In this article, we will take a look at the 15 most conservative states in the US. If you want to skip our discussion on the conservative ideology, you can go directly to the 5 Most Conservative States in the US.
Conservative politics involves advocating for a smaller and less regulated government, upholding the ideologies and laws outlined in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and preserving traditional values often rooted in religious beliefs, such as those expressed in the Bible. Conservatives typically exhibit resistance to rapid societal change and prioritize the maintenance of established norms and customs.
States that are considered conservative are typically characterized by a majority population that holds conservative beliefs and consistently votes for legislation that aligns with those beliefs. These states often have certain characteristics, such as lower tax rates, higher levels of religious participation, and minimal business regulations. They are commonly referred to as “red” states due to their association with the Republican Party, which is widely recognized as the conservative political party. Some of them, such as West Virginia or Arkansas, have quite a low cost of living, making them the most affordable conservative states to live in or the best conservative states to retire.
According to Gallup, in 2022, there has been a small shift in the political ideology of Democrats. The percentage of Democrats identifying as politically liberal has increased by four percentage points, reaching 54%. This increase in liberal identification is a change from the previous years when the percentage hovered around 50%. In contrast to the shifts in Democratic ideology, Republicans’ political views have remained relatively stable in 2022. The majority of Republicans, 72%, continue to identify as conservative, similar to the year prior, where 74% held this view. A significant portion of Republicans, 22%, still identify as politically moderate, while a small percentage, 5%, consider themselves liberal.
Moreover, the research indicates that nearly equal proportions of adults in the United States identify as conservative and moderate at 36% and 35%, respectively. Meanwhile, about a quarter of the population identified as liberal (26%). These figures are consistent with the annual averages since 2015, where the gap between moderates and conservatives has not exceeded two percentage points, and liberal identification has ranged between 24% and 26%.
Influence of Conservative Values in Corporate America
Historically, corporate America has shown a tendency to align with the Republican Party due to shared fiscally conservative values. A study conducted by Harvard Law School and cited by S&P Global Inc. revealed that during the period of 2000-2017, more than 60% of CEOs of S&P 1500 companies contributed higher amounts of money to the GOP compared to the Democratic Party. Some notable conservative companies include Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE:BTU), Dillard’s Inc. (NYSE:DDS), and Arch Resources, Inc. (NYSE:ARCH).
Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE:BTU) is recognized as one of the conservative companies in the United States, particularly within the energy and coal mining sector. In 2022, Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE:BTU) allocated 85.33% of its total political donations to the Republican Party. Moreover, in 2016, a report by The Guardian alleged that Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE:BTU) had provided funding to approximately two dozen right-leaning groups. These groups were known for promoting skepticism regarding the connection between human activity and climate change. This doesn’t necessarily reflect conservative view points. We’d like to point out, however, that this does not necessarily reflect on established conservative views.
Dillard’s Inc. (NYSE:DDS) stands as one of the notable retail giants in the United States. Dillard’s offers a massive selection of products, including apparel, jewelry, and accessories for men, women, and children. Apart from its fashion offerings, Dillard’s Inc. (NYSE: DDS) also provides customers with home improvement and decor products from various well-known brands. The stock offers a dividend yield of 0.22% as of April 26.
Arch Resources, Inc. (NYSE:ARCH) is a prominent company primarily involved in coal mining and processing. The company is based out of St. Louis, Missouri. In terms of political involvement, Arch Resources, Inc. (NYSE: ARCH) made a political donation of $25,000 to the GOP during the 2022 election cycle. This contribution accounted for 83.33% of the company’s total political donations for that period. You can check out some of the 15 Most Conservative Companies in the USA here.
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Our Methodology
We have shortlisted the 15 most conservative states in the US based on data from Gallup and The Cook Political Report. Rankings in our list are based on the Cook Partisan Voter Index (Cook PVI℠) score. This score is calculated on the basis of the results of the two most recent elections in the United States. The last score was calculated on the basis of the 2020 and 2016 election results. The weightage given to the results of the 2020 and 2016 election results is 75% and 25%, respectively. The score is written as D+(Number) or R+(Number). A score of R+10 indicates that the state or district performed approximately ten points more Republican in terms of the two-party vote share than the nation as a whole in both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections. The states have been ranked in ascending order of the Republican votes percentage as of 2020.
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15 Most Conservative States in the US
15. Kansas
PVI Score (2022): R+10
Republican Votes Percentage (2020): 56.2%
Kansas has a strong Republican following with conservative values at heart. In the 2020 Presidential elections, Kansas came in at the 15th position on the list of most conservative states, with 56.2% of Kansas having voted for the Republicans’ chosen candidate Donald Trump, while 41.6% voted for the Democrats’ Joe Biden. Kansas still continues to follow its conservative trend to date.
