2004, the first year the electoral map colors did not reflect incumbency

[Walt Starr]

It used to be every four years, the electoral vote maps would be colored based upon the incumbent party. Blue was the coloir of incumbency and red was the color of the challenging party.

As of 2004, that no longer held true. For the first time, Red was the color of Republicans and Blue was the color of Democrats, and this is the way it shall remain forever more.

So, to re-coin a phrase:

BETTER DEAD THAN RED!!!

[SoCalDem]

1. Of course it HAD to be this way..

The "Bush'ites" would not be able to identify themselves if they had to THINK about what color they were supposed to salute :)

Republicans do NOT do nuance:)

[Taxloss]

8. Why did they plump for red??

[somnior]

2. Really?

I'm ashamed of my ignorance (on however small a matter)!

I've only really "grown up" (I'm still young) since the 2000 election. I would have sworn that Republicans had used/been represented by red for years, at least into the 80's.

I like blue better, anyway. :)

[Walt Starr]

4. They were represented by Red in 1980

Carter was the incumbent that year.

They were represented by Blue in 1984, 1988, and 1992. 1992 was another year where the map was mostly red.

[somnior]

3. Speaking of colors

http://www.moral-politics.com/xPolitics.aspx?menu=Home

On the matter of colors and ideologies, a friend sent me to this site recently. Not knowing if, perhaps, it's been posted at DU in the past, and also pretty sure I can't start threads myself yet, this seemed as good a place as any to mention it...

[xxqqqzme]

10. and red was ridge's HS

full bore, 21 whistle, full volume alarm alert 4 terrorists strike!

[Taxloss]

5. The colours are inverted in Britain.

Red is Labour's colour, Blue the Conservatives. The Lib-Dems get yellow, Greens get green, it varies for the other parties.

[Arugula Latte]

6. Blue's better -- red reminds me of

those butt-ugly fireengine red suits that Republican freaks like Nancy Reagan and Kay Baily Hutchinson wear. :puke:

[SmokingJacket]

7. That's interesting.

You're right; dems and repubs didn't have colors, until recently.

Makes sense, what with the Greens...

[cmf]

9. I wonder if they did this to further polarize people

The whole red-state/blue-state thing feeds into an us vs them mentality. "Liberals are the enemy" and so forth.