Red State America: More Racist or More Sexist?

Now that Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are the clear frontrunners for the Democrat Party nomination, some blue-state Democrats find themselves wringing their hands with the following question: "Who has a stronger chance of actually winning in red-state America? A white woman or a black man?"

I find this question very disheartening, if not surprising. Such sentiment succinctly encapsulates part of why the red-state, blue-state gulch sill exists and is probably widening in America. To assume that red states are less open than blue states to either a woman or an African American leading this country ignores an obvious electoral history.

First, let's take a look at the history of black politicians in red states vs. blue states, shall we?

(And for the record, I am using the 2004 Presidential election to determine which states are red and which are blue even though some states such as New Mexico and Iowa often flip back and forth.)

In the entire history of the United States, only three black men have ever held the governorships of any states. They are P.B.S. Pinchback of Louisiana. Douglas Wilder of Virginia. And Deval Patrick of Massachusetts. That's two red states and one blue state.

In the US Senate, four black men and one black woman have served their states. Three were from blue states. Two were from red states.

112 black men and women have served in the House of Representatives. 66 of them were from red states. 46 were from blue states.

So in sum, throughout US history more African-American politicians have been elected to offices of national prominence in red states than have been in blue states by a factor of 7 to 5.

What about Women office holders?

There have been 30 female state governors. 13 have governed blue states. 17 have governed red states.

There have been 35 women in the US Senate. 14 were from blues states. 21 have been from red states.

Do you see a pattern here?

There have been 215 women representatives in the House. 122 were from blue states. 93 were from red states.

(Okay, that broke the trend, finally.)