Why is South Dakota so firmly Republican?

South Dakota is one of ten states that has not voted for a Democrat on the presidential level since the 1964 LBJ landslide. The longest continuous win on the presidential level for Democrats is Minnesota since 1976.

But that's not the sole reason I singled out South Dakota. South Dakota currently has the longest line of Republican governors not interrupted since 1979. Except for DC which is not a state, for Democrats it's Washington State since early 1985. But Washington has voted Republican on the Presidential level more recently and Minnesota has had some Republican governors since 1976.

It is for this reason I have singled out South Dakota as the most PARTISAN state in the United States. That's important to point out because it's not a matter of progressive vs. conservative policies. I recognize that there are both progressive Republicans and conservative Democrats. Each state is different with it's own demographics and specific issues.

So with that in mind, I ask you; why is South Dakota so biased in a partisan manner toward the Republican party? What are the failures of the Democratic party in that state?

 

Not many big cities. Left leaning people tend not to live in the country and have to rely on themselves.

 

Don't know, but it's rapidly becoming known as the "Suicide State". Makes for a nice bumper sticker.

 

Because it is mostly hard working White folks.

 

South Dakota is the proud home of George McGovern (D), the first true socialist to run for president of the US in 1972. He carried one state (Mass.) and DC. Ever since then South Dakotans have tended to keep to themselves.

 

To previous posts: it's NOT and I emphasize NOT about progressive vs. conservative. It's about political parties. Even deep red Mississippi has had Democratic governors more recently than South Dakota. There is such thing as conservative Democrats. Ever heard of Zell Miller? And of course also centrist Republicans like John Huntsman.

It MUST be something else. I can only speculate to weak Democratic candidates for governor or maybe the great success of Republican administrations economically. Maybe the Democrats refuse to moderate their policies to fit the issues for South Dakota voters. But if so, why? Or is the electoral process there rigged in some way?