Politics of Oklahoma - Political History

Political History

Until 1964, Oklahoma was considered a "swing state" in American politics, meaning, Oklahoma went back and forth between supporting the two major parties (Democrats and Republicans). This was in part due to Oklahoma's situation both as a part of the Great Plains states, which tended to be reliably Republican, and adjacent to the South, which was heavily Democratic at that time. The Republican candidate has carried Oklahoma in every Presidential election since 1968, mostly by large margins. However, Oklahoma voters would split their political allegiances (electing Democrats for local government, but Republicans for national office). In general, Oklahoma can be characterized as a politically conservative state (with a few exceptions).