What makes a State/Commonwealth Red or Blue?

It depends upon the amount of iron in the water.

 

I put the heaviest weight on how the state votes in a Presidential election, then the senators. The other factors are relevant but somewhat less determinative, IMO.

 

North Carolina exemplified your method this past election.

I thought Oklahoma had the title reddest of the red, since their entire congressional delegation is red.

 

WV had the highest percent go for Trump, if I recall correctly, but still had some blue in their congressional delegation.

 

If not California then Vermont.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

I would guess Hawaii.

Off to google, lol.

 

Ironically, Bernie is still listed as Independent. Might throw off the score.

 

If you broaden "blue" to include those who caucus with Democrats, the score can adjusted appropriately.

 

Sounds reasonable, for independents.

Now actual third party elected officials...

 

Yes, a legitimate third party official would be a different bird.

 

I meant a true third party official (i.e. one who does not caucus with the GOP or the Democrats but stands apart as a distinct party).

If you caucus with one of the two major parties, I count you with them.

 

That's still co-mingling with a major party. I understand why they caucus with a major party, but when they do that, they can pretty much be counted as Republican or Democrat for the purposes of determining how "red" or "blue" a state is.