In some far reaches of rural America, Democrats are flirting with extinction. In Niobrara County, Wyoming, the least-populated county in the least-populated state, Becky Blackburn is one of just 32 left.

Her neighbors call her “the crazy Democrat,” although it’s more a term of endearment than derision.

Some less populated counties have fewer. There are 21 Democrats in Clark County, Idaho, and 20 in Blaine County, Nebraska. But Niobrara County’s Democrats, who account for just 2.6% of registered voters, are the most outnumbered by Republicans in the 30 states that track local party affiliation, according to Associated Press election data.

In Wyoming, the state that has voted for Donald Trump by a wider margin than any other, overwhelming Republican dominance may be even more cemented-in now that the state has passed a law that makes changing party affiliation much more difficult.

  • Billiam
    link
    330 days ago

    It can’t be that many if the legislature is 90% GOP.

    • Em Adespoton
      link
      fedilink
      529 days ago

      Gerrymandering isn’t just at the federal level… although it must be more difficult when everyone registers R.

      • Billiam
        link
        129 days ago

        Again, if that was what was happening, the election results would be different. Wyoming voted out Liz Cheney in favor of Batshit McCrazyeyes, so I don’t buy the “Dems register as Republicans but secretly vote blue” story.

    • @CharlesDarwin
      link
      English
      229 days ago

      I wonder if the brain drain is measurable. Meaning, how many children with any potential grow up and then stay in the state?

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      2
      edit-2
      29 days ago

      It could. If every district voted 49% Democratic, then entire legislature would be Republicans. That’s pretty close to the situation in Texas, where nearly half the voters are Democrats but Republicans have an iron grip on the state government.