2000 United States presidential election in Missouri

The 2000 United States presidential election in Missouri took place on November 7, 2000, as part of the 2000 United States presidential election. Voters chose eleven electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

Prior to the election, Missouri was widely considered to be a critical swing state. Governor of Texas George W. Bush ultimately won the state by a margin of just over 3% against his Democratic opponent, Vice President Al Gore. The 2000 election was seen as a turning point for Missouri's bellwether status; the state was notable for voting for the overall winner of the presidency throughout most of the 20th Century. Missouri ultimately proved decisive as Gore would have won the presidency with 278 Electoral votes had he won the state, regardless of the outcome in Florida. Reportedly, Missouri Representative Dick Gephardt was on Gore's "short list" of potential running mates.

Although Bush did win the presidency, thus keeping the state's bellwether streak active, this was the first election since Missouri voted for Adlai Stevenson in 1956 where the state failed to back the national popular vote winner, and only the second time since 1900. This was also the first time in history that a Democrat won the popular vote without carrying Missouri. Missouri would ultimately lose its bellwether status in 2008 by narrowly voting for John McCain, and has been safely Republican in presidential elections since 2012.

, this is the last time that Saline, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Mississippi, Ray, and Clay Counties (which Gore won by only one vote) have voted for the Democratic presidential candidate. Bush became the first Republican to win the White House without carrying St. Louis County since Rutherford B. Hayes in 1876.

Missouri was one of nine states won by Bush that had supported Bill Clinton in both 1992 and 1996.

Primaries 2000 Missouri Democratic presidential primary 2000 Missouri Republican presidential primary

