Most Conservative States

Which states in the United States are more conservative? How is conservative politics defined? The principles of conservative politics revolve around a smaller, less regulated government and the preservation of the ideologies and laws outlined in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. There is a resistance to swift change and a strong conviction that traditional values, as expressed in the Bible, should be upheld. Furthermore, conservatives also prioritize the significance of a free-market economy and unrestricted trade. The Republican Party is recognized as the conservative political party in the United States.

“Conservatism isn’t an ideology, it’s a way of life!” – Mark Levin

In contrast to liberal politics, conservative politics holds opposing views and places less emphasis on social justice, access to healthcare, economic regulation, and social equality. Some of the most liberal states in the U.S. include Hawaii, Massachusetts, and California, according to the World Population Review. The Democratic Party is widely recognized as the liberal political party in the United States. Most people in the U.S. identify as either Democratic or Republican, or as liberal or conservative.

States considered to be conservative are those where the majority of the population holds conservative beliefs and consistently vote for legislation that aligns with those beliefs. These states often have low taxes, less strict gun laws, high levels of religious participation, and minimal business regulations. These states are also commonly referred to as “red” states. Wyoming is currently ranked as the most conservative state in the United States according to the World Population Review. Approximately 67% of Wyoming residents identify as Republican or hold Republican-leaning views. Wyoming’s tax rates are generally low, including no state income tax. The state has consistently voted for Republican presidential candidates since the 1950s, except for the 1964 election.

Conservative States as seen from the 2022 Election

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Most Traditional States in America

The subsequent is a compilation of the most traditional states in America, determined by the Cook Partisan Voting Index (Cook PVI). This measure compares the average proportion of Democratic and Republican votes in a state during presidential elections to the national average. For instance, if the US had a 48% Republican vote and a state had a 60% Republican vote, the state’s PVI score would be R+12.

  1. Wyoming

Wyoming stands as the most conservative state in the United States. Its tax policies are generally low, with no state income tax. The state has consistently chosen Republican Party candidates for presidency since the 1950s, except for the 1964 election. According to the 2023 PVI score, Wyoming has a R+25 rating, and 69.9% of its voters supported Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election.

  1. West Virginia

According to the R+22 PVI score, West Virginia is ranked as the second most conservative state in the United States. In West Virginia, 45% of voters identify as conservative, while only 17% identify as liberal. In the 2020 election, Donald Trump received 68.6% of the vote, a slight increase from the 2016 election.

  1. Oklahoma

The state of Oklahoma, known for its predominantly conservative population, has a PVI score of R+20. During the 2018 midterm election, there were only four counties in Oklahoma that voted for the Democratic party. In the 2020 presidential election, 65.4% of voters in Oklahoma cast their ballots for the Republican party. Additionally, the state has a history of voting Republican, with 15 out of the last 16 elections being won by Republican candidates.

  1. North Dakota

North Dakota, a state with a PVI of R+20, is widely known as a Republican-dominated region. In the 2016 presidential race, 63% of the state’s population voted for Donald Trump, but this figure increased to 65.1% in the 2020 election. This surge indicates a potential increase in the conservative electorate for upcoming elections.

  1. Idaho

The state of Idaho experienced an increase in the proportion of Republican voters during the 2016 to 2020 presidential elections. In 2016, 59.3% of voters chose Donald Trump, while in 2020, he received 63.8% of the vote. According to the PVI, Idaho is considered an R+18 state. This means that the state has consistently voted for Republican candidates and has not elected a Democratic presidential candidate since 2000. In fact, since 1900, Democratic candidates have only won the state 29% of the time.

  1. Arkansas

Since 2000, Arkansas has not supported a Democratic president, even though it had a history of doing so more than half of the time from 1900 to the present. This indicates a shift towards conservatism in the state. Currently, it holds an R+16 PVI score, with a majority of 62.4% of voters choosing Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election.

  1. Kentucky

With a PVI of R+16, Kentucky is known for its strong support for Donald Trump in both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, with 62.5% and 62.1% of the vote respectively. While historically leaning towards the Democratic party between 1900 and 1960, the state has not voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1996, indicating a shift towards more conservative ideals.

  1. Alabama

With 46% of voters identifying as conservative, Alabama ranks as the eighth most conservative state in the United States. In the 2020 presidential election, 62% of the state voted for the Republican party, giving Alabama a PVI of R+15. This trend of voting Republican has been consistent in the last eleven presidential elections, with 62.1% of voters supporting the Republican candidate in 2016. Additionally, a significant number of Alabama residents regularly attend church, which is often associated with conservative beliefs.

  1. South Dakota

The state of South Dakota is known for its conservative demographic, with 44% of voters identifying as such. This places it as the ninth-most conservative state in the United States. During the 2016 presidential election, the majority of voters, 61.5%, cast their vote for the Republican party, giving them a significant lead of 29.8% over the 31.7% of voters who chose the Democratic party. This trend continued in the 2020 election, with the Republican party receiving 61.8% of the votes. It should be noted that South Dakota has not chosen a Democratic president since 1964.

  1. State

With a PVI of R+14, Tennessee holds the rank of the tenth most conservative state in the United States. In both the 2016 and 2020 elections, the majority of 60.7% of voters chose the Republican presidential candidate. Throughout the past 70 years, Tennessee has only supported a Democratic presidential candidate on four occasions.

