By David Gordon, associate editor Wisconsin is “a blue state with purple hues,” according to University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire political scientist Geoff Peterson. He characterized the state that way Thursday evening as part of his virtual presentation to the Eau Claire County Democratic Party’s monthly meeting, noting that the last time before 2016 that the state favored a Republican presidential candidate was the 1984 election won by Ronald Reagan. Subsequent results through 2012 were close but in the Democratic column, much like the 2020 election. Peterson offered five different explanations that – taken together – could help explain the growing urban-rural split between the two major political parties. To read more about his presentation, please click on the headline.