Who decided that “red states” would be those which vote for Republicans and “blue states” those which vote for Democrats?
Wikipedia even notes:
“This system used in the United States of America is in stark contrast to the color system used in the vast majority of other nations. In most other parts of the world, blue represents right wing and conservative parties, while red represents left wing and socialist parties.”
My bet is that’s part of the point. Whenever the two colors began to be generally used in American election coverage, liberals probably felt that to have support for them labeled “red” would be rather like handing Edward McCarthy a posthumous victory. The United States spent half a century locked in potentially lethal stand-off with The Reds. Nobody in American politics, not even the Communists themselves, desires association with the color now.
So, when you think about it, it really is only fair: in order not to bias voters against the Democratic Party, best not to identify it with the people who embodied the logical progression of Democrat ideas.
As recently as the Kennedy-Nixon election, blue was used for the Republicans and red for the Democrats.
Also, Wikipedia’s articles on US presidential elections make the switch between ’76 and ’80.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UnitedStatespresidentialelection%2C1976 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UnitedStatespresidentialelection%2C1980
It’s a nice theory, but I’m going to have to shred it. The TV networks have alternated for years between red and blue to illustrate Republican and Democrat victories.
Kevin Drum, at Political Animal, has a nice table showing how that’s broken down since 1976.
The real question is — what happens in 2008, when the Republicans are scheduled to switch to blue?
Well.
What do I know, anyhow?
(Though formula for television broadcasting notwithstanding, political lingo still colors Democrat states “blue” and Republicans “red”, aye? So does that main point not still stand?)
Sorry, ‘fraid not. The political lingo only came into use after the widely televised maps of the 2000 election. The formula has kept Republicans red and Democrats blue ever since.
Well, shut MY mouth, then.
NH is RED not blue