CEDAR RAPIDS (AP) — Iowa voters used to consistently support Republican presidential candidates, but ever since the late 1980s the state has been leading toward Democrats.

The Gazette in Cedar Rapids reported that Iowans chose Democratic candidates in six of the last seven races. But Iowa supported Republicans in all but five elections between the Civil War and 1988.

Experts say the voting shift is a reflection of the changing demographics of Iowa. The state is becoming more urban and its residents are better educated.