The "black sheep" city of your State

[krudmonk]

Originally Posted by xXFallenXx

Anything in the Central Valley that's not Sacramento.

But if there are so many, how can any one be considered the black sheep?

[ThatDarnSacramentan]

Originally Posted by xXFallenXx

Anything in the Central Valley that's not Sacramento.

I'd kinda agree. I never really thought of Stockton as being particularly Californian in any respect, other than all the highways. Still, the overall Central Valley is a huge and important component of the state overall, so you'd have to really get into specific towns and aspects to win me over on this.

[foadi]

Originally Posted by ThatDarnSacramentan

I'd kinda agree. I never really thought of Stockton as being particularly Californian in any respect, other than all the highways.

it's not particularly ... another statian either. i mean name another town in an agricultural region in the US that is 25% asian and a crapload of asian gangs running all over the place. only in california.

[ThatDarnSacramentan]

Good point.

[Rwarky]

Originally Posted by krazeeboi

It's not Greensboro at all; it's at the crossroads of the state and gets many major events and conventions. Fayetteville it definitely is.

At least Fayetteville has a river, unlike Greedsboring.

[STLgasm]

The City of St. Louis is one of the bluest voting blocs in the entire country. Most people don't know this, but 83.7% of St. Louis City voted for Obama in the last election-- a higher percentage than Brooklyn and Philadelphia. Suburban St. Louis County is comfortably democratic as well, as is St. Clair County, IL (which includes East St. Louis), but the exurban collar counties tend to lean Republican, which is no different than the majority of exurban counties across the country.

[St.PauliBoy]

Originally Posted by Jennifat

Duluth, without a doubt. A rust belt city in an otherwise non-rust belt state.

Actually, I don't agree. Sure Duluth is kind of rusty, but it's also a beautiful city in a beautiful location on the tip of the North Shore of Lake Superior near the North Woods and the Boundary Waters and it possesses that politically liberal mindset that is so typical of Minnesota. I think Duluth represents the spirit of Minnesota much more than Minneapolis or St. Paul do.

If I were to choose a black sheep it would have to be St. Cloud. St. Cloud is an island of right-wing Republicans in an otherwise liberal state......how else can you explain Michele Bachman? St. Cloud is also an ugly city with almost no center and mostly ugly strip malls and sprawl which feels like no other city in Minnesota except for the third-tier suburbia surrounding the Twin Cities. For me, St. Cloud's an entirely un-Minnesota city with a thoroughly un-Minnesota outlook smack dab in the middle of the state.

[diablo234]

Originally Posted by desertpunk

And indeed El Paso is the black sheep of Texas. It's just so geographically and culturally disconnected from the rest of TX. And it's solidly Democrat.

All of the counties along the Rio Grande are solidly Democrat.

Actually a very strong case could be made for Beaumont and Port Arthur as well since they are more culturally connected to Louisiana, and they have a relatively small Hispanic population compared with the rest of the state.

[Resident]

Counties or cities that have a strong Democratic voting population are usually the cities or counties with the highest non-white population, in the midwest anyway. I guess if that makes it the black sheep then so be it, but I think it has alot more than just voting dem. in a mostly red state. That being said, does anyone know of a city or area that is just the opposite. Cities voting rep. in a blue state? I can't think of any off hand, but you guys might know of some.

[ThatDarnSacramentan]

Originally Posted by Resident

Counties or cities that have a strong Democratic voting population are usually the cities or counties with the highest non-white population, in the midwest anyway. I guess if that makes it the black sheep then so be it, but I think it has alot more than just voting dem. in a mostly red state. That being said, does anyone know of a city or area that is just the opposite. Cities voting rep. in a blue state? I can't think of any off hand, but you guys might know of some.

Fresno tends to be very conservative, as well as Orange County. The rural portions of Northern California are also majority red, but the only "major" city there is Redding with the rest of it being towns of a few hundred or a few thousand.

[srsmn]

Originally Posted by ThatDarnSacramentan

The reason I say Fresno is because, if you've ever seen Fresno, it could be anywhere in the Midwest: fairly boring, dead downtown surrounded by farmland.

See, this is a problem. Why is this your definition of Midwest?

Because, a.) cities like that exist everywhere in the country, and b.) there are plenty of cities in the Midwest with vibrant downtowns that aren't surrounded by farmland.

Have you ever been to the Midwest, or do you just bash it because it's status quo?

