Biden's gains relative to Hillary Clinton were powered by significant improvement in Kansas' suburbs and
college towns: he became the first Democrat to carry
Johnson County, the state's most populous and home to
Overland Park and
Olathe, since
Woodrow Wilson in
1916. It was also the first since 1896 that Democrats received a majority in the county. Biden was also the first Democrat ever to win
Riley County, anchored by the
Fort Riley military installation and
Kansas State University; and the first to win
Shawnee County, home to the state capital of
Topeka, since
Bill Clinton's narrow plurality in
1992. While he failed to break the 56-year Republican winning streak in
Sedgwick County, the second most populous in the state and home to the state's largest city
Wichita, his 42.9 percent of the vote there was the strongest for a Democrat since
Jimmy Carter received 46.5 percent of the vote in
1976. Biden would also build upon Hillary Clinton's share (32.31%) and even break Carter's record at
Seward County of 33.96%. At 34.62%, this was the highest percentage of votes a Democratic presidential candidate has won in the county since
Lyndon B. Johnson won 46.14% in
1964. This was also the first election since the three-way contest of 1992 in which a Democratic candidate won at least five counties, along with it being the smallest margin of victory for a Republican nominee since George Bush in 1992. ==Notes==