Most Conservative 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.