ELECTORAL VOTES 11

2008 ELECTION Strong McCain

ABOUT
TENNESSEE

Tennessee joined the Union as the 16th state in June 1796; it would be the last state admitted during the 18th century. Tennessee seceded from the Union during the Civil War and did not participate in the 1864 election. Like many southern states, Tennessee voted almost exclusively Democratic from Reconstruction until after World War II. Since the 1950s, Republicans have usually won here, although there have been a few exceptions, most recently Bill Clinton (with home-state Senator Al Gore as vice president) in 1992 and 1996. Interestingly, Mr. Gore lost the state in 2000 when he headed the Democratic ticket. In 2004, George W. Bush defeated John Kerry by a margin of 57% to 43%. The state’s voters have been remarkably accurate at voting for the eventual election winner. Since 1928, they’ve picked every election correctly except for 1960, when they chose Nixon over Kennedy. Therefore, while leaning Republican, Tennessee might be in play in 2008, depending on the candidate match-up.