties were half different and half the same in the mid-late 20th century. It wasn't until Reagan that the GOP was what we consider to be conservative. More and more retired seniors have been moving to Florida which includes seniors dependent on social security and Medicare. Another thing I'll add though is that southern Florida is light blue but not as blue as the country thinks it is. It's only about as blue as Connecticut, California, or even Illinois but not like Massachusetts or Vermont.

Obama did better in Broward than in Vermont. The only state more Democratic than Broward in 2012 was Hawaii.

[ElectionsGuy]

Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach all together (or what I call the Three-Some) went:

Obama...62.6%
Romney..36.9%

However what I consider Southern Florida is everything below Pinnelas, Hillsborough, Polk, Osceola, and Indian River Counties. That in total went:

Obama...55.7%
Romney..43.6%

Romney did so bad in the three-some (which makes up 30% of Florida Population) that even when combined with conservative Southwestern Florida is more liberal than Oregon. It really depends on what the definition of "Southern Florida" is to figure out how blue it is.

Overall you can compare The three-some to a state like Rhode Island or New York and my definition of Southern Florida to Maine or Washington.

[old timey villain]

Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach all together (or what I call the Three-Some) went:

Obama...62.6%
Romney..36.9%

However what I consider Southern Florida is everything below Pinnelas, Hillsborough, Polk, Osceola, and Indian River Counties. That in total went:

Obama...55.7%
Romney..43.6%

Romney did so bad in the three-some (which makes up 30% of Florida Population) that even when combined with conservative Southwestern Florida is more liberal than Oregon. It really depends on what the definition of "Southern Florida" is to figure out how blue it is.

Overall you can compare The three-some to a state like Rhode Island or New York and my definition of Southern Florida to Maine or Washington.

I don't really include southwest Florida in my definition of South Florida. I know it sounds counter intuitive- Naples is about as far south as Miami. But SW Florida has never really had the same development patterns as the SE corner of the state. It never received the same flow of residents from the Northeast, but instead attracted a lot of midwesterners IIRC. And it doesn't have the same caribbean feel. I'm tempted to say it still feels kind of southern actually.

So if I'm talking about South Florida in a political sense, I'm really only referring to the "threesome"- Miami Dade, Broward and Palm Beach, which indeed would create one of the most liberal states in the nation.

[barfbag]

The parties were half different and half the same in the mid-late 20th century. It wasn't until Reagan that the GOP was what we consider to be conservative. More and more retired seniors have been moving to Florida which includes seniors dependent on social security and Medicare. Another thing I'll add though is that southern Florida is light blue but not as blue as the country thinks it is. It's only about as blue as Connecticut, California, or even Illinois but not like Massachusetts or Vermont.

Obama did better in Broward than in Vermont. The only state more Democratic than Broward in 2012 was Hawaii.

Yes but I said southern Florida, not only Broward County.

[ElectionsGuy]

Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach all together (or what I call the Three-Some) went:

Obama...62.6%
Romney..36.9%

However what I consider Southern Florida is everything below Pinnelas, Hillsborough, Polk, Osceola, and Indian River Counties. That in total went:

Obama...55.7%
Romney..43.6%

Romney did so bad in the three-some (which makes up 30% of Florida Population) that even when combined with conservative Southwestern Florida is more liberal than Oregon. It really depends on what the definition of "Southern Florida" is to figure out how blue it is.

Overall you can compare The three-some to a state like Rhode Island or New York and my definition of Southern Florida to Maine or Washington.

I don't really include southwest Florida in my definition of South Florida. I know it sounds counter intuitive- Naples is about as far south as Miami. But SW Florida has never really had the same development patterns as the SE corner of the state. It never received the same flow of residents from the Northeast, but instead attracted a lot of midwesterners IIRC. And it doesn't have the same caribbean feel. I'm tempted to say it still feels kind of southern actually.

So if I'm talking about South Florida in a political sense, I'm really only referring to the "threesome"- Miami Dade, Broward and Palm Beach, which indeed would create one of the most liberal states in the nation.

OK, so just like Rhode Island, with a little more Romney vote.

[soniquemd21921]

Broward County PVI, 1944-2012 w/ number of votes cast in county

1944 - R+1.56 (11,766)
1948 - R+5.81 (19,521)
1952 - R+13.92 (38,360)
1956 - R+15.08 (60,113)
1960 - R+9.27 (116,105)
1964 - R+17.01 (153,670, voted for Goldwater!)
1968 - R+11.07 (194,727, Wallace got 16% in the county)
1972 - R+11.74 (271,409)
1976 - D+1.47 (342,343, first time since 1944 it went Democrat)
1980 - R+5.19 (410,561 - Anderson got nearly 8% in Broward)
1984 - D+2.75 (449,226, Reagan's margin was two points below his nationwide percent)
1988 - D+3.88 (440,605; last time to date a Republican won Broward - but only by 2,042 votes)
1992 - D+8.83 (533,050)
1996 - D+14.27 (505,098)
2000 - D+19.02 (575,239)
2004 - D+15.93 (706,872; slight Bush trend)
2008 - D+14.14 (735,091)
2012 - D+16.10 (757,354)

[barfbag]

A lot of retired Democrats have been moving there.

[stevekamp]

Starting around 1970, condominiums started going up to house elderly New York retirees.  In  the 1972 US House redistricting, Hallandale was added to the Bill Lehman North Dade district, thus freeing up South Miami Beach (then a retirement community) to save Dante Fascell in 1972.

In 1974, the Republican J. Herbert Burke district 12 became competitive.  Burke held on in 1974 and 1976, but in 1978 was arrested for disorderly conduct in a Centerfold Bar incident that became part of the movie Striptease.  By 1982, the only Republican area left was the Las Olas Boulevard area in Fort Lauderdale and some of pompano Beach.

In addition to elderly retirees, there are also single family hoe resident ex New Yorkers.  When Broward got a new House district in 1982, it elected three Democrats (Larry Smith to 1992, Peter Deutsch 1992-2004, then Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who once worked for Deutsch.