It is unsurprising and appropriate that the denser the population, the greater the relative support for Democrats. Timothy Egan, writing about the battle for the 'burbs in the New York Times, writes:

In "The New Metro Politics," a study he conducted with Thomas W. Sanchez, Dr. Lang found that in the last several presidential elections, a clear pattern had emerged: the more crowded the suburb, the greater the Democratic vote; the more open space or newer the suburb, the greater the Republican vote.

In the inner suburbs, the rings just around big cities, Democrats won 58 percent of the presidential vote in 2004, Dr. Lang found. In the mature suburbs, the next tier out, the Democratic share was less, 51.9 percent.

But the fastest—growing areas are at the far edge, sometimes 80 miles or more from the urban center, and that is where Republicans built up huge majorities. In the outer two tiers of the study, President Bush won 56.6 percent of the 2004 vote in what Dr. Lang called "the emerging suburbs," and 62.3 percent in the exurbs.

My mother always told me that fresh air helps with clear thinking.

Hat tip: Ed Lasky

Thomas Lifson  6 16 06