Furthest back Electoral College map that appears familiar today

[King of Kensington]

I'm guessing most will say 2000 when "red and blue America" became a thing? 

I feel it's 1992 - in spite of Clinton's wins in the non-"New South" states.  You can see the pattern emerging. 

1988 is almost "foreign" with California, Illinois, New Jersey etc. being R.

[Blow by blow, the passion dies]

2000

[Del Tachi]

2000

Coincidently (or maybe not?), this is also the map featured prominently on Atlas' homepage.

[TransfemmeGoreVidal]

I'm guessing most will say 2000 when "red and blue America" became a thing? 

I feel it's 1992 - in spite of Clinton's wins in the non-"New South" states.  You can see the pattern emerging. 

1988 is almost "foreign" with California, Illinois, New Jersey etc. being R.

1992 and 96 combined are the closest to 2020 for sure minus the Appalachian south.

[King of Kensington]

Was just looking at the 1976 map, completely foreign today.  That election is most known for Carter's dominance of the South.  But it's also the heyday of Republican dominance of the West.  And it's funny to see Ohio voting to the left of Illinois, Pennsylvania to the left of New Jersey (i.e. affluent suburbanites were very R at the time, and there's still a New Deal-esque Democratic vote in the rust belt).