The Growing Blue-State Diaspora

[SecularMotion]

Californians have moved to Colorado and Nevada. Massachusetts natives have moved to New Hampshire. New Yorkers have moved to North Carolina and Virginia — and, of course, have continued moving to Florida.

Over the last few decades, residents of many traditionally liberal states have moved to states that were once more conservative. And this pattern has played an important role in helping the Democratic Party win the last two presidential elections and four of the last six. The growth of the Latino population and the social liberalism of the millennial generation may receive more attention, but the growing diaspora of blue-state America matters as well.

The blue diaspora has helped offset the fact that many of the nation’s fastest-growing states are traditionally Republican. You can think of it as a kind of race: Population growth in these Republican states is reducing the share of the Electoral College held by traditionally Democratic states. But Democratic migration has been fast enough, so far, to allow the party to overcome the fact that the Northeast and industrial Midwest contain a smaller portion of the country’s population than they once did.

The migration helped President Obama win Colorado, Florida and Virginia in both 2008 and 2012. In 2014, the influx of blue-state natives gives Democrats a better chance to win Senate races in Colorado, Georgia and North Carolina, among other places.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/24/upshot/the-growing-blue-state-diaspora.html

[Wounded Bear]

1. I don't think a lot of the talking heads have accounted for this...

We've been a bit too focused on how the Red states have polluted traditional liberal areas in the past.

There's a new reality out there taking shape, at least I hope.

[msongs]

2. move 100,000 california dems each to ND, SD, Wyoming, Montana & pick up 8 senate seats.

[Yavin4]

3. Traditional Blue states like CA, Mass, and NY are expensive

Up and coming states like VA, NC, and Colo are more affordable and have good paying jobs for some professions. Blue staters are taking their politics, culture, and social views to these states.

[DamnYankeeInHouston]

4. Yup.

The Yankees came and left.
The Damn Yankees came and stayed.
That's me.
Houston Independent School District recruited 29% of my graduating class at Lesley in 1980.
Houston is going blue.

[GOLGO 13]

5. Moving South is what retiring NY state employees talk about

Not a single one of us want to stay in NY with our pitiful pensions. So to the south we will go. But keep in mind that we're bringing the whole family with us. Not just the old farts but future blue voters are coming to see y'all.

We wanna know about sweet tea, fried Twinkees, crawfish, moonshine, pick-ups. We want to experience those Southern manners, testing that famous BBQ tradition and more interestingly being able to buy all the guns I want with my loyalty card from the Piggly Wiggly.

[ancianita]

6. Notably, the Dem diaspora is helped by what's posited as The Urban Archipelago. I think the good

weather and intangible benefits of urban areas have both helped the diaspora grow.

http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=19813

Sorry I can't supply a bigger graphic.