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
0
38
5.6%
20
0
17.0%
Joe Biden
Democratic Party
0
36
9%
20
0
0.3%
Donald Trump
Republican Party
0
38
7.2%
20
0
16.2%
Barack Obama
Democratic Party
0
34
25.1%
21
0
25.1%
Barack Obama
Democratic Party
0
34
23.0%
21
0
10.2%
George W. Bush
Republican Party
0
`32
5.5%
22
0
5.0%
George W. Bush
Republican Party
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)

1 answer

Election Results Summary

  1. State 1: Texas

    • Presidential Candidate: Donald Trump
    • Political Party: Republican Party
    • Electoral College Votes: 38
    • Margin of Victory: 5.6%
    • Difference for the State:
      • Democratic Votes: 42%
      • Republican Votes: 47.6%
      • Difference: 5.6%
  2. State 2: Illinois

    • Presidential Candidate: Joe Biden
    • Political Party: Democratic Party
    • Electoral College Votes: 20
    • Margin of Victory: 17.0%
    • Difference for the State:
      • Democratic Votes: 57%
      • Republican Votes: 40%
      • Difference: 17.0%

Candidates Who Won by More than 4%:

  • Joe Biden won Illinois with a 17.0% margin.
  • Donald Trump won Texas with a 5.6% margin.

Why candidates win by a BIG margin:

Candidates may win by a large margin due to several factors, including but not limited to an effective campaign strategy, demographic trends that favor one party, and the popularity of the candidate. For example, states with a strong party identity, where the majority of voters consistently support a particular party, can also lead to large margins.

Google Fact:

One reason for Joe Biden's large margin in Illinois could be found in demographic data indicating that Illinois has a higher concentration of urban populations, which tend to lean Democratic. According to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2020, approximately 70% of Illinois' population resides in urban areas, which often supports policies championed by the Democratic Party, leading to stronger support in elections.

This combination of demographic factors, coupled with urban voter trends towards social and economic policies typically favored by Democrats, likely contributed to the large margin of victory for Biden in Illinois.