(NewsNation) — The country is dealing with a familiar movement: a great migration … but this time, it’s in reverse.
According to the Census Bureau, more Americans are moving to the south, which is different from the historic event that saw millions leave southern states a century ago, relovating to northern cities.
“As people are moving, we’re seeing … the effect that has on the Electoral College, how that’s changing coalitions in America, and what a winning map looks like for a Senate majority, or for a presidential candidate,” senior data scientist Kiel Williams said Thursday on “NewsNation Prime.”
Census data shows that urban populations in San Francisco, New York, Boston and Washington, D.C., all dropped. The Census also shows that people are not just moving to Texas and Florida, but are also going to the southwest states, such as Arizona, which is considered a swing state.
People don’t necessarily determine their political beliefs based on what state they happen to be in, so much as bringing their politics with them, Williams clarified. For example, 20 years ago, Georgia was extremely Republican, and it has rapidly trended to the left over the past few election cycles.
“Even if we’re seeing people with more left-leaning views moving from states like New York and going to Florida … that’s coming at the same time that we’re seeing people in that state sort of shifting their views and in different directions,” Williams said. “You can’t look at any of these (migration) trends … in isolation.”