McPherson County, SD, 1956

[Nym90]

Any idea why Eisenhower only won this county by 4 votes? Considering he had beaten Stevenson 87-13 in 1952 and other than in 1956, it hasn't come within 25 percentage points of voting for a Democrat in any election since 1936?

Odd. What did Ike do to repel so many rock-ribbed Republican voters here?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

South Dakota is the most anti-incumbent state in the union. This was probably the most extreme case of that.

[Nym90]

South Dakota is the most anti-incumbent state in the union. This was probably the most extreme case of that.

True, though McPherson has had no problem whatsoever voting for Republican incumbents since then.

Any theories as to why SD is so anti-incumbent, by the way? I've heard this often repeated and election returns do seem to bear it out, but was curious if there is any logic as to why this is the case. Hawaii's pro-incumbent bias has been explained in some articles as being due to the Asian/Pacific Islander population tending to favor continuity and tradition as part of their culture and in a desire to appear "mainstream" and avoid extremist positions and politicians (for an example, look at how badly both Goldwater and McGovern did in HI) possibly in part due to their patriotism and national loyalty having been so strongly questioned during World War 2.

[WalterMitty]

both dakotas swung hard towards stevenson in 56.

odd.

[Mr.Phips]

both dakotas swung hard towards stevenson in 56.

odd.

South Dakota also voted out a Republican House incumbent for George McGovern in 1956. 

[Rob]

German farmers who were pissed at Ezra Taft Benson. It is a huge swing, but hardly unprecedented in that area- these folks voted for Harding, LaFollette, Smith, FDR, and Alf Landon without breaking a sweat. Maybe a local farmer's group decided to endorse Stevenson that year.