Could Madison County be turning more blue?

MADISON CO., Ala. (WAFF) - Is Madison County turning blue? Results from the 2020 election show Donald Trump and Tommy Tuberville carried the county, but margins were closer than we’ve seen in years.

While certified percentages won’t come in for a few more weeks, unofficial results from Tuesday in Madison County are as follows:

• Donald Trump – 52.8%, Joe Biden – 44.8%

Compare this margin to those from previous election cycles in Madison County:

• 2016: Donald Trump – 54.7%, Hillary Clinton - 38.4%
• 2012: Mitt Romney – 58.6%, Barack Obama - 39.9%
• 2008: John McCain – 56.8%, Barack Obama - 41.9%
• 2004: George W. Bush – 58.8%, John Kerry - 40.1%

This year’s tight race raises the question - is Madison County turning more Democratic?

Madison County Democratic Chairman Anthony Daniels says he thinks there are actually more Democrats in Madison County than Republicans but says the coronavirus pandemic kept the party from campaigning effectively.

“We’ve been engaging voters… but it’s harder to do it without actually being able to talk to the voters at the door… to kind of talk about the issues," says Daniels. "We have to depend on social media and television adds, but Democrats perform better when there’s a direct voter contact.”

Madison County Republican Chairman Brad Taylor says he’s seen some shifts in the western part of the county, but overall, he says Madison County continues to hold as Republican territory and will look to stay red for the foreseeable future.

Still, Taylor says Republican voters shouldn’t get too comfortable.

“We have to run every race like we’re behind and make sure we have great candidates and get our vote out," he says.

Eyes will be on Madison County during the race for Alabama’s next governor in 2022 and of course during the next presidential election in 2024 to see which way the area will lean.

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