What Are Purple States?
Purple states, also called battleground or swing states, are U.S. states where Republican (red) and Democratic (blue) voters exist in roughly equal numbers. This balance creates a competitive political environment.
Explanation of the Term
The term "purple state" comes from mixing red and blue, similar to coloring with a blue crayon and then going over it with a red crayon. In politics, combining a similar number of Democratic and Republican voters results in a purple state.
Historical Context of Party Colors
The assignment of red to Republicans and blue to Democrats is a relatively recent development, emerging in the 21st century. The Scribner’s Statistical Atlas of the United States in 1883 showed voting patterns differently:
- Democratic South was marked in red.
- Republican strongholds in the Northeast and upper Midwest were blue.
- Unsettled voting areas were shown in white.
Color coding for political parties did not become widespread until the later part of the 20th century because newspapers were mostly black and white. For example, The New York Times only added color to its front page in 1997.
"Given the colors of the American flag, red and blue make a certain amount of sense."
This color coding system helped shape today's understanding of purple states as key battlegrounds where political power can shift.
Editor Note
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Author’s summary: Purple states represent politically balanced regions where Republican and Democratic voters are nearly equal, creating competitive and influential battlegrounds in U.S. elections.