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Trivia answer

How many counties backed Donald Trump in 2016 after backing Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012?
a. 57
b. 143
c. 206
d. 352

In the 2016 election, Donald Trump (R) carried 2,626 counties while Hillary Clinton (D) carried 487. Trump carried 206 counties which backed Barack Obama (D) in the 2008 and 2012 elections, which are referred to as pivot counties.

The 206 pivot counties are located in 34 states. Iowa has 31 pivot counties, the most of any state nationwide, while 50% of Maine's counties are pivot counties, which is the highest proportion of any state nationwide. Maine is also the state with the highest proportion of its population living in pivot counties, at 47.08%.

Between 2012 and 2016, the Democratic popular vote margin declined by 2.1 million votes; pivot counties accounted for 51% of this decline even though they made up only 5.5% of the votes cast nationwide. Trump carried the 206 pivot counties by an average margin of 11.45%; Obama carried them by an average margin of 8.22% in 2012 and 12.29% in 2008. Trump's narrowest margin in a pivot county was 0.12% in Panola County, Mississippi, which backed Obama by 8.62% in 2012 and 6.52% in 2008. His widest margin was 44.13% in Elliott County, Kentucky, which backed Obama by 2.50% in 2012 and 25.17% in 2008.

Of the 206 pivot counties, 57 (27.7%) backed the winning presidential candidate in every election since 2000, of which 22 (10.7%) backed the winner in every election since 1984. Two pivot counties—Valencia County, New Mexico and Vigo County, Indiana—have backed the winning presidential candidate in every election since 1960.

There were six reverse pivot counties, which backed Hillary Clinton (D) in 2016 after backing Mitt Romney (R) in 2012 and John McCain (R) in 2008. Three of those counties are in Georgia, while there is one each in California, Maryland, and Texas.

