To validate the hypothesis, I reviewed the per-pupil spending in the 50 states, based on census data from a report prepared in 2006 (latest year data was available).
Not surprisingly, among the top 20 states in per-student spending, only two, Wyoming(#8) and Alaska(#13) voted Republican in the 2008 election. Is that proof that the less educated vote Republican, while the most educated vote for the Democrat? What it does prove is that, at least in 2008, those states in which funding for students is highest, the electorate supported Senator Obama, the Democrat, for president.
The following table summarizes the census data, giving rank, state, per-pupil spending, and the winner of that state's electoral votes.
| Rank | Location | Spending | Voted |
| 1 | DC | 18,332 | Obama |
| 2 | NY | 16,800 | Obama |
| 3 | NJ | 16,743 | Obama |
| 4 | CT | 14,893 | Obama |
| 5 | HI | 14,799 | Obama |
| 6 | MA | 14,782 | Obama |
| 7 | VT | 14,329 | Obama |
| 8 | WY | 13,329 | McCain |
| 9 | RI | 13,279 | Obama |
| 10 | DE | 13,143 | Obama |
| 11 | PA | 12,942 | Obama |
| 12 | MD | 12,430 | Obama |
| 13 | AK | 12,299 | McCain |
| 14 | NH | 11,753 | Obama |
| 15 | ME | 11,709 | Obama |
| 16 | OH | 11,606 | Obama |
| 17 | WI | 11,160 | Obama |
| 18 | IN | 11,028 | Obama |
| 19 | MN | 11,010 | Obama |
| 20 | MI | 10,900 | Obama |
I'm sure there are differing arguments for what this data shows.
Yet, at the same time, I think it's hard to argue with the fact that the bottom five include Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, and Idaho. If that doesn't support my point, I'd certainly like to know why not.
Do dumb people vote Republican? Maybe not. One thing we know is that where education spending is less, Republicans have a better chance of winning.
Would Republican politicians intentionally depress education spending in hopes of maintaining their advantages in states they control?