Conservative States by Governors

State Governors set the tone for the policies the people want to see enacted by the State Legislatures and Republican governors often indicate a more conservative approach to policies. Below is a list of States with Republican and Democrat governors.

StateNameParty
AlabamaKay IveyRepublican
AlaskaMike DunleavyRepublican
ArizonaKatie HobbsDemocrat
ArkansasSarah Huckabee SandersRepublican
CaliforniaGavin NewsomDemocrat
ColoradoJared PolisDemocrat
ConnecticutNed LamontDemocrat
DelawareJohn C. Carney Jr.Democrat
FloridaRon DeSantisRepublican
GeorgiaBrian KempRepublican
HawaiiJosh GreenDemocrat
IdahoBrad LittleRepublican
IllinoisJ.B. PritzkerDemocrat
IndianaEric HolcombRepublican
IowaKim ReynoldsRepublican
KansasLaura KellyDemocrat
KentuckyAndy BeshearDemocrat
LouisianaJeff LandryRepublican
MaineJanet T. MillsDemocrat
MarylandWes MooreDemocrat
MassachusettsMaura HealeyDemocrat
MichiganGretchen WhitmerDemocrat
MinnesotaTim WalzDemocrat
MississippiTate ReevesRepublican
MissouriMike ParsonRepublican
MontanaGreg GianforteRepublican
NebraskaJim PillenRepublican
NevadaJoe LombardoRepublican
New HampshireChris SununuRepublican
New JerseyPhil MurphyDemocrat
New MexicoMichelle Lujan GrishamDemocrat
New YorkKathy HochulDemocrat
North CarolinaRoy CooperDemocrat
North DakotaDoug BurgumRepublican
OhioMike DeWineRepublican
OklahomaKevin StittRepublican
OregonTina KotekDemocrat
PennsylvaniaJosh ShapiroDemocrat
Rhode IslandDaniel McKeeDemocrat
South CarolinaHenry McMasterRepublican
South DakotaKristi L. NoemRepublican
TennesseeBill LeeRepublican
TexasGreg AbbottRepublican
UtahSpencer CoxRepublican
VermontPhil ScottRepublican
VirginiaGlenn YoungkinRepublican
WashingtonJay InsleeDemocrat
West VirginiaJim JusticeRepublican
WisconsinTony EversDemocrat
WyomingMark GordonRepublican

Conservative States by State Legislatures

State Legislatures are composed of Senates and Houses to serve as the bodies of representation for the 50 republics that make up the United States. Nebraska is the lone exception with a unicameral legislature. These are the men and women that represent the people of their districts to craft the policies that will impact the citizens of their State on a daily basis. It is here that conservative legislators are fighting hardest to enact conservative policies that make their States so attractive both fiscally and culturally. Below are lists of States with Republican and Democrat Senates and Houses.

State Senates

StateParty
AlabamaRepublican
AlaskaRepublican
ArizonaRepublican
ArkansasRepublican
CaliforniaDemocrat
ColoradoDemocrat
ConnecticutDemocrat
DelawareDemocrat
FloridaRepublican
GeorgiaRepublican
HawaiiDemocrat
IdahoRepublican
IllinoisDemocrat
IndianaRepublican
IowaRepublican
KansasRepublican
KentuckyRepublican
LouisianaRepublican
MaineDemocrat
MarylandDemocrat
MassachusettsDemocrat
MichiganDemocrat
MinnesotaDemocrat
MississippiRepublican
MissouriRepublican
MontanaRepublican
NebraskaRepublican
NevadaDemocrat
New HampshireRepublican
New JerseyDemocrat
New MexicoDemocrat
New YorkDemocrat
North CarolinaRepublican
North DakotaRepublican
OhioRepublican
OklahomaRepublican
OregonDemocrat
PennsylvaniaRepublican
Rhode IslandDemocrat
South CarolinaRepublican
South DakotaRepublican
TennesseeRepublican
TexasRepublican
UtahRepublican
VermontDemocrat
VirginiaDemocrat
WashingtonDemocrat
West VirginiaRepublican
WisconsinRepublican
WyomingRepublican

State Houses

StateParty
AlabamaRepublican
AlaskaRepublican
ArizonaRepublican
ArkansasRepublican
CaliforniaDemocrat
ColoradoDemocrat
ConnecticutDemocrat
DelawareDemocrat
FloridaRepublican
GeorgiaRepublican
HawaiiDemocrat
IdahoRepublican
IllinoisDemocrat
IndianaRepublican
IowaRepublican
KansasRepublican
KentuckyRepublican
LouisianaRepublican
MaineDemocrat
MarylandDemocrat
MassachusettsDemocrat
MichiganDemocrat
MinnesotaDemocrat
MississippiRepublican
MissouriRepublican
MontanaRepublican
NebraskaUnicameral
NevadaDemocrat
New HampshireRepublican
New JerseyDemocrat
New MexicoDemocrat
New YorkDemocrat
North CarolinaRepublican
North DakotaRepublican
OhioRepublican
OklahomaRepublican
OregonDemocrat
PennsylvaniaDemocrat
Rhode IslandDemocrat
South CarolinaRepublican
South DakotaRepublican
TennesseeRepublican
TexasRepublican
UtahRepublican
VermontDemocrat
VirginiaDemocrat
WashingtonDemocrat
West VirginiaRepublican
WisconsinRepublican
WyomingRepublican

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