States with the most liberals

Written by:
September 7, 2018
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States with the most liberals

With midterm elections quickly approaching, candidates and pollsters are increasingly focused on how voters could impact the future political landscape of the United States. The House of Representatives, which is currently controlled by Republicans, could shift in favor of Democrats. This means that people are paying more attention to how liberals across the country will vote in November.

In particular, analysts are turning their attention toward metropolitan areas that Republicans in Congress currently represent, including California's Orange County as well as Chicago, Denver, Philadelphia, Miami, New York, and Minneapolis. These seats are considered to be vulnerable, and increased voter turnout could easily decide an election winner.

Using Gallup data, Stacker ranked each state first by the percentage of residents who identify as liberals and then by the percentage of residents who consider themselves to be liberal-leaning. If both percentages were the same for more than one state, that ranking was considered to be tied, and is noted as such.

Nationally, 24% of Americans identify as liberals, while 33% of Americans identify as conservatives and 36% identify as moderates.

Read on to find out which states are most likely to house a Democratic voter—and which states are the ones to watch on Nov. 6.

ALSO: States with the most conservatives 

#50. Wyoming

Estimated state population in 2017: 579,315

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 13%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 27%

#49. Mississippi

Estimated state population in 2017: 2,984,100

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 14%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 38%

#48. North Dakota

Estimated state population in 2017: 755,393

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 15%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 28%

#47. South Dakota

Estimated state population in 2017: 869,666

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 15%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 35%

#46. Alabama

Estimated state population in 2017: 4,874,747

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 16%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 35%

#45. Alaska

Estimated state population in 2017: 739,795

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 17%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 31%

#44. Oklahoma

Estimated state population in 2017: 3,930,864

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 17%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 35%

#43. Arkansas

Estimated state population in 2017: 3,004,279

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 17%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 36%

#42. South Carolina

Estimated state population in 2017: 5,024,369

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 17%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 37%

#41. Louisiana

Estimated state population in 2017: 4,684,333

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 17%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 40%

#40. Utah

Estimated state population in 2017: 3,101,833

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 18%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 29%

#39. Kansas

Estimated state population in 2017: 2,913,123

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 18%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 34%

#38. Tennessee

Estimated state population in 2017: 6,715,984

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 18%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 35%

#37. West Virginia

Estimated state population in 2017: 1,815,857

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 19%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 40%

#36. Texas

Estimated state population in 2017: 28,304,596

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 20%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 38%

#35. Kentucky

Estimated state population in 2017: 4,454,189

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 20%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 41%

#34. Nebraska

Estimated state population in 2017: 1,920,076

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 21%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 35%

#33. Montana

Estimated state population in 2017: 1,050,493

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 21%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 37%

#32. Missouri

Estimated state population in 2017: 6,113,532

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 21%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 38%

#31. Ohio

Estimated state population in 2017: 11,658,609

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 21%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 41%

#30. Georgia

Estimated state population in 2017: 10,429,379

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 21%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 42%

#29. North Carolina

Estimated state population in 2017: 10,273,419

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 21%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 44%

#28. Idaho

Estimated state population in 2017: 1,716,943

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 22%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 31%

#27. Indiana

Estimated state population in 2017: 6,666,818

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 22%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 41%

#25 (tie). Florida

Estimated state population in 2017: 20,984,400

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 22%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 42%

#25 (tie). Nevada

Estimated state population in 2017: 2,998,039

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 22%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 42%

#24. Arizona

Estimated state population in 2017: 7,016,270

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 23%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 40%

#23. Wisconsin

Estimated state population in 2017: 5,795,483

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 23%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 43%

#21 (tie). Michigan

Estimated state population in 2017: 9,962,311

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 23%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 45%

#21 (tie). Virginia

Estimated state population in 2017: 8,470,020

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 23%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 45%

#20. Iowa

Estimated state population in 2017: 3,145,711

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 24%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 42%

#19. Pennsylvania

Estimated state population in 2017: 12,805,537

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 24%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 46%

#18. New Hampshire

Estimated state population in 2017: 1,342,795

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 25%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 43%

#17. New Mexico

Estimated state population in 2017: 2,088,070

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 25%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 48%

#16. Hawaii

Estimated state population in 2017: 1,427,538

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 25%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 50%

#15. Minnesota

Estimated state population in 2017: 5,576,606

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 27%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 47%

#14. New Jersey

Estimated state population in 2017: 9,005,644

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 27%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 48%

#13. Illinois

Estimated state population in 2017: 12,802,023

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 27%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 50%

#12. Delaware

Estimated state population in 2017: 961,939

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 28%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 45%

#11. Colorado

Estimated state population in 2017: 5,607,154

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 28%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 46%

#10. Rhode Island

Estimated state population in 2017: 1,059,639

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 29%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 48%

#9. Maryland

Estimated state population in 2017: 6,052,177

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 29%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 56%

#8. Maine

Estimated state population in 2017: 1,335,907

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 30%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 47%

#7. Washington

Estimated state population in 2017: 7,405,743

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 30%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 49%

#5 (tie). California

Estimated state population in 2017: 39,536,653

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 30%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 51%

#5 (tie). Connecticut

Estimated state population in 2017: 3,588,184

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 30%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 51%

#4. Oregon

Estimated state population in 2017: 4,142,776

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 31%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 49%

#3. New York

Estimated state population in 2017: 19,849,399

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 31%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 52%

#2. Massachusetts

Estimated state population in 2017: 6,859,819

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 35%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 57%

#1. Vermont

Estimated state population in 2017: 623,657

Percent of state residents who are liberal: 39%

Percent of state residents who are Democratic-leaning: 52%

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