14. Indiana
PVI Score (2022): R+11
Republican Votes Percentage (2020): 57%
Indiana has a strong history of supporting the Republican party and scores an R+11 on the renowned Cook Partisan Voting Index, strongly indicating a conservative hold in the state. In the 2020 elections, the Republicans outnumbered the Democrats by clinching 57% of the votes, compared to 41% of the votes secured by the Democrats.
13. Mississippi
PVI Score (2022): R+11
Republican Votes Percentage (2020): 57.9%
Mississippi, located in the Southeastern region of the United States, stands as a state known for its conservative political leanings. It holds a prominent position among the states, with a significant majority of self-identified conservatives outnumbering self-identified liberals by over 30 percentage points. The Republican lean of the state is obvious in the PVI Score (2022), with R plus 11 points. In the Trump-Biden face-off of 2020, the conservatives outclassed the liberals 57.9% to 41.1%.
12. Louisiana
PVI Score (2022): R+12
Republican Votes Percentage (2020): 58.5%
Like many southern states, Louisiana currently depicts a predominantly Republican political landscape. The 2020 presidential election results clearly demonstrate this, with Donald Trump securing a victory over Joe Biden by a margin of nearly 20%. These results, where Republicans obtained 58.5% of the votes compared to Democrats’ 39.9%, suggest an established trend of Louisiana being a deep-red state. This idea is also reflected by the state’s PVI score of R+12, which shows a strong Republican advantage. Furthermore, both of Louisiana’s U.S. Senators are Republicans, reflecting the party’s influence and representation at the federal level.
11. Nebraska
PVI Score (2022): R+13
Republican Votes Percentage (2020): 58.8%
Nebraska, situated in the Midwestern region of the United States, is a landlocked state bounded by three sides. It holds the distinction of being the 16th largest state in terms of land area, spanning just over 77,220 square miles. Nebraska is majorly Conservative, with the Republicans always securing the top spot, as was seen clearly in the 2020 elections, where the Republicans led by obtaining 58.8% of the votes. In 2022, and even today, Nebraska has maintained its Conservative stand.
10. Tennessee
PVI Score (2022): R+14
Republican Votes Percentage (2020): 60.7%
Tennessee, a landlocked state located in the Southeastern region of the United States, is recognized for its conservative political orientation. It holds the tenth position on the list of the most conservative states in the US. This conservative leaning is evident in the state’s voting patterns, with a significant majority of 60.7% consistently supporting the Republican presidential candidate in the last 2 elections. The state’s PVI score also shows its conservative stance, with an R+14 rating.
9. South Dakota
PVI Score (2022): R+16
Republican Votes Percentage (2020): 61.5%
South Dakota, situated in the North Central region of the United States, is a landlocked state known for its conservative political landscape. It holds the position of the ninth most conservative state in the country, with nearly half of its voters identifying as conservative. In the 2016 presidential election, 61.5% of South Dakota voters cast their ballots for the Republican candidate, creating a lead of 29.8% over the 31.7% who voted for the Democratic candidate. This trend continued in the 2020 election, with the same proportion of 61.5% of voters choosing the Republican candidate.
8. Alabama
PVI Score (2022): R+15
Republican Votes Percentage (2020): 62%
In Alabama, 62% of the state voted for the Republicans in the 2020 presidential elections, with the same percentage having voted for the Republicans in the 2016 presidential elections as well. Alabama has preferred voting only for a Republican president in the last eleven presidential elections. Most of the residents of Alabama are also staunch churchgoers, which matches with conservative values. The state recorded a PVI of R+15 in 2022.
7. Kentucky
PVI Score (2022): R+16
Republican Votes Percentage (2020): 62.1%
Kentucky demonstrates a strong inclination towards conservatism. The state has consistently shown staunch support for conservative ideologies. This is evident in the backing received by Donald Trump in both the 2016 and 2020 US presidential elections, with 62.5% and 62.1% of the state’s votes, respectively. The state has not chosen a Democratic presidential candidate since 1996, showing a clear preference for conservative leadership. This trend showcases Kentucky’s increasing conservatism over time.
6. Arkansas
PVI Score (2022): R+16
Republican Votes Percentage (2020): 62.4%
The “Natural State,” Arkansas, is a landlocked state in the South-Central US. The state has turned conservative over time. Around 62.4% of the state voted for Donald Trump in the 2020 US presidential elections, while 34.8% voted for Joe Biden, showing its conservative lean. It has continued to show its conservative trend in the Partisan Voting Index with a PVI score of R+16 points. Arkansas holds the 6th position in the list of the most conservative states in the US.
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Disclosure: None. 15 Most Conservative States in the US is originally published on Insider Monkey.
