Following attempts to create seats with Democratic PVIs in Nebraska and Kansas I’ve continued south into Oklahoma. Oklahoma has been trending Republican at the presidential level (and most levels really) and Obama received only 34% of the vote state-wide whilst not winning a single county. Whilst the following map would be impractical in the real world, it demonstrates that it is still theoretically possible to create a Democratic leaning congressional district in Oklahoma.
1st CD (Blue) 54.9% Obama, 50/29/16/7 (W/B/H/N)
The Democratic CD is centred on linking the urban centres of Oklahoma City and Tulsa via Stillwater. A short arm reaches down to Norman and a long arm stretches all the way back to eastern Oklahoma picking up those counties (or at least certain precincts thereof) which still vote reasonably Democratic at the presidential level. This district also answers the unasked question of whether it is possible to draw a majority-minority district in Oklahoma with a surprising (to me) yes.
2nd CD (Green) 29.6% Obama, 76/6/8/4 (W/B/H/N)
The more republican parts of Oklahoma County and some nearby area areas.
3rd CD (Dark Magenta) 29.2% Obama, 75/4/6/8 (W/B/H/N)
The rest of Tulsa, the area inscribed by CD1, and a couple of counties north of Tulsa.
4th CD (Red) 31.6% Obama, 69/3/4/17 (W/B/H/N)
Eastern Oklahoma including Little Dixie. Fairly similar to the current 2nd CD.
5th CD (Gold) 27.4% Obama, 74/5/10/6 (W/B/H/N)
Western Oklahoma.
It seems impossible to believe that Michael Dukakis won a predecessor of OK-02 in 1988.
I thought how in the heck was this guy going to get three D seats out of OK. Okay you get one seat out of OK and declare victory. Wow this state fairly red. Thanks for posting this map by the way.
I did have a few thoughts on OK. I don’t look for anything too wild. That’s not the Sooner way to connect panhandle with Rogers OK. I think will see a few little things.
OK4 likely lose Comanche & Tillman county. It will also gain a county or two from CD2 but that will be offset by a bit more of Canadan county.
OK1 will lose Wagoner and maybe its small piece of Rogers county to CD2. It will go westward to Osage, Pawnee and Ponca city. That will be about an even swap for CD1 but would make CD2 after it loses another rural county or two to CD3 several % more GOP
I’m really enjoying these maps; I enjoy seeing where the little enclaves of Democratic strength in generally Republican-dominated areas are. Oklahoma is especially interesting since, as you said, McCain won every county. I suppose some of the downtown areas of Oklahoma City and Tulsa are really the only areas not trending away from the Democrats, though I can’t say know much about the state. No offense to any Oklahomans, but I feel like it’s perhaps the biggest lost cause of any state for any progressive politics.
Great map; I like how clean every district but the 1st is.
It’s hard to believe that as recently as the beginning of 1993 that Oklahoma’s delegation was 4-2 Democratic. Talk about the friggin’ bottom falling out underneath you. Maybe someone should try creating a McCain district in Connecticutt (I bet if you were really creative you could create more then one); that’s about the closest equivalent to Oklahoma on the Dem side where the state has more then one CD.