Sioux County, ND 1980

[Nym90]

Any idea why it went for Reagan, and by such a large margin, too? Odd considering the 1976 and 1984 results.

In fact, I'm tempted to say that the numbers may be inverted and that the Carter total is actually listed as Reagan and vice versa.

But if not, why such a strong swing toward the GOP for just this one election then a strong swing away again?

[Alcon]

Good question.  I'm inclined to say typo.

[Nym90]

Good question.  I'm inclined to say typo.

That's what I figured. If the numbers are reversed, it's a 10 point swing towards the GOP in 1980, then another 2 point swing towards the GOP in 1984. Seems just about right.

Although North Dakota as a whole went quite unusually strongly for Reagan in 1980. It had the single largest Republican swing of any state in the nation in 1980 and then the largest Democratic swing in 1984 (excluding DC anyway). So I was wondering if there was something Carter did to really piss off North Dakotans in general and Sioux county in particular. Or did it just exhibit anti-incumbent bias through this period of time?

[Alcon]

Unless Carter did something specifically to piss off that band of the Sioux tribe (which the results in South Dakota don't at all suggest), I very much doubt it.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I wish I could provide some insight but unfortunately I'm also clueless. My parents didn't live there then (they had just started dating in fact.)

[RBH]

Andrews won Sioux County by a 637-467 margin, so this suggests that the results here are probably not wrong