From your Charts - Look at the margin of victories. A 4% margin is considered a good win. What candidates won either of your states by more than 4%? List them and answer this question - Why do you think someone would win by a BIG margin? Find one Google fact to justify why such a big win. (10 Points)

Question

Part 1: Presidential Election Results

Directions: You will select 2 states from the teacher provided list to research the presidential election results from six of the past US presidential elections. Choose two states from this list: Alaska, Texas, Illinois, Wyoming, Tennessee, New Jersey, Arizona, Colorado, Mississippi, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri. *** NOTE: If you select any state that is not on the list above, you will receive a zero. Complete the chart using the research that you conducted. Each state is worth 25 points, for a total of 50 points.

ALASKA

ARIZONA

COLORADO

ILLINOIS

MASSACHUSETTS

MICHIGAN

MISSISSIPPI

MISSOURI

NEW JERSEY

TENNESSEE

TEXAS

WYOMING

Year
State 1: Texas (25 points)
State 2: Illinois (25 points)

Who became President?

Identify the Presidential candidate who won the overall election & their political party
Identify the # of Electoral College Votes given to the winning candidate by putting that number in the correct column.
What was the margin of victory?
(in percentages)

The difference between the republican and democrat % for the state.
Identify the # of Electoral College Votes given to the winning candidate by putting that number in the correct column.
What was the margin of victory?
(in percentages)

The difference between the republican and democrat % for the state.
Dem
Rep
Dem
Rep
Presidential Candidate
Political Party
2020
Joe Biden
Donald Trump
5.6%
(Biden 52.1-Trump 46.5
Joe Biden
Donald Trump
17.0% (Biden 57.5% - Trump 40.5%)
Joe Biden
Republican Party
2016
Hilary Clinton
Donald Trump
9.0% (Trump 52.2% - Clinton 43.2%)
Hilary Clinton
Donald Trump
0.3% (Clinton 55.4% - Trump 55.1%)
Donal Trump
Republican Party
2012
Barack Obama
Mitt Romney
7.2% (Obama 50.5% - Romney 43.3%)
Barack Obama
Mitt Romney
16.2% (Obama 55.5% - Romney 39.3%)
Barack Obama
Democratic Party
2008
Barack Obama
John Mcain
25.1% (Obama 61.9% - McCain 36.8%)
Barack Obama
John Mcain
25.1% (Obama 61.9% - McCain 36.8%)
Barack Obama
Democratic Party
2004
George W. Bush
John Kerry
23.0% (Bush 61.1% - Kerry 38.1%)
George W. Bush
John Kerry
10.2% (Kerry 50.0% - Bush 39.8%)
George W. Bush
Republican Party
2000
George W. Bush
`Al Gore
5.5% (Bush 59.3% - Gore 53.8%)
George W. Bush
Al Gore
5.0% (Gore 51.0% - Bush 46.0%)
George W. Bush
Republican Party

Answer 1

Based on the details provided, let's analyze the presidential election results for Texas and Illinois using the provided data.

Texas

| Year | Presidential Candidate | Political Party | Electoral College Votes | Margin of Victory (%) | |------|------------------------|------------------|-------------------------|-----------------------| | 2020 | Donald Trump | Republican | 38 | 5.6% (Biden 52.1 - Trump 46.5) | | 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 36 | 9.0% (Trump 52.2 - Clinton 43.2) | | 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 38 | 7.2% (Obama 50.5 - Romney 43.3) | | 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 34 | 25.1% (Obama 61.9 - McCain 36.8) | | 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 34 | 23.0% (Bush 61.1 - Kerry 38.1) | | 2000 | George W. Bush | Republican | 32 | 5.5% (Bush 59.3 - Gore 53.8) |

Illinois

| Year | Presidential Candidate | Political Party | Electoral College Votes | Margin of Victory (%) | |------|------------------------|------------------|-------------------------|-----------------------| | 2020 | Joe Biden | Democratic | 20 | 17.0% (Biden 57.5 - Trump 40.5) | | 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 20 | 0.3% (Clinton 55.4 - Trump 55.1) | | 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 20 | 16.2% (Obama 55.5 - Romney 39.3) | | 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 21 | 25.1% (Obama 61.9 - McCain 36.8) | | 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 21 | 10.2% (Kerry 50.0 - Bush 39.8) | | 2000 | Al Gore | Democratic | 21 | 5.0% (Gore 51.0 - Bush 46.0) |

Candidates Who Won by More Than 4%

Texas:

• Barack Obama (2008): 25.1%
• George W. Bush (2004): 23.0%
• Barack Obama (2012): 7.2%
• Donald Trump (2016): 9.0%
• Joe Biden (2020): 5.6%

Illinois:

• Joe Biden (2020): 17.0%
• Barack Obama (2012): 16.2%
• Barack Obama (2008): 25.1%
• Hillary Clinton (2016): 0.3% (not over 4%)
• John Kerry (2004): 10.2%
• Al Gore (2000): 5.0% (not over 4%)

Explanation of BIG Margin Wins

A candidate might win by a big margin for several reasons:

1. Strong Party Loyalty: Voter tendencies toward a political party can lead to significant margins, especially in states with historical voting patterns.
2. Effective Campaigning: A well-organized campaign that addresses the key issues relevant to voters can lead to higher turnout and more votes.
3. Demographics: The demographics of a state can often play a crucial role, as certain groups may lean towards one party over another.

Google Fact to Justify Big Win

According to a Gallup poll, in 2020, states with larger urban populations tended to lean Democratic while more rural areas leaned Republican. This dichotomy leads to larger margins of victory in favor of one party in states where one demographic significantly outnumbers the other. For instance, in Texas, the large urban centers such as Houston and Dallas might heavily influence the overall results seen in voting comparisons.

In summary, factors such as party loyalty, effective campaigning, and demographic distributions help explain why certain candidates win by significant margins in elections.