Future Realignment Possibilities?

[MT Treasurer]

I mean, it will obviously be this because 2016 was a one-time thing, a "populist" like Sanders (who wins the Democratic nomination without any trouble whatsoever) could clearly do well in WV/KY/MO/AR/etc. (all of which are populist Democratic states at heart), VA and CO will "come home" for the GOP once Trump is gone, Schumer's Better Deal slogan, etc.

In all seriousness, though: I expect to see something like this by 2030...

This map isn't necessarily the result of a "complex realignment" but rather remarkably little change.

And in 2040:

[MT Treasurer]

Of course a plausible scenario is that there won't really be ONE direction the Republican Party will choose to go. You might see a Kid Rock or Paul LePage winning a Republican primary in 2024 and then 4 years later someone like Tim Scott or Ted Cruz. And then a Rick Scott. A lot really depends on the national environment, economic conditions, race relations, etc. In any case, uniting the different factions that make up the party could prove to be very difficult. The Democrats are much more flexible in this regard, and I could easily see a celebrity (just as an example) uniting the establishment and more progressive factions.

[MT Treasurer]

Iowa is one of the most Republican states in the country while New Mexico is one of the most Democratic states.

Assuming this isn't a joke, I'd love to hear the reasoning behind this map/scenario as I find it quite interesting, especially NM being one of the most Democratic states in the country, NH being solidly R (while ME is a Tossup) and AR being a Tossup.