If you want to make a safe bet, bet that the state of South Dakota will vote Republican in the presidential election this year.

Oh, I'm not promoting one candidate or the other, I'm just sayin' that it would be a pretty safe bet that in the presidential election of 2016, South Dakota will vote 'Red'. Why? Because they (almost) always have.

There have been only 5 times in the history of the state of South Dakota that we didn't vote Republican. And in one of those election's we didn't vote Democrat either...we went with Teddy Roosevelt's Progressive (i.e., Bull Moose) Party in 1912.

So when in the world was the last time the Sunshine State voted 'Blue' in the presidential race? Well, if you're, say, a half century year old...it was before you arrived on the planet. You have to go back to 1964 when Lyndon Johnson defeated Sen. Barry Goldwater. Johnson was, of course, the sitting President following the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and won his first full term.

So of course, the question begs to be asked: Why did South Dakota go Democrat that year? Well there is no absolute carved in stone answer to that, but there are a lot of opinions and theories why Sen. Goldwater lost, not only South Dakota, but the national election in a landslide. I have my opinions on it too, but for now you can read up on that election here.

Meanwhile, go ahead a drop a buck or two on that bet I was talking about. If you can find someone who'll take it!


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