The History of Presidential Elections in Wyoming

Wyoming is considered one of the most conservative political states in the country, and rightfully so.

In fact, no Democrat has carried the Cowboy State in a Presidential election since Lyndon Johnson in 1964. However, you might be surprised to know that Wyoming has voted for eight Democratic nominees since it was granted statehood in 1890.

Here's a look back at the history of Presidential elections here in the Cowboy State, courtesy of the website 270 to Win:

1892 - Wyoming voters sided with Republican incumbent Benjamin Harrison during our first Presidential election. Unfortunately for Harrison's supporters, he was soundly defeated by his Democratic challenger Grover Cleveland.

1896 - Wyoming went blue for the first time in 1896, allocating its three electoral votes for Democrat William Jennings Bryant. Ultimately Republican William McKinley would carry the entire northeast on his way to closely contested victory.

The next three elections would belong to the G.O.P., as Wyoming voted McKinley's reelection in 1900. In 1904, the Cowboy State would help elect Theodore Roosevelt to office. In 1908, Republican William Howard Taft would claim victory in Wyoming on his way to the Presidency.

1912 - The last major Presidential election to feature a viable third-party candidate, former President Roosevelt, running on the Progressive ticket, would split the Republican vote with incumbent President Taft. As a result, Democrat Woodrow Wilson would carry Wyoming and win the Presidency.

Wyoming would vote to reelect Wilson in 1916.

In 1920, Wyoming voters sided with Republican Warren Harding, who won in a landslide. Another Republican, Calvin Coolidge, would win in 1924. Four years later, another Republican, Herbert Hoover would carry Wyoming on his way to Washington.

After the stock market crash of 1929 and the Great Depression that followed, Wyoming voters would elect Democrat Franklin Delano Roosevelt to three consecutive terms, from 1932 through 1940.

Although Roosevelt would go on to win a fourth consecutive term in 1944, Wyoming went red that year, voting for Republican challenger Thomas Dewey.

1948 - In, perhaps, the greatest upset in United States history, Democrat Harry Truman carried Wyoming on his way to an unlikely victory over the heavily favored Dewey.

With the support of Wyoming voters, Dwight Eisenhower would cruise to landslide wins over Democratic challenger Adlai Stevenson in 1952 and 1956.

In the controversial election of 1960, Richard Nixon took Wyoming, only to be narrowly defeated by Democrat rival John Kennedy in the national vote.

Lyndon Johnson's 1964 triumph over Republican Barry Goldwater would be the last time a Democrat would carry the Cowboy State.

Nixon won Wyoming on his way to the Oval Office in 1968 and 1972. Wyoming went for Gerald Ford in 1976, who would lose the election to Jimmy Carter.

Voters in the Cowboy State overwhelming supported Ronald Reagan in 1980 and 1984. George H.W. Bush carried Wyoming in 1988 and 1992.

In 1996, Robert Dole won Wyoming in his unsuccessful bid to unseat Bill Clinton.

With some help from Vice Presidential candidate and Wyoming native Dick Cheney, George W. Bush easily carried the Cowboy State in 2000 and 2004.

Future President Barrack Obama was soundly defeated by John McCain among Wyoming voters 2008. In 2012, over 69 percent of Wyoming voters sided with Republican challenger Mitt Romney, the largest margin in the country.

And while the eventual Republican nominee will be a solid favorite to carry Wyoming this year, keep in mind, the Cowboy State has voted for eight Democratic candidates in the past.