[srsmn]

Originally Posted by St.PauliBoy

Actually, I don't agree. Sure Duluth is kind of rusty, but it's also a beautiful city in a beautiful location on the tip of the North Shore of Lake Superior near the North Woods and the Boundary Waters and it possesses that politically liberal mindset that is so typical of Minnesota. I think Duluth represents the spirit of Minnesota much more than Minneapolis or St. Paul do.

Are you one of those 'San Francisco of the North' people?

Face it dude, Duluth is a dying little industrial town. More "the spirit" of Minnesota than Minneapolis or St. Paul? Give me a break....Minnesota wouldn't exist without Minneapolis or St. Paul....the cultural, political, social, and economic history of the state were absolutely driven by those two cities. Everything that happened on some farm or in some farm town or on some Iron mine or in some forest over the course of the history of the state was driven by the interests of MSP.

But, we can agree to disagree.

If I were to choose a black sheep it would have to be St. Cloud. St. Cloud is an island of right-wing Republicans in an otherwise liberal state......how else can you explain Michele Bachman?

Gerrymeandering. And, more specifically, the North metro.

St. Cloud is also an ugly city with almost no center and mostly ugly strip malls and sprawl which feels like no other city in Minnesota except for the third-tier suburbia surrounding the Twin Cities. For me, St. Cloud's an entirely un-Minnesota city with a thoroughly un-Minnesota outlook smack dab in the middle of the state.

I don't know where you're getting this from. In downtown St. Cloud there's some very nice architecture and character-- including the courthouse and the cathedral. Granted, it's not as dense/tall as Duluth, and there is sort of a dirge of surface lots. But I definitely don't think of the core as suburban and boring. If you just breezed by St. Cloud on the highway, you'd get that impression, but that's also the impression you'd get from breezing by Duluth.

[ThatDarnSacramentan]

Originally Posted by srsmn

See, this is a problem. Why is this your definition of Midwest?

Because, a.) cities like that exist everywhere in the country, and b.) there are plenty of cities in the Midwest with vibrant downtowns that aren't surrounded by farmland.

Have you ever been to the Midwest, or do you just bash it because it's status quo?

No, I haven't been to the Midwest. I make my comparison of Fresno to places like Tulsa based on what I've seen in photos and what I've heard from people in that part of the country. Even if you want to debunk my comparison to the Midwest, Fresno is most certainly the black sheep of California, perhaps with Bakersfield in second. Fresno has virtually nothing in common with San Francisco, San Diego, or Los Angeles, or even other smaller cities like Redding and Santa Cruz. Have you ever been to California? Have you spent your life travelling up and down the various interstates and state routes of this state like I have?

[FlaNatv]

For Florida, most Floridians don't identify with the Panhandle nor have they visited there. It's culture is distinctly "southern". Tallahassee is the Capitol for historic reasons but again is very much different than much of Florida. Miami is Latin America, USA. From one end to the other, Florida is very diverse. Mid-FL is the best mix of everything that Florida is, not too latin/ tropical and not too southern.

[musiccity]

In Tennessee, definatly Memphis! Many Tennesseans try and push it into Arkansas

[Jennifat]

Originally Posted by ThatDarnSacramentan

No, I haven't been to the Midwest. I make my comparison of Fresno to places like Tulsa based on what I've seen in photos and what I've heard from people in that part of the country.

Well, to be fair, Tulsa isn't a Midwestern city, it's Southern.

[srsmn]

Originally Posted by ThatDarnSacramentan

No, I haven't been to the Midwest. I make my comparison of Fresno to places like Tulsa based on what I've seen in photos and what I've heard from people in that part of the country. Even if you want to debunk my comparison to the Midwest, Fresno is most certainly the black sheep of California, perhaps with Bakersfield in second. Fresno has virtually nothing in common with San Francisco, San Diego, or Los Angeles, or even other smaller cities like Redding and Santa Cruz. Have you ever been to California? Have you spent your life travelling up and down the various interstates and state routes of this state like I have?

To clarify, I was not taking any issue with your disdain for Fresno. My problem was with dragging the Midwest into it, for no good reason.

And yes, I have been to California. San Francisco, Oakland/East Bay, and Napa.

[srsmn]

I mean, what kind of a psycho would I have to be to be so in love with Fresno-- of all places-- that I would make an issue out of it on an online message board?

[srsmn]

Originally Posted by Jennifat

Well, to be fair, Tulsa isn't a Midwestern city, it's Southern.

In one ear and out the other, Jennifat. Best that we move on...

[xXFallenXx]

Originally Posted by krudmonk

But if there are so many, how can any one be considered the black sheep?

Thats true. I'd consider the central valley more like the black sheep area, or region, of California.