FARGO, N.D. (KFGO) – In the 130 years since North Dakota became a state in 1889, it has voted in 32 presidential elections. The State’s three electoral votes have been awarded to Republicans 26 times, and Democrats five times. However, in North Dakota’s first presidential election in 1892, Democrat Grover Cleveland received one electoral vote, Republican Benjamin Harrison got one vote, and populist James B. Weaver got a single electoral vote although Weaver, a third-party candidate, enjoyed the States popular vote.
Minnesota became a state in 1858. Abraham Lincoln collected the North Star State’s first electoral votes in the 1860 election. Minnesota has voted in 40 presidential elections. The State’s electoral votes have been pledged to the Democratic nominee 21 times, and the Republican nominee 19. Minnesota has not been carried by a Republican since Richard Nixon in 1972.
To put that into perspective, states that are considered the liberal meccas of today like California, and New York, were both carried by Ronald Reagan in 1984. Minnesota was the only state to be carried by the Democratic nominee, former U.S Senator from Minnesota, Walter Mondale. Mondale won his home state by only 0.18% of the vote. Nonetheless, Reagan carried 49 states that year, making 1984 one of the biggest sweeps in Presidential election history.
With the 2020 presidential election just around the corner, it is statistically safe to assume that North Dakota’s three electoral votes will be cast for Donald Trump. However, Minnesota is historically a swing state. Donald Trump lost Minnesota by 1.51% of the vote in 2016.
At a rally in Minneapolis in October, the President said, “We are going to fight with all of our heart and soul and we are going to win the great state of Minnesota in 2020.”
Will Donald Trump turn the most habitually blue state in recent history red? Only the emotions of voters on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2020 will tell.
