Why is alaska such a red state?

Question

I recently moved to alaska and to my surprise, the northest state in the union is pretty similar to the ones in the far south. Alaska is a red state or republican state, the majority of the population is white christian, there a very few black people and they even have southern accents without ever even leaving the state. WHY? I wonder.

Answer 1

I'll add one to your list: smoking. Alaskans smoke at rates like AL/GA/TN/KY - 25-28% and unlike the rest of the West Coast (WA/OR/CA) - 12-14%.

Why so many whites? It is a hard place to get to. You are removed from family and friends. Fewer minorities, historically, could get up here, compared to other, 48-state opportunities they may have pursued. Our military retirees are from WWII and Korea mostly and the military was a lot more white then. Nowadays, the military has a lot more blacks and hispanics and since that is a way many people get introduced/moved to Alaska, that should shift over time.

Why so many Christians (I infer you mean active, practicing, fundamentalist Christians as opposed to generic WASPs)? I think that people who seek comfort in simple, literal rules also find comfort in smaller towns, smaller (population) states, and in a simpler way of life. Europeans and big city Americans are always surpirsed at how many little churches there are in our small town. Like 17 or so.

Some people come to the end of the road for the natural beauty and enjoy unmotorized ways to pursue it. We're a minority! More common is a desire to be a hunter-gatherer or to log/mine/pump the resources to make a paycheck. Those are much more Republican Party values than Democratic. Also, the military angle - we've got more military retirees than any other state and they are not noted for their liberal, progressive politics.

Southern accents come from a couple of things. The whole hunting/fishing fixation is big down there and AK is the ultimate realization of a need to kill and eat of a lot of critters. Also, Texas/Louisiana is oil country and so many of our oil-field workers came from there especially during pipeline days, but even now. See also my thoughts on the appeal to the conservative religious. That isn't the only migration up here, though. There are a fair number from MN, WI, ND, etc. I mean, if you're already got a brutally long and cold winter, you might as well live someplace beautiful as well.

Democrats win occasionally. Tony Knowles did twice (they ran total whack jobs against him each time, the second guy, Lindemann (sp?) was already being indicted before the election was held).

Another effect may be that you're now in a smaller town and that you meet and socialize with a wider variety of people. I certainly do. In a big city you hang with your like-minded co-workers and friends with very similar views. Because you can and it is comfortable. In a smaller place, you deal with a wider variety of people and in a slower-pace-of-life, you actually talk to the clerk, mechanic, nurse, etc, and find out more about them than you ever did when living "Outside".

Answer 2

I was studying Alaska and noticed the same thing. There are still Democrats there but they are dwindling. As far as black people go most of them I've met hate the cold making Alaska undesirable place for them. I love black folks but I've noticed some of blacks wearing ski jackets and those Russian type head warmers when it's not even 60 degrees. I bet you couldn't pay them to live there. As far as Southern accents go you have me on that. Maybe the gold rush period has something to do with it. Alot of Southerners came to Alaska and their accents some how got ingrained into their way of talking. That's interesting.

Answer 3

Blue state liberals may not appreciate the Norfolk Navy base, Fort Bragg, or the Centers for Disaese Control but their benifits extend far beyond the red states in which they are located. Also, retirees who move from blue to red states would show up as a "subsidy" in this formulation, but many feel the payments they have made to SS and Medicare during their working careers allow them to consider these earned benifits rather than unearned subsidies. A more meaningful map would show the distribution of payments for AFDC, Medicaid and other unearned entitlements compared to income tax collections and even that would miss the previous taxes payed by retirees who move from blue to red. Top it off, red states do far better economically than blue states.

Answer 4

j17hiw has a point. i live in anchorage, and there is all kinds of minorities here: black, Latino, native, Asian, and pacific islanders. And Alaska isn't as red as you think; Anchorage re-elected a democrat for mayor. Most Alaskans are politically independent and vote for who they hope will do the best job.

Answer 5

Even though I would like to take tree hugging hippies like Prufrock, and have them play with polar bears....I have to agree with him in the respect that it is the republicans that allow Alaskans to develop the natural resources they have.....namely oil. The republicans have been very good to the oil companies and bringing in the pork to Alaska to make sure Alaska is good to republicans. The average government spending in Alaska is 30 times the national average, and do we need to mention the "bridges to nowhere"?

Answer 6

What part of Alaska do you live in??? I live in Kenai, I moved here from Anchorage... and I have to say I totally disagree with you... for example, there are tons of Native Alaskans, tons of Phillapinos... I suggest you get out of your house more and get some real Alaskan exposure!!!

Answer 7

Like all Red States, Alaska is made up of strong people who work and take care of themselves and their families.
They don't cry around asking the taxpayers for help. They like to be free.
Many Blue State people have their hands out, and want the government to take care of them.

Answer 8

it is the blood of sealions and seals, the reds hate the environment, and will put an oil rig anywhere, this means job oppurtunities and government spending in the north

Answer 9

my guess is that is a good area to make money and that is a lure for those types of people you named.

Answer 10

closer to reality would be my guess and thank goodness...