Most disappointing state for both parties in each election since 1968

[OSR stands with Israel]

Republicans:

1968: Texas
1972: Iowa(losing a senate race in a very republican state in a landslide year)
1976: Ohio
1980: Vermont(failing to take back a senate seat in a landslide year in a very republican state)
1984: Tennessee(voted more dem than nation and lost the senate seat)
1988: Iowa(A Safe R state becoming Safe D in one cylce)
1992: New Hampshire
1996: Florida
2000: Washington(It wasnt that close and that cost them a senate seat)
2004: Wisconsin
2008: North Carolina
2012: Virginia
2016: New Hampshire
2020: Georgia

Democrats:

1968: Ohio
1972: Pennsylvania
1976: Illinois
1980: North Carolina
1984: New York
1988: California
1992: Texas
1996: Georgia
2000: West Virginia
2004: Ohio
2008: Missouri
2012: None given the senate results as well but id say North Carolina
2016: Wisconsin(given the senate seat as well)
2020: North Carolina

[President Johnson]

I almost agree, but would replace Virginia with Florida in 2012 for Republicans. Virginia had already moved to the left and Obama won it by a few points. Florida was easily more winnable for Romney and ended up very close. I think was called few days after the election.

In 2016, you could also argue Michigan for Democrats. Wisconsin was very close in 2000 and 2004 as well, but Michigan wasn't. Obama won it by almost ten in 2012 and more than 16% in 2008.

In 2000, West Virginia ties New Hampshire for Democrats. Especially in retrospect, knowing that John Kerry even took the state in 2004 despite losing by more than Al Gore. If Gore won New Hampshire, he would have been elected regardless of what happened in Florida.

[Chips]

GOP:

1968: Pennsylvania (It was thought Nixon needed this state to have a good chance, that wasn't the case but this was still kind of a disappointing result for Nixon)
1972: Massachusetts (Only state Nixon didn't win)
1976: Texas (If Ford had won this state, he would've been on the right track)
1980: Hawaii (Didn't flip despite also being very close in 1976)
1984: Minnesota (Only state Nixon didn't win)
1988: Iowa (Massive shift left)
1992: New Hampshire (True sign for the Northeast going forward)
1996: Florida (A big state they failed to hold)
2000: Pennsylvania (Could've went Bush had he picked Ridge, 2000 results with FL and PA swapped would've been 269-269 and Bush wins through the house)
2004: Wisconsin (Bush was the slight favorite here throughout most of the campaign but it just failed to show up for Bush)
2008: Indiana (Biggest proof that 2008 was a very bad year for the GOP)
2012: Ohio (Was widely thought Romney needed this)
2016: Minnesota (McMullin pulled in more votes than Clinton's margin of victory)
2020: Pennsylvania (Similar to Ohio 2012)

Dem:

1968: Ohio (Would've put Humphrey on a better track)
1972: Minnesota (Closest state Nixon won)
1976: Virginia (The only southern state Carter didn't win)
1980: New York (Carter probably would've won this state if not for Anderson)
1984: Massachusetts (Closest state Reagan won)
1988: Michigan (Would've put Dukakis on a good track)
1992: Florida (Just about failed to show up for Clinton)
1996: Colorado (Feels like Clinton should've held it)
2000: Tennessee (Had Gore won his own home state, Florida doesn't matter)
2004: Ohio (Kerry would've won the election had he won here)
2008: Missouri (Obama came 4,000 short)
2012: North Carolina (Only swing state Obama lost)
2016: Wisconsin (Most unexpected of the three Rust Belt states to flip)
2020: Florida (The only swing state where Trump did better than he did in 2016)

[South Dakota Democrat]

2000 is obviously FL for Dems.

[OSR stands with Israel]

2000 is obviously FL for Dems.

If democrats held West Virginia which was a state that Bill Clinton won by 15 points in 1996 and a state that even Michael Dukakis won , then they wouldn’t need Florida .

[South Dakota Democrat]

2000 is obviously FL for Dems.

If democrats held West Virginia which was a state that Bill Clinton won by 15 points in 1996 and a state that even Michael Dukakis won , then they wouldn’t need Florida .

Sure, but that's silly.  Ds lost WV by 6 points, and lost FL by 537 votes.  They did need FL, and it didn't materialize for them.  Ergo, FL is the most disappointing state for them.  I don't get how this is even arguable.

[OSR stands with Israel]

I almost agree, but would replace Virginia with Florida in 2012 for Republicans. Virginia had already moved to the left and Obama won it by a few points. Florida was easily more winnable for Romney and ended up very close. I think was called few days after the election.

In 2016, you could also argue Michigan for Democrats. Wisconsin was very close in 2000 and 2004 as well, but Michigan wasn't. Obama won it by almost ten in 2012 and more than 16% in 2008.

In 2000, West Virginia ties New Hampshire for Democrats. Especially in retrospect, knowing that John Kerry even took the state in 2004 despite losing by more than Al Gore. If Gore won New Hampshire, he would have been elected regardless of what happened in Florida.

I did factor in senate results here which is why I had VA over FL in 2012 and WI over MI in 2016

[Interlocutor is just not there yet]

Without question, New Hampshire for 2000 (Sorry South Dakota Democrat) for the reasons President Johnson gave. Also for it being a stronger Nader state than Florida & thus being a more definitive example of how Nader cost Gore the election (+ the near-miss in Oregon).

In fact, I'm a little surprised Gore came as close as he did to winning Florida.

[Mr. Smith]

Dems

1960: California
1964: Arizona
1968: Ohio
1972: Minnesota
1976: California
1980: Massachusetts
1984: Massachusetts
1988: California
1992: Florida
1996: Colorado
2000: New Hampshire
2004: Ohio
2008: Missouri
2012: North Carolina
2016: Wisconsin
2020: Florida


GOP

1960: New Jersey
1964: Florida
1968: Texas
1972: Massachusetts
1976: Texas
1980: Maryland
1984: Minnesota
1988: Washington
1992: New Hampshire
1996: Florida
2000: Oregon
2004: Wisconsin
2008: North Carolina
2012: Virginia
2016: Minnesota
2020: Georgia

[MT Treasurer]

1988: Iowa(A Safe R state becoming Safe D in one cylce)

Iowa was by no means Safe R in 1984 (or 1976, for that matter).

[bagelman]

The GOP of '88 would've written off Iowa, so they wouldn't be disappointed by it.

[OSR stands with Israel]

The GOP of '88 would've written off Iowa, so they wouldn't be disappointed by it.

Maybe then the most disappointing state would come from a disappointing senate result that year

[Hope For A New Era]

1988: Iowa(A Safe R state becoming Safe D in one cylce)

Just thought I'd point out that the Iowa realignment happened more from 80-84 than from 84-88, it was just masked by Reagan's landslide. Trended 14 points left between 80 and 84 and only 7 points left between 84 and 88.

Pretty spectacular, really.