# Why is Michigan leaning so heavily blue? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 1, 2008, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michigan-leaning-so-heavily-blue/466091 "2008-10-01T22:47:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michigan-leaning-so-heavily-blue/466091/1 "2008-10-01T22:47:42Z")
I know that it is a Demo-strong state, but I thought that Romney was supposed to help try to swing it for McCain. Latest polls show it as 49-43 Obama. Is Romney not doing his job to make it closer there. Is it because he’s not an enthusiastic of McCain? A bigger tin-foil plot that if Obama wins in 2008, Romney is running in 2012? Or is it simply that not even Romney can start dragging it back to the middle? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michigan-leaning-so-heavily-blue/466091/2 "2008-10-01T22:52:22Z")
Maybe it’s because it’s a de-industrializing industrial state with massive unemployment and a long-established union presence, and in the current economic environment, union workers and unemployed persons see more hope of improving their lot under Obama than McCain. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michigan-leaning-so-heavily-blue/466091/3 "2008-10-01T22:53:41Z")
I doubt Romney would be very effective there under any circumstances. I mean, seriously, what would he do, say “Hey, my dad was awesome, and so is Michigan, and my dad would vote for McCain, so you should too.”? ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michigan-leaning-so-heavily-blue/466091/4 "2008-10-01T22:55:11Z")
Why would the people of Michigan give a crap what Mitt Romney thinks? ---
**Author:** ![leander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bcef8e/32.png) [@leander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leander)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michigan-leaning-so-heavily-blue/466091/5 "2008-10-01T22:59:20Z")
> [@Frostillicus](#): > > Why would the people of Michigan give a crap what Mitt Romney thinks? His father has strong ties to Michigan, including as Governor from 1963-9. I agree that it’s turning “more blue” because the economy is in the shitter. It’s really, really bad in Michigan and has been even before the rest of the country got hit hard. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michigan-leaning-so-heavily-blue/466091/6 "2008-10-01T23:01:56Z")
> [@Frostillicus](#): > > Why would the people of Michigan give a crap what Mitt Romney thinks? Because Michigan is shaped like a mitten and Mr. Romney’s name is practically mitten. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michigan-leaning-so-heavily-blue/466091/7 "2008-10-01T23:04:34Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I know that it is a Demo-strong state, but I thought that Romney was supposed to help try to swing it for McCain. Latest polls show it as 49-43 Obama. Is Romney not doing his job to make it closer there. Is it because he’s not an enthusiastic of McCain? A bigger tin-foil plot that if Obama wins in 2008, Romney is running in 2012? Or is it simply that not even Romney can start dragging it back to the middle? Romney as a running-mate was alleged to be suggested because of Michigan. I think that logic was weird. In any case, pollsters have been surprised Michigan isn’t more blue. Like Pennsylvania, Michigan was lagging behind national numbers for a while. They both seem to be bluing up, though. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michigan-leaning-so-heavily-blue/466091/8 "2008-10-02T00:39:00Z")
Hi. How are you doing? Seriously, though, the reason is the economy. Michigan gets hit by crappy nationwide economic malaises first and worst. In some way, we’ve been in an economic stupor for about 20 years. Ever see Roger and Me? Unemployment is rampant, the Lions suck, and the environment is a very rough diamond. Romney still gets some clout in the redder parts of the state, partially because of his name/dad, but also because he’s pro-life and rather conservative. Michigan is a very racially segregated state with the Detroit area being the most segregated part of it. Ideas tend to grow and get a little extreme when there’s only homogeneity. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michigan-leaning-so-heavily-blue/466091/9 "2008-10-02T02:00:49Z")
Hey, cheer up, the Lions fired Matt Millen! ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michigan-leaning-so-heavily-blue/466091/10 "2008-10-02T02:07:51Z")
Millen liked Romney. When the economy tightens its’ belt, we are the first notch. We have been way ahead in foreclosures and unemployment. It has been a depressed area for a long time. Our good jobs were shipped abroad a long time ago. Our wages are going down. It should be a lot bluer. ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michigan-leaning-so-heavily-blue/466091/11 "2008-10-02T03:30:12Z")
> [@](#): > > His father has strong ties to Michigan, including as Governor from 1963-9. > [@](#): > > Because Michigan is shaped like a mitten and Mr. Romney’s name is practically mitten. The second response actually makes more sense than does the first. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michigan-leaning-so-heavily-blue/466091/12 "2008-10-02T03:37:17Z")
Same the reason the rest of the country is leaning blue. ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michigan-leaning-so-heavily-blue/466091/13 "2008-10-02T03:43:12Z")
Massachusetts and Michigan both begin with an “M”. Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, (New) Mexico, Minnesota, the Midwest, Midiana, Millinois, Maryland and a whole bunch of others are either red or blue states. Therefore, we can expect that they will go either Republican or Democratic in any Presidential election. It’s always been the case. Second observation, how many Michigan voters are so dedicated to George Romney that they will vote for his plutocrat son? How many of them can even remember a Rambler or tell you what American Motors was even if they can remember the name George Romney? ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michigan-leaning-so-heavily-blue/466091/14 "2008-10-02T03:45:30Z")
Didn’t Mitt Romney make a fortune off of the misfortune of the auto industry? ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michigan-leaning-so-heavily-blue/466091/15 "2008-10-02T04:34:39Z")
Romney ran American Motors the smallest of the somewhat respected auto companies. He looked presidential but sounded kinda Bushlike. He made a claim when he went to Nam to be more presidential that he was brainwashed. It made him a bit of a joke. His bratty kid has very little fame in Michigan. I did not remember he had one til he ran for office in Mass. He was not that big a deal. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michigan-leaning-so-heavily-blue/466091/16 "2008-10-02T06:01:22Z")
> [@leander](#): > > His father has strong ties to Michigan, including as Governor from 1963-9. Plus he’s rotting in his grave in Brighton. That’ll bring the votes! Almost half the voting public weren’t even around in 1963. George who? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michigan-leaning-so-heavily-blue/466091/17 "2008-10-02T10:37:21Z")
I think the Romney influence is very much overstated. You have to be eligible for AARP to have many memories of Gov. Romney and to most voters he’s just a historical footnote. First and foremost is the economy. When the US gets a cold, Michigan gets pneumonia. There are a lot of factory workers who lost their jobs due to the economic slowdown and outsourcing to Asia. These are not fertile grounds for Republicans. The western part of the state may be socially conservative (the Dutch are notorious among west siders for being quite conservative), but they are not particularly intolerant. These are Bill Milliken-Gerry Ford-Bob Dole type Republicans, not the flaming idealogues that embraced Palin so warmly. I think Palin is a net negative in Michigan. Throw in the heavy black population centers of Detroit and Flint and two humongus Big Ten campuses and there aren’t enough rural conservatives outstate to make up for them. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michigan-leaning-so-heavily-blue/466091/18 "2008-10-02T19:24:28Z")
> **[McCain Pulling Out Of Michigan](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mccain-pulling-out-of-mic_n_131287)** > > McCain Pulling Out Of Michigan Word is that McCain is pulling out of Michigan, No ads, no offices. That says a bit.