THREAD: With the presidential results basically done, I took a look today at how the states voted relative to the nation, both in this election and since 2000

https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/how-the-states-voted-relative-to-the-nation/

First of all, there's the two-party Democratic share in each state in 2016 and 2020, sorted by best-to-worst Biden improvement (or decline, as it it in a handful of places)

Biden overperformed most in a mix of red and blue states, declined mostly in blue states plus Florida

Notice, too, that Biden did slightly worse in Nevada, and didn't improve as much as he did overall in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Overall, 311 EVs worth of states/districts voted to right of nation, 227 voted to left. Was 320 more R/218 more D in 2016. EC still leans right

What follows are charts splitting the 50 states into 10 regions, and how they have voted relative to the nation since 2000. Explanation of methodology at link https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/how-the-states-voted-relative-to-the-nation/

Close to zero means state reflected nation. Positive numbers = R lean, negative = D lean

Let's go from west to east.

1. Pacific states. CA/HI a little less D, but still very D overall. AK trends a little less R

2. Dakotas/ID/MT/WY - slightly less R relative to nation, but still very R. Dakotas took big step right in 2016 and then basically stayed there. WY most R state in nation for second-straight elex

3. Southwest. CO passes NM as most Dem state in region. NV votes right of nation; AZ getting less red over past few cycles. UT alignment didn't change after big dip in 2016 (though still very R)

4. South Central: TX drifts a little less R, other states very R. TX had smallest pro-R deviation since 1988

5. Western part of Midwest. Minnesota voted right of nation for first time since 1952 in 2016, reverted to pro-D deviation this time. R lean in KS/NE/MO weakens a little, still strong. IA stays basically the same as 2016

6. Eastern part of Midwest: Ohio gets even redder relative to the nation. Michigan remains a little right of center, as does Wisconsin. Illinois continues to be clearly most D state in region

7. Greater Appalachia: Doesn't really get redder, but some of these states hardly could get redder

8. South Atlantic: GA votes more D than FL/NC for first time since 1992 (which also was last time Ds won it). VA continues to move more D. SC basically steady

9. Mid-Atlantic: PA gets slightly redder relative to the nation, but underneath the hood in the calculations it's only a couple tenths of a point. MD getting bluer by the cycle. NY votes almost the same as 2016, so less blue relatively

10. New England. Only region where all states voted left of the nation after NH flips from 2016