Why was New Mexico more Republican pre-Clinton?

[Mr. Smith]

Western states were generally much more Republican before the current political era.

No, Democrats continually abandoned the region in a fruitless bid to hold The South and gave little thought until it was clear The Religious Right were pretty much making The South impossible to keep competitive without cost.

Church, Brown, Babbit, Hart...any of them had a chance...but they elected to throw that away with a bunch of Midwestern/South ticket splits.