Results

By county

CountyGeorge W. BushRepublicanAl GoreDemocraticVarious candidatesOther partiesMarginTotal#%#%#%#%Adair6,05057.34%4,10138.86%4013.80%1,94918.48%10,552Andrew4,25758.52%2,79538.42%2223.05%1,46220.10%7,274Atchison1,79862.63%1,01335.28%602.09%78527.35%2,871Audrain5,25652.64%4,55145.58%1781.78%7057.06%9,985Barry7,88563.75%4,13533.43%3482.81%3,75030.32%12,368Barton3,83671.49%1,42426.54%1061.98%2,41244.95%5,366Bates4,24554.48%3,38643.45%1612.07%85911.03%7,792Benton4,21855.99%3,15041.81%1662.20%1,06814.18%7,534Bollinger3,48765.87%1,69231.96%1152.17%1,79533.91%5,294Boone28,42647.69%28,81148.33%2,3723.98%-385-0.64%59,609Buchanan16,42347.26%17,08549.16%1,2433.58%-662-1.90%34,751Butler9,11163.28%4,99634.70%2902.01%4,11528.58%14,397Caldwell2,22057.66%1,48838.65%1423.69%73219.01%3,850Callaway8,23853.81%6,70843.82%3622.36%1,5309.99%15,308Camden10,35860.58%6,32336.98%4182.44%4,03523.60%17,099Cape Girardeau19,83266.42%9,33431.26%6932.32%10,49835.16%29,859Carroll2,88062.87%1,62035.36%811.77%1,26027.51%4,581Carter1,73061.61%99735.51%812.88%73326.10%2,808Cass20,11356.07%14,92141.60%8352.33%5,19214.47%35,869Cedar3,53062.33%1,97934.95%1542.72%1,55127.38%5,663Chariton2,30055.37%1,79243.14%621.49%50812.23%4,154Christian14,82463.82%7,89633.99%5082.19%6,92829.83%23,228Clark1,89949.95%1,81247.66%912.39%872.29%3,802Clay39,08348.75%39,08448.75%2,0062.50%-1-0.00%80,173Clinton4,32350.67%3,99446.82%2142.51%3293.85%8,531Cole20,16761.53%12,05636.78%5521.68%8,11124.75%32,775Cooper4,07259.97%2,56737.81%1512.22%1,50522.16%6,790Crawford4,75457.26%3,35040.35%1982.38%1,40416.91%8,302Dade2,46865.78%1,19331.80%912.43%1,27533.98%3,752Dallas3,72359.86%2,31137.16%1852.97%1,41222.70%6,219Daviess2,01157.56%1,36739.12%1163.32%64418.44%3,494DeKalb2,36358.36%1,56238.58%1243.06%80119.78%4,049Dent3,99666.73%1,83930.71%1532.56%2,15736.02%5,988Douglas3,59968.15%1,54629.27%1362.58%2,05338.88%5,281Dunklin5,42651.55%4,94747.00%1521.44%4794.55%10,525Franklin21,86355.78%16,17241.26%1,1592.96%5,69114.52%39,194Gasconade4,19063.21%2,25734.05%1822.75%1,93329.16%6,629Gentry1,77157.04%1,27140.93%632.03%50016.11%3,105Greene59,17857.50%41,09139.92%2,6572.58%18,08717.58%102,926Grundy2,97663.21%1,56333.20%1693.59%1,41330.01%4,708Harrison2,55263.94%1,32833.27%1112.78%1,22430.67%3,991Henry5,12052.36%4,45945.60%1992.04%6616.76%9,778Hickory2,17251.25%1,96146.27%1052.48%2114.98%4,238Holt1,73865.29%87132.72%531.99%86732.57%2,662Howard2,41453.50%1,94443.09%1543.41%47010.41%4,512Howell9,01864.07%4,64132.97%4162.96%4,37731.10%14,075Iron2,23750.68%2,04446.31%1333.01%1934.37%4,414Jackson104,41838.38%160,41958.96%7,2252.66%-56,001-20.58%272,062Jasper24,89966.43%11,73731.31%8452.25%13,16235.12%37,481Jefferson36,76647.62%38,61650.02%1,8222.36%-1,850-2.40%77,204Johnson9,33955.63%6,92641.26%5223.11%2,41314.37%16,787Knox1,22659.66%78738.30%422.04%43921.36%2,055Laclede8,55665.58%4,18332.06%3072.35%4,37333.52%13,046Lafayette7,84954.06%6,34343.68%3282.26%1,50610.38%14,520Lawrence8,30564.36%4,23532.82%3632.81%4,07031.54%12,903Lewis2,38853.26%2,02345.12%731.63%3658.14%4,484Lincoln8,54953.72%6,96143.74%4032.53%1,5889.98%15,913Linn3,24654.01%2,64644.03%1181.96%6009.98%6,010Livingston3,70959.10%2,42538.64%1422.26%1,28420.46%6,276Macon4,23258.98%2,81739.26%1261.76%1,41519.72%7,175Madison2,46056.25%1,82841.80%851.94%63214.45%4,373Maries2,21657.50%1,55440.32%842.18%66217.18%3,854Marion6,55055.93%4,99342.63%1691.44%1,55713.30%11,712McDonald4,46068.31%1,86628.58%2033.11%2,59439.73%6,529Mercer1,25067.86%55530.13%372.01%69537.73%1,842Miller5,94563.54%3,21734.38%1942.07%2,72829.16%9,356Mississippi2,39545.93%2,75652.85%641.23%-361-6.92%5,215Moniteau3,76462.06%2,17635.88%1252.06%1,58826.18%6,065Monroe2,17553.13%1,86045.43%591.44%3157.70%4,094Montgomery3,10658.57%2,09239.45%1051.98%1,01419.12%5,303Morgan4,46056.59%3,23541.05%1862.36%1,22515.54%7,881New Madrid3,41647.01%3,73851.45%1121.54%-322-4.44%7,266Newton14,23267.25%6,44730.46%4832.28%7,78536.79%21,162Nodaway5,16157.03%3,55339.26%3353.70%1,60817.77%9,049Oregon2,52159.56%1,56837.04%1443.40%95322.52%4,233Osage4,15467.24%1,93831.37%861.39%2,21635.87%6,178Ozark2,66362.05%1,43233.36%1974.59%1,23128.69%4,292Pemiscot2,75045.38%3,24553.55%651.07%-495-8.17%6,060Perry4,66767.61%2,08530.20%1512.19%2,58237.41%6,903Pettis9,53360.51%5,85537.16%3672.33%3,67823.35%15,755Phelps9,44458.49%6,26238.78%4402.73%3,18219.71%16,146Pike3,64849.63%3,55748.39%1461.99%911.24%7,351Platte17,78552.23%15,32545.00%9442.77%2,4607.23%34,054Polk6,43062.46%3,60635.03%2582.51%2,82427.43%10,294Pulaski6,53162.02%3,80036.08%2001.90%2,73125.94%10,531Putnam1,59368.25%70830.33%331.41%88537.92%2,334Ralls2,44653.85%2,03344.76%631.39%4139.09%4,542Randolph4,84452.73%4,11644.81%2262.46%7287.92%9,186Ray4,51746.34%4,97050.99%2602.67%-453-4.65%9,747Reynolds1,76256.28%1,29841.46%712.27%46414.82%3,131Ripley3,12161.62%1,82035.93%1242.45%1,30125.69%5,065Saline4,57248.87%4,58549.01%1982.12%-13-0.14%9,355Schuyler1,15957.78%80840.28%391.94%35117.50%2,006Scotland1,33561.27%79036.26%542.48%54525.01%2,179Scott8,99957.30%6,45241.09%2531.61%2,54716.21%15,704Shannon2,24559.38%1,43037.82%1062.80%81521.56%3,781Shelby1,93659.44%1,26238.75%591.81%67420.69%3,257St. Charles72,11456.04%53,80641.81%2,7662.15%18,30814.23%128,686St. Clair2,73157.63%1,86639.38%1423.00%86518.25%4,739St. Francois9,32749.50%9,07548.17%4392.33%2521.33%18,841St. Louis224,68946.15%250,63151.48%11,5642.38%-25,942-5.33%486,884St. Louis City24,79919.88%96,55777.40%3,3962.72%-71,758-57.52%124,752Ste. Genevieve3,50547.94%3,60049.24%2062.82%-95-1.30%7,311Stoddard7,72762.04%4,47635.94%2512.02%3,25126.10%12,454Stone7,79364.13%4,05533.37%3032.49%3,73830.76%12,151Sullivan1,87761.26%1,12736.78%601.96%75024.48%3,064Taney9,64763.84%5,09233.70%3732.47%4,55530.14%15,112Texas6,13661.78%3,48635.10%3103.12%2,65026.68%9,932Vernon4,98559.29%3,15637.54%2673.18%1,82921.75%8,408Warren5,97955.67%4,52442.12%2372.21%1,45513.55%10,740Washington4,02048.64%4,04748.97%1982.40%-27-0.33%8,265Wayne3,34657.22%2,38740.82%1151.97%95916.40%5,848Webster7,35061.87%4,17435.13%3563.00%3,17626.74%11,880Worth65156.22%46940.50%383.28%18215.72%1,158Wright5,39168.75%2,25028.70%2002.55%3,14140.05%7,841Totals1,189,92450.42%1,111,13847.08%58,8302.49%78,7863.34%2,359,892

