| I've opted to break down some of the larger counties and the ones that I know a lot about. Results by city are very telling. I've compared results just by the two way vote between Brown and Whitman, just to get a clearer look at how the both main parties match up head to head in each municipality. I got the numbers from the Secretary of State's site, but I worked out the percentages myself with the help of Calc (please point any errors if you notice any).
Los Angeles County
As you can see, most of the usual pockets of Republican strength went to Whitman, with wealthier municipalities giving her the highest margins. The Senate results were almost identical, with only Lomita voting Democratic for Governor and Republican for Senate. The income polarization is very noticeable, the highest income place won by Brown was Beverly Hills. Malibu was probably the second highest income area Brown won, while Calabasas would likely rank behind it.
Orange County
Clearly, no surprise that most municipalities voted Republican and by sizable numbers. Laguna Beach, Santa Ana and Stanton voted for Brown. The lighter Republican voting areas aren't that surprising, save for Laguna Woods, which is an exclusive retirement community. Again, income counts for a lot, since most of the municipalities won by Whitman are very high income and exclusive. Minority population growth has cause Republican numbers to erode, but it still is decisively Republican.
Riverside County
Whitman won the county overall, but well below the margins Republicans used to post here. Minority population growth has really boosted Democratic fortunes in Riverside County. Riverside proper and Moreno Valley have seen the biggest increase in minority population. Once again, the higher income communities are the darkest red, with exclusive Canyon Lake being the most heavily GOP voting.
San Bernardino County
Voted along the lines of Riverside County, but had a couple of split decisions. Barstow and Needles voted Democratic for Governor and Republican for Senate. I would imagine that Brown's crossover appeal from his previous service helped him here a bit. Just like Riverside County, Whitman's performance was well below what most Republicans in other states get in suburbs in good GOP years. Democrats have a solid foundation in Fontana, Ontario, Rialto and San Bernardino proper, which have grown a lot over time, with most of that growth being minorities who have left Los Angeles seeking better housing and work. |