Click [show] to view a list of all pivot counties

Counties Won By Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008 County State Trump Margin of Victory in 2016 Obama Margin of Victory in 2012 Obama Margin of Victory in 2008 Woodruff County, Arkansas Arkansas 8.91% 4.21% 7.46% Conejos County, Colorado Colorado 3.56% 9.22% 12.93% Huerfano County, Colorado Colorado 6.61% 8.27% 11.23% Las Animas County, Colorado Colorado 15.60% 2.65% 7.04% Pueblo County, Colorado Colorado 0.50% 13.99% 14.97% Windham County, Connecticut Connecticut 7.78% 13.28% 14.68% Kent County, Delaware Delaware 4.87% 4.94% 9.81% Jefferson County, Florida Florida 5.06% 1.75% 3.66% Monroe County, Florida Florida 6.82% 0.44% 4.90% Pinellas County, Florida Florida 1.11% 5.65% 8.25% St. Lucie County, Florida Florida 2.40% 7.86% 12.12% Baker County, Georgia Georgia 8.68% 0.57% 1.07% Dooly County, Georgia Georgia 2.05% 6.98% 3.53% Peach County, Georgia Georgia 2.91% 7.48% 6.75% Quitman County, Georgia Georgia 10.92% 9.04% 7.90% Twiggs County, Georgia Georgia 1.58% 8.64% 6.97% Alexander County, Illinois Illinois 8.30% 13.65% 12.62% Carroll County, Illinois Illinois 26.69% 1.49% 4.81% Fulton County, Illinois Illinois 14.93% 11.04% 21.33% Henderson County, Illinois Illinois 28.43% 12.25% 17.67% Henry County, Illinois Illinois 20.99% 3.08% 7.74% Jo Daviess County, Illinois Illinois 14.64% 1.16% 10.49% Knox County, Illinois Illinois 2.91% 17.37% 19.89% Mercer County, Illinois Illinois 20.36% 7.39% 11.91% Putnam County, Illinois Illinois 19.92% 1.82% 15.64% Warren County, Illinois Illinois 16.50% 5.47% 8.08% Whiteside County, Illinois Illinois 6.18% 17.02% 17.56% Delaware County, Indiana Indiana 13.43% 3.12% 14.98% LaPorte County, Indiana Indiana 6.33% 12.57% 22.04% Perry County, Indiana Indiana 18.55% 11.59% 22.84% Porter County, Indiana Indiana 6.59% 3.90% 7.20% Vigo County, Indiana Indiana 14.97% 0.86% 15.83% Allamakee County, Iowa Iowa 24.15% 4.17% 14.25% Boone County, Iowa Iowa 13.69% 6.64% 7.63% Bremer County, Iowa Iowa 13.68% 2.68% 9.31% Buchanan County, Iowa Iowa 15.02% 13.87% 18.48% Cedar County, Iowa Iowa 17.78% 4.59% 9.64% Cerro Gordo County, Iowa Iowa 7.66% 13.38% 20.83% Chickasaw County, Iowa Iowa 22.94% 11.07% 20.74% Clarke County, Iowa Iowa 28.02% 1.47% 2.25% Clayton County, Iowa Iowa 22.78% 7.03% 17.17% Clinton County, Iowa Iowa 5.12% 22.84% 23.03% Des Moines County, Iowa Iowa 6.89% 18.41% 23.04% Dubuque County, Iowa Iowa 1.23% 14.71% 20.77% Fayette County, Iowa Iowa 19.36% 11.96% 16.60% Floyd County, Iowa Iowa 14.84% 14.63% 21.88% Howard County, Iowa Iowa 20.49% 20.95% 25.78% Jackson County, Iowa Iowa 19.27% 16.89% 24.39% Jasper County, Iowa Iowa 18.13% 7.07% 7.50% Jefferson County, Iowa Iowa 0.47% 15.97% 20.23% Jones County, Iowa Iowa 19.08% 7.78% 10.40% Lee County, Iowa Iowa 16.02% 15.49% 16.01% Louisa County, Iowa Iowa 28.37% 0.64% 4.25% Marshall County, Iowa Iowa 8.31% 9.36% 9.35% Mitchell County, Iowa Iowa 24.04% 3.37% 12.31% Muscatine County, Iowa Iowa 6.26% 15.88% 15.64% Poweshiek County, Iowa Iowa 6.53% 9.35% 11.75% Tama County, Iowa Iowa 20.28% 7.43% 12.19% Union County, Iowa Iowa 27.49% 3.86% 3.70% Wapello County, Iowa Iowa 20.60% 11.88% 13.53% Webster County, Iowa Iowa 21.52% 5.84% 8.51% Winneshiek County, Iowa Iowa 0.79% 14.74% 22.65% Worth County, Iowa Iowa 21.68% 14.53% 22.42% Elliott County, Kentucky Kentucky 44.13% 2.50% 25.17% Androscoggin County, Maine Maine 9.38% 12.78% 15.22% Aroostook County, Maine Maine 17.19% 7.62% 9.58% Franklin County, Maine Maine 5.47% 18.41% 20.29% Kennebec County, Maine Maine 3.58% 13.46% 14.78% Oxford County, Maine Maine 12.94% 14.73% 16.04% Penobscot County, Maine Maine 10.91% 2.93% 5.12% Somerset County, Maine Maine 22.67% 1.68% 5.70% Washington County, Maine Maine 18.44% 1.60% 1.01% Bay County, Michigan