Vermont

[Oldiesfreak1854]

This is ironic since Vermont has had only one Democratic Senator only voted Democratic for president once prior to 1992 (in 1964).  They also had 108 straight years of Republican governors, from 1855 until 1963.  It's also ironic because much of New England's history dates back to religious, churchgoing Christians.  Vermont was one of the most Republican-leaning states in the country for many years, and sadly, it is now one of the most Democrat-leaning.  How I wish it had stuck to its heritage! 
I think it has more to do with the fact that Vermont is one of America's most liberal states than an anti-Southern bias.  And don't forget that it has elected some Republicans at the state level recently (like Jim Douglas for four terms before Shumlim became governor, or their current Lieutenant Governor.)

[Oldiesfreak1854]

It's a very progressive state and always has been.  Very, very liberal attitudes up there.  When the Democrats still struck the electorate as more "traditional", they lost Vermont by large margins every time.  Sure, Nixon had the 1968 Southern strategy, but the Democrats had not taken that turn into the "progressive" choice in America.  (Actually, Vermont was right around McGovern's national numbers in 1972 after a century-plus of voting WAY more Republican than the nation as a whole, and he was a progressive)

The evangelical Carter wasn't going to facilitate the switch.  But Mondale got VT to the nat'l average in 1984, it was D+2 in 1988, and it was al downhill for the GOP in VT from there as the GOP continued to drift rightward and the Dems realized that the liberals and progressives could be incorporated into their coalition.  

I believe in traditional values, and I would have in the 60s, but I wouldn't have gone along with "traditional values" when I thought they were wrong.