I think this depends on whether you’re talking vibes when visiting the stage or vibes from the outsider perspective. I’ll give reactions to others’ lists/maps as a northerner:
-California I’d have at the leftmost of the list aside from maybe Washington and Oregon, even if Massachusetts and Vermont are actually more liberal than these places. California and the 3 combined make up a “left coast” perception
-Similarly, Texas I’d have farther right on the list because it’s the biggest and most famous red state so it’s viewed as a conservative hallmark. Also, I think the casual observer knows that it’s a fairly diverse state with tons of big cities so it gets an even stronger conservative perception from taking into account that it “should” be left leaning based on those facts
-North Carolina I’d have farther right, probably even to the right of Georgia. It also gives off rural Deep South vibes but probably wins that tiebreaker from being an actual pink state and not a purple state. I think a lot of northerners would have no idea that it’s more competitive than a state like South Carolina for example
-Wisconsin I’d certainly have to the right of the other rust belt states and probably one of the rightest Midwest/Great Lakes states. It has some cultural traits that give off conservative vibes (weed not legal, speeding tickets common in SE WI, many residents love hunting) that are a contrast from “liberal” Illinois. Of it’s characteristics, I think the red WOW/BOW counties is the most well known outside the state. A lot of people assume that the rurals are darker red and that Madison isn’t as influential as it is. People in Illinois think of IL as one blue metro in a sea of red between Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, (perceived) Iowa, and I think the fact that Wisconsin also borders IL contributes to it being grouped with those other states
1. Coastal California definitely feels more liberal than any of the Northeast cities.
2. Texas feels conservative, but also distinctly libertarian compared to the rest of the South
3. Oklahoma feels extremely conservative, almost like you just woke up in the mid 20th century.
4. VA/NC/GA all feel at least one category more conservative than they actually vote, probably due to their aristocratic past. North Carolina on the whole does not strike me as any less conservative than Tennessee.
5. Florida feels a lot more liberal/Northeast than it actually votes. Seeing it vote right of Georgia is just bizarre from a vibes perspective.