Michigan 12.55% 5.56% 15.31% Calhoun County, Michigan Michigan 12.46% 1.60% 9.36% Eaton County, Michigan Michigan 4.72% 3.13% 8.40% Gogebic County, Michigan Michigan 14.80% 8.10% 17.27% Isabella County, Michigan Michigan 3.66% 9.28% 19.26% Lake County, Michigan Michigan 22.77% 5.01% 12.28% Macomb County, Michigan Michigan 11.53% 3.99% 8.62% Manistee County, Michigan Michigan 15.29% 5.93% 13.26% Monroe County, Michigan Michigan 21.97% 0.98% 4.35% Saginaw County, Michigan Michigan 1.13% 11.89% 17.34% Shiawassee County, Michigan Michigan 19.59% 3.67% 8.59% Van Buren County, Michigan Michigan 13.92% 0.45% 8.78% Beltrami County, Minnesota Minnesota 9.72% 9.89% 10.15% Blue Earth County, Minnesota Minnesota 3.69% 9.48% 12.95% Chippewa County, Minnesota Minnesota 28.70% 1.87% 5.87% Clay County, Minnesota Minnesota 1.95% 7.92% 16.02% Fillmore County, Minnesota Minnesota 21.70% 7.34% 8.26% Freeborn County, Minnesota Minnesota 17.24% 14.11% 17.13% Houston County, Minnesota Minnesota 13.87% 3.16% 10.69% Itasca County, Minnesota Minnesota 16.35% 9.83% 12.92% Kittson County, Minnesota Minnesota 22.05% 6.03% 18.54% Koochiching County, Minnesota Minnesota 19.85% 9.45% 10.10% Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota Minnesota 25.60% 0.90% 5.92% Mahnomen County, Minnesota Minnesota 2.92% 18.56% 25.31% Mower County, Minnesota Minnesota 7.82% 22.61% 23.61% Nicollet County, Minnesota Minnesota 3.04% 7.83% 10.52% Norman County, Minnesota Minnesota 13.34% 10.79% 26.94% Rice County, Minnesota Minnesota 3.06% 8.27% 11.50% Swift County, Minnesota Minnesota 25.57% 9.83% 13.79% Traverse County, Minnesota Minnesota 23.30% 4.44% 5.41% Winona County, Minnesota Minnesota 2.90% 12.85% 19.09% Chickasaw County, Mississippi Mississippi 6.06% 4.52% 2.13% Panola County, Mississippi Mississippi 0.12% 8.62% 6.52% Blaine County, Montana Montana 2.46% 15.32% 19.24% Hill County, Montana Montana 17.18% 3.50% 12.21% Roosevelt County, Montana Montana 6.49% 15.58% 26.27% Thurston County, Nebraska Nebraska 5.94% 13.91% 6.96% Coos County, New Hampshire New Hampshire 8.89% 17.54% 18.19% Hillsborough County, New Hampshire New Hampshire 0.20% 1.12% 3.73% Sullivan County, New Hampshire New Hampshire 2.58% 13.27% 17.93% Gloucester County, New Jersey New Jersey 0.48% 10.77% 12.16% Salem County, New Jersey New Jersey 15.00% 1.31% 3.92% Colfax County, New Mexico New Mexico 8.55% 2.24% 10.73% Hidalgo County, New Mexico New Mexico 6.73% 4.96% 2.92% Valencia County, New Mexico New Mexico 8.60% 2.47% 7.72% Broome County, New York New York 2.01% 5.31% 8.02% Cayuga County, New York New York 11.64% 11.40% 8.48% Cortland County, New York New York 5.58% 9.11% 9.96% Essex County, New York New York 1.14% 18.77% 13.32% Franklin County, New York New York 5.45% 26.07% 22.23% Madison County, New York New York 14.20% 0.89% 0.87% Niagara County, New York New York 17.75% 0.84% 1.00% Orange County, New York New York 5.50% 5.65% 4.13% Oswego County, New York New York 21.99% 7.93% 2.44% Otsego County, New York New York 11.13% 2.72% 5.91% Rensselaer County, New York New York 1.41% 12.19% 9.34% St. Lawrence County, New York New York 8.82% 16.71% 16.33% Saratoga County, New York New York 3.21% 2.44% 3.40% Seneca County, New York New York 11.01% 9.08% 2.60% Suffolk County, New York New York 6.84% 3.69% 5.99% Sullivan County, New York New York 11.23% 9.02% 9.46% Warren County, New York New York 8.47% 2.32% 2.64% Washington County, New York New York 18.40% 1.90% 0.81% Bladen County, North Carolina North Carolina 9.39% 1.97% 2.07% Gates County, North Carolina North Carolina 9.07% 4.11% 5.22% Granville County, North Carolina North Carolina 2.49% 4.54% 6.58% Martin County, North Carolina North Carolina 0.43% 4.65% 4.64% Richmond County, North Carolina North Carolina 9.74% 2.95% 1.50% Robeson County, North Carolina North Carolina 4.27% 17.41% 13.78% Benson County, North Dakota North Dakota 4.33% 17.01% 33.53% Ransom County, North Dakota North Dakota 15.77% 13.77% 15.33% Sargent County, North Dakota North Dakota 19.73% 9.77% 17.49% Steele County, North Dakota North Dakota 17.72% 1.92% 20.35% Ashtabula County, Ohio Ohio 18.80% 12.78% 13.54% Erie County, Ohio Ohio 9.48% 12.29% 13.86% Montgomery County, Ohio Ohio 0.73% 4.62% 6.22% Ottawa County, Ohio Ohio 19.51% 4.30% 6.24% Portage County, Ohio Ohio 9.87% 5.52% 8.99% Sandusky County, Ohio Ohio 22.58% 2.71% 4.64% Stark County, Ohio Ohio 17.17% 0.47% 5.46% Trumbull County, Ohio Ohio 6.22% 23.00% 22.43% Wood County, Ohio Ohio 7.99% 4.84% 7.13% Columbia County, Oregon Oregon 11.46% 5.16% 12.02% Tillamook County, Oregon Oregon 5.58% 4.86% 9.89% Erie County, Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 1.56% 16.03% 19.88% Luzerne County, Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 19.31% 4.81% 8.41% Northampton County, Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 3.78% 4.71% 12.30% Kent County, Rhode Island Rhode Island 0.67% 17.74% 17.40% Barnwell County, South Carolina South Carolina 5.16% 5.33% 1.65% Calhoun County, South Carolina South Carolina 2.83% 4.31% 3.55% Chester County, South Carolina South Carolina 4.83% 10.58% 8.30% Colleton County, South Carolina South Carolina 8.49% 0.19% 0.53% McCormick County, South Carolina South Carolina 3.32% 3.60% 6.08% Corson County, South Dakota South Dakota 4.51% 11.08% 21.48% Day County, South Dakota South Dakota 23.77% 6.16% 12.89% Marshall County, South Dakota South Dakota 15.51% 8.66% 16.48% Roberts County, South Dakota South Dakota 15.53% 9.84% 19.64% Ziebach County, South Dakota South Dakota 1.96% 16.43% 27.16% Hardeman County, Tennessee Tennessee 7.92% 5.91% 6.18% Jefferson County, Texas Texas 0.48% 1.61% 2.25% Essex County, Vermont Vermont 16.65% 13.40% 14.48% Buckingham County, Virginia Virginia 11.28% 2.43% 0.87% Caroline County, Virginia Virginia 5.02% 8.24% 11.97% Essex County, Virginia Virginia 2.14% 7.30% 10.35% Nelson County, Virginia Virginia 5.59% 2.72% 9.15% Westmoreland County, Virginia Virginia 7.14% 6.95% 10.24% Clallam County, Washington Washington 2.76% 0.38% 3.30% Cowlitz County, Washington Washington 13.32% 4.44% 11.15% Grays Harbor County, Washington Washington 6.99% 14.11% 14.56% Mason County, Washington Washington 5.81% 7.09% 8.66% Pacific County, Washington Washington 6.74% 11.52% 14.07% Adams County, Wisconsin Wisconsin 21.92% 8.73% 18.35% Buffalo County, Wisconsin Wisconsin 21.82% 2.93% 14.66% Columbia County, Wisconsin Wisconsin 2.14% 13.58% 15.26% Crawford County, Wisconsin Wisconsin 5.40% 19.98% 27.03% Door County, Wisconsin Wisconsin 3.22% 6.99% 17.33% Dunn County, Wisconsin Wisconsin 11.09% 4.97% 14.95% Forest County, Wisconsin Wisconsin 26.58% 5.44% 15.16% Grant County, Wisconsin Wisconsin 9.43% 13.77% 23.88% Jackson County, Wisconsin Wisconsin 11.74% 15.01% 21.84% Juneau County, Wisconsin Wisconsin 26.05% 7.03% 9.00% Kenosha County, Wisconsin Wisconsin 0.31% 12.23% 18.06% Lafayette County, Wisconsin Wisconsin 8.99% 15.37% 22.32% Lincoln County, Wisconsin Wisconsin 20.60% 0.71% 12.48% Marquette County, Wisconsin Wisconsin 24.09% 0.27% 5.28% Pepin County, Wisconsin Wisconsin 23.08% 2.22% 12.89% Price County, Wisconsin Wisconsin 25.00% 0.04% 13.40% Racine County, Wisconsin Wisconsin 4.28% 3.54% 7.41% Richland County, Wisconsin Wisconsin 5.50% 16.13% 20.63% Sauk County, Wisconsin Wisconsin 0.35% 18.47% 23.04% Sawyer County, Wisconsin Wisconsin 18.41% 0.49% 6.23% Trempealeau County, Wisconsin Wisconsin 12.64% 14.08% 26.39% Vernon County, Wisconsin Wisconsin 4.43% 14.73% 22.00% Winnebago County, Wisconsin Wisconsin 7.34% 3.73% 11.66% Average 11.45% 8.22% 12.29% Median 9.41% 7.32% 11.94%