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Audrain (Largest city: Mexico) Bates (Largest city: Butler) Benton (Largest city: Warsaw) Caldwell (Largest city: Hamilton) Callaway (Largest city: Fulton) Carroll (Largest city: Carrollton) Chariton (Largest city: Salisbury) Clark (Largest city: Kahoka) Clinton (Largest city: Cameron) Crawford (Largest city: Cuba) Daviess (Largest city: Gallatin) DeKalb (Largest city: Cameron) Dunklin (Largest city: Kennett) Franklin (Largest city: Washington) Gentry (Largest city: Albany) Grundy (Largest city: Trenton) Henry (Largest city: Clinton) Hickory (Largest city: Hermitage) Howard (Largest city: Fayette) Iron (Largest city: Ironton) Knox (Largest city: Edina) Lafayette (Largest city: Odessa) Lewis (Largest city: Canton) Lincoln (Largest city: Troy) Linn (Largest city: Brookfield) Livingston (Largest city: Chillicothe) Macon (Largest city: Macon) Madison (Largest city: Fredericktown) Marion (Largest city: Hannibal) Mercer (Largest city: Princeton) Monroe (Largest city: Monroe City) Montgomery (Largest city: Montgomery City) Nodaway (Largest city: Maryville) Oregon (Largest city: Thayer) Pike (Largest city: Bowling Green) Ralls (Largest city: Hannibal) Randolph (Largest city: Moberly) Reynolds (Largest city: Ellington) Ripley (Largest city: Doniphan) Schuyler (Largest city: Lancaster) Scotland (Largest city: Memphis) Scott (Largest city: Sikeston) Shannon (Largest city: Winona) Shelby (Largest city: Shelbina) St. Clair (Largest city: Appleton City) St. Francois (Largest city: Farmington) Sullivan (Largest city: Milan) Vernon (Largest city: Nevada) Wayne (Largest city: Piedmont) Worth (Largest city: Grant City)

By congressional district Bush won six of nine congressional districts, including one that elected a Democrat. District Gore Bush Representative78%20%Bill ClayWilliam Lacy Clay, Jr.43%55%Jim TalentTodd Akin 51% 46%Dick Gephardt 39% 58%Ike Skelton 61% 36%Karen McCarthy44%53%Pat DannerSam Graves 35% 62%Roy Blunt 39% 59%Jo Ann Emerson 43% 54%Kenny Hulshof

Analysis

Beginning with the 2000 election, the status of the Missouri bellwether came into question. Between 1904 and 2004, Missouri was carried by the victor of each presidential election, with the exception of 1956. Though Bush won the presidency in the 2000 election through the Electoral College, he lost the national popular vote. The 2000 election was unique because this was the first time in over a century where the popular vote winner lost the general election. (In 1888, Missouri voted for Grover Cleveland, the incumbent Democrat, who lost to Republican candidate Benjamin Harrison). Thus, controversy exists as to whether or not Missouri accurately predicted the victor in this election. In the subsequent election, Missouri voted for George W. Bush, who this time won both the popular vote and the Electoral College.

In any case, Missouri has voted reliably Republican since this election. The state very narrowly voted for John McCain in 2008 and for Mitt Romney by a wider margin in 2012; both men were ultimately defeated by Barack Obama in the nationwide election. The controversy is further complicated by the 2016 presidential election, where Missouri voted for Donald Trump by a landslide, while Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by nearly three million votes, but like in 2000, Trump won the Electoral College and became 45th President of the United States. Like 2000, political scientists have differing opinions on whether or not Missouri accurately predicted the victor.

Electors