IQ, per capita income, and 2000 vote by State

This list invites cheap shots, but probably is best interpreted in terms of how deep the red versus blue divisions are in U. S. society, and how fundamental are the cognitive differences that mark U.S. politics. Gore took 15 of the 16 states with highest IQ, which are also among the highest income states. Bush took24 of the 25 lowest average IQ states, which also are among the poorest states.

The big urban states -- New York, California, Illinois, etc. -- voted for Gore, while the smaller, rural states voted for Bush. (The U.S. voting system, that gives the small states added weight in the elections, gave the election to Bush even though Gore won the popular vote.) Of course, Gore got Rhode Island and Delaware -- small states both.

Still, a situation in which parties play to constituencies of markedly different average intelligence (and one may infer different average education) suggests a difference in the ways those parties functionaries are likely to use knowledge.