Boone, Iowa. Homestead, Fla. Denmark, S.C.
What do these places have in common? They were all mentioned by 2020 Democratic candidates during recent debates, along with various other cities and states across the country and around the globe. Candidates appear to strategically reference geographic places for reasons ranging from getting particular voters’ attention to demonstrating knowledge of foreign policy.
We looked at how the 10 candidates who qualified for November’s debate used place names in the past five debates.
One way candidates use geography to their advantage is to declare their support for voters in battleground states, whether farmers in Iowa or industrial workers in Ohio. To determine which states candidates call out the most for the purpose of getting voters’ attention, we excluded mentions where the candidate was simply giving a shout-out to the place hosting the debate (Florida, Michigan, Texas, Ohio, Georgia) as well as states mentioned by candidates referring to their personal background. (We’ll show you those in the next section.)
[Which of these 2020 Democrats agrees with you most?]
States in the Midwest, particularly Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan, are brought up the most, as is the Midwest as a whole. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) frequently mentions being from the Midwest, and that she can “win in the Midwest.” Iowa holds the first nominating contest, and Wisconsin and Michigan are two states Democrats probably will need to win the presidency.
How often the candidates
strategically mentioned each place
Never
At least once
Five or more times
Wisc.
Mich.
Iowa
“I can win in states like Wisconsin
and Michigan
and Iowa.”
KLOBUCHAR
“I was in McAllen,
Texas, and I just
hope everyone
remembers what
this looks like.”
WARREN
How often the candidates
strategically mentioned each place
Five or more times
Never
At least once
Wisc.
Mich.
Iowa
Penn.
Calif.
N.C.
Tex.
Fla.
“I can win in states like Wisconsin
and Michigan
and Iowa.”
KLOBUCHAR
“I was in McAllen,
Texas, and I just
hope everyone
remembers what
this looks like.”
WARREN
How often the candidates strategically mentioned each place
Five or more times
Never
At least once
Wisconsin
N.H.
Conn.
Iowa
Penn.
Ohio
Calif.
Md.
Va.
Ky.
N.C.
S.C.
Ga.
Ala.
Tex.
La.
Fla.
“I can win in
states like
Wisconsin
and Michigan
and Iowa.”
BIDEN
YANG
“I met with
a farmer
in Iowa...”
“...be able to go
into states like
Georgia and North
Carolina and other
places and get a
Senate majority.”
KLOBUCHAR
“I was in McAllen, Texas,
and I just hope everyone
remembers what this looks like.”
WARREN
How often the candidates strategically mentioned each place
Five or more times
Never
At least once
Wisconsin
N.H.
Conn.
Iowa
Penn.
Ohio
Calif.
Md.
Va.
Ky.
N.C.
S.C.
Ga.
Ala.
Tex.
La.
Fla.
“I can win in
states like
Wisconsin
and Michigan
and Iowa.”
“I met with
a farmer
in Iowa...”
BIDEN
YANG
“...be able to go into
states like Georgia
and North Carolina
and other places and
get a Senate majority.”
KLOBUCHAR
“I was in McAllen, Texas,
and I just hope everyone
remembers what this looks like.”
WARREN
How often the candidates strategically mentioned each place
Five or more times
Never
At least once
“I can win in states like Wisconsin
and Michigan
and Iowa.”
KLOBUCHAR
YANG
“I met with a
farmer in Iowa...”
N.H.
Wisconsin
Conn.
Iowa
Penn.
Ohio
Calif.
Md.
Va.
Ky.
“...be able to go into
states like Georgia
and North Carolina
and other places and
get a Senate majority.”
N.C.
S.C.
“I was in McAllen,
Texas, and I just
hope everyone
remembers what
this looks like.”
Ga.
Ala.
Tex.
La.
Fla.
BIDEN
WARREN
Iowa is by far the most-referenced state, with at least a dozen mentions. But sometimes candidates choose to emphasize places outside of the Midwest.
Klobuchar and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) have mentioned Alabama in reference to laws that could threaten Roe vs. Wade. While he didn’t make the November debate, former housing and urban development secretary Julián Castro has brought up visiting with citizens of Puerto Rico.
But many states across the country get no love at all. All Western states except California are left out of the conversation, including Nevada, which is both a key early contest and a potential general election battleground. Many Northeastern states have never been mentioned, and many states in the South have been referenced only once.
You know that friend who always says, “Well, when I lived in ...”? Some of the candidates do that, too. Take Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sen. Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.), and Booker. In multiple debates, all three referenced a particular place they lived, presumably to make a point about their experience.
Warren references growing up in Oklahoma, a nod to her rural upbringing, and Booker reminisces on moving to inner-city Newark, where he stills lives. Harris reminds us all that she was attorney general of California and that “justice is on the ballot.”
“I was born and raised
in Oklahoma.”
“You know, I grew
up in Oklahoma.”
WARREN
“... I moved into the
inner city of Newark ...”
“... I was a law student
and moved to inner city
Newark, New Jersey ...”
BOOKER
“... when I was attorney
general of California ...”
“... I became the first
woman attorney general
of California ...”
HARRIS
“I was born and raised
in Oklahoma.”
“You know, I grew
up in Oklahoma.”
WARREN
“... I moved into the
inner city of Newark ...”
“... I was a law student
and moved to inner city
Newark, New Jersey ...”
BOOKER
“... when I was attorney
general of California ...”
“... I became the first
woman attorney general
of California ...”
HARRIS
WARREN
BOOKER
HARRIS
“... when I was attorney
general of California ...”
“... I moved into the
inner city of Newark ...”
“I was born and raised
in Oklahoma.”
“You know, I grew
up in Oklahoma.”
“... I was a law student
and moved to inner city
Newark, New Jersey ...”
