Gillespie County, Texas

[President Johnson]

It was Lyndon Johnson's home county, a traditional Republican stronghold even during Democratic dominance in the South. The county had some weird swings and results in the past. Especially from 1932 to 1936 and 1940. Is there an explanation for it? Just as a reference, Franklin Roosevelt received 87%, 80% and 71% statewide in his reelection bids.

Also kinda weird it just once swung back by a massive margin in 1964 and voted for their homeboy and that the progressive nominees easily won in 1912 and 1924.

[Geoffrey Howe]

I think it has a large population of German ancestry, which skewed heavily Republican. Lots of staunch GOP places voted Progressive in 1912 and to a lesser extent 1924. The early FDR results are always weird in rural places; I assume Gillespie County was badly hit by the Depression or weather, but recovered quickly enough. It's not terribly surprising that it's Republican now.

[Chips]

Pretty telling Johnson was the only Democrat in nearly 100 years to win the county, a fact that won't go away anytime soon.