Evanston, IL before the mid 60s

[freepcrusher]

anyone know why it was so republican before then? I read that from the founding of the republican party until 1964, Evanston always went republican, even for Alf Landon. Beginning in 1964, the township has only went republican for president once - in 1972.

Before 1964, what were the demographics of the place like? My guess is that it was similar to the other areas in Northern Illinois like Ogle, Kendall, DuPage, McHenry etc that were ancestrally republican with a WASP population, particularly of the Methodist prohibitionist variety. My guess is that Northwestern was sort of a bigger version of Wheaton back then.

As to why the city shifted hard left beginning in 1964 - my guess is that a lot of the left wing academic types, who previously had limited themselves to the Hyde Park/University of Chicago crowd started moving to the north shore. Abner Mikva, for instance, represented a south side district that took in Hyde Park. When the 1971 reapportionment dismembered his district, he decided to carpetbag to an Evanston seat and his explanation as to why was "if only because so many of my constituents are moving there anyways".

[Indy Texas]

Before the 1960s, being a liberal and being a Republican were not mutually exclusive things.

[hawkeye59]

Wow, a thread about my hometown! Basically, the Hyde Park explanation is accurate, but in addition, more African-Americans (especially Caribbean immigrants) and young people moved to Evanston, and the Vietnam War turned many against the GOP. Before it turned Democratic, it was more similar to the northern suburbs (e.g. Wilmette/Winnetka/Lake County) than Wheaton.

Beginning in 1964, the township has only went republican for president once - in 1972.

Actually, Evanston voted for Nixon in 1968, but voted for McGovern (barely) in 1972.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

I find that interesting, since most of the Chicago suburbs were pretty strongly R-leaning until Clinton came along in the 90s.  But it probably has a lot to do with the fact that Evanston is home to Northwestern University, so the Vietnam War was probably very unpopular there, and the counterculture was probably strong, too.

[Mr. Illini]

Evanston acts a lot like the north side of Chicago IMO. Mix in minority populations and academic areas and wealthy urban yuppies and you get a strongly Democratic city.

As already was stated, Evanston has always been liberal. At one time it was acceptable to be a Republican and identify as such, which primarily was the case before the Mid '60s.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

I visited Evanston for a day earlier this year.  Portions of it reminded me of Princeton, NJ... the other parts were characterisitic of the immediate outskirts of Chicago.  It does not surprise me that this place has voted Dem since the 60s.  I haven't the numbers, but I'd guess it went 85-90% for Obama in 2008.