“... I became the first
woman attorney general
of California ...”
WARREN
BOOKER
HARRIS
“... when I was attorney
general of California ...”
“... I moved into the
inner city of Newark ...”
“I was born and raised
in Oklahoma.”
“You know, I grew
up in Oklahoma.”
“... I was a law student
and moved to inner city
Newark, New Jersey ...”
“... I became the first
woman attorney general
of California ...”
HARRIS
WARREN
BOOKER
“... when I was attorney
general of California ...”
“I was born and raised
in Oklahoma.”
“... I moved into the
inner city of Newark ...”
“You know, I grew
up in Oklahoma.”
“... I was a law student
and moved to inner city
Newark, New Jersey ...”
“... I became the first
woman attorney general
of California ...”
Of course, candidates only bring up where they’ve lived when it’s politically opportune. Warren has lived in Massachusetts, and Booker lived in California while attending university at Stanford.
[Where all the 2020 presidential candidates have lived — and where none have]
Harris has resided in California for most of her life, which is reflected in her repeated references to California and her few references to any other states. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard frequently references her home state of Hawaii.
Some candidates use another different strategy, highlighting their international experience and knowledge. Gabbard, Booker, Klobuchar and former vice president Joe Biden lead in naming countries when discussing foreign policy and national security.
Russia
10
5
“... we must start
negotiating back with
Russia, which has
been a horrible player
on the international
scene ...”
1
Number of
mentions
KLOBUCHAR
China
“... we make clear to
China, which I have
done personally with --
with the president of
China, and that is we're
going to move up our
defenses ...”
BIDEN
GABBARD
Afghanistan
“We are no better
off in Afghanistan
today than we were
when this war began
... I am ready to do
that job when I walk
into the Oval Office.”
Russia
10
5
“... we must start
negotiating back with
Russia, which has
been a horrible player
on the international
scene ...”
1
Number of
mentions
KLOBUCHAR
“... we make clear to
China, which I have
done personally with --
with the president of
China, and that is we're
going to move up our
defenses ...”
China
BIDEN
Afghanistan
“We are no better off
in Afghanistan today
than we were when this
war began ... I am ready
to do that job when I walk
into the Oval Office.”
GABBARD
10
Russia
5
“... we must start
negotiating back with
Russia, which has
been a horrible player
on the international
scene...”
1
Number of
mentions
KLOBUCHAR
“... this nation is
pulling away from
critical allies we
would need to show
strength against
China.”
BIDEN
China
“... we make clear to
China, which I have
done personally with --
with the president of
China, and that is we're
going to move up our
defenses ...”
BOOKER
BIDEN
Afghanistan
“We are no better
off in Afghanistan
today than we were
when this war began
... I am ready to do
that job when I walk
into the Oval Office.”
“I also think we
should not have
combat troops in
Afghanistan. It's
long overdue. It
should end.”
GABBARD
10
5
Russia
“... we must start
negotiating back with
Russia, which has
been a horrible player
on the international
scene ...”
1
Number of
mentions
KLOBUCHAR
BIDEN
“... this nation is pulling
away from critical allies
we would need to show
strength against China.”
China
“... we make clear to
China, which I have
done personally with --
with the president of
China, and that is we're
going to move up our
defenses ...”
BOOKER
BIDEN
Afghanistan
“We are no better
off in Afghanistan
today than we were
when this war began
... I am ready to do
that job when I walk
into the Oval Office.”
“I also think we should
not have combat troops
in Afghanistan. It's long
overdue. It should end.”
GABBARD
BIDEN
“... this nation is pulling
away from critical allies
we would need to show
strength against China.”
China
“... we make clear to
China, which I have
done personally with --
with the president of
China, and that is we're
going to move up our
defenses ...”
BOOKER
Russia
“When we look at
international agreements,
we must start negotiating
back with Russia, which
has been a horrible player
on the international scene ...”
KLOBUCHAR
BIDEN
Afghanistan
“We are no better
off in Afghanistan
today than we were
when this war began
... I am ready to do
that job when I walk
into the Oval Office.”
“I also think we should
not have combat troops
in Afghanistan. It's long
overdue. It should end.”
GABBARD
Biden and Booker mentioned China the most, both in reference to foreign policy and national security. Gabbard led in references to Afghanistan, a reflection of her military service with the Hawaii Army National Guard. And Klobuchar, who has mentioned more than 20 places in the United States, heavily mentioned Russia, which made it the most-referenced country by one candidate.
[Where the candidates stand on foreign policy]
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) invoked Canada for a completely different reason: as an example of a health-care and prescription system the United States should mirror.
“... we pay 10 times
more for prescription
drugs as do the
people of Canada ...”
“I took 15 people
with diabetes from
Detroit a few miles
into Canada ...”
SANDERS
“... we pay 10 times more
for prescription drugs as
do the people of Canada ...”
“I took 15 people with
diabetes from Detroit
a few miles into Canada ...”
SANDERS
“... we pay 10 times more
for prescription drugs as
do the people of Canada ...”
“I took 15 people with
diabetes from Detroit
a few miles into Canada ...”
SANDERS
While some of these geographic references may seem random, they appear to be done with purpose and meaning, whether singling out the farmers of the Midwest (almost every candidate) or naming Papua New Guinea as the only country with a child-care system as flawed as that of the United States (Yang). We’ll see what other places make the list in December.
Read more
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Who has qualified for the December Democratic debate
About this story
Only the 10 candidates who participated in the November debate were included in this analysis. Places were selected from debate transcripts, and place names said by moderators were excluded from the analysis.
The battleground map includes states where the state was mentioned or a city within that state was mentioned. States mentioned as shout-outs to a particular debate’s crowd were excluded. States mentioned in reference to where candidates have lived or worked were excluded